Get reference to a Spinner in ActionBar

Question

findViewById() works fine when you need to find something any UI element that is in your layout. However, using the second option of this answer How to add a Dropdown item on the action bar, I added a Spinner to my ActionBar.

Now the problem I am facing is how to retrieve a reference to this Spinner so that I can change the font that it uses. How do I do that?

My menu/sort_spinner looks like this:

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
    <item android:id="@+id/sort" 
        android:showAsAction="always"
        android:title="@string/sort"
        android:actionLayout="@layout/actionbar_spinner"/>
</menu>

and layout/actionbar_spinner like this:

<Spinner xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:gravity="center_horizontal"
    android:spinnerMode="dropdown"
    android:id="@+id/spinner"
    android:entries="@array/type" />

Harikrishnan · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-23T08:52:00.960

1

You have to do it in the public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu).

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.sort_spinner, menu);
    MenuItem spinnerItem = menu.findItem(R.id.sort);
    Spinner spinner = (Spinner)spinnerItem.getActionView().findViewById(R.id.spinner);
    //Your rest of code...
    return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
}

edited Jul 23 '14 at 08:52

answered Jul 23 '14 at 08:40

Harikrishnan

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and the `Typeface`? I am not using a custom adapter :) – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 08:47
are you sure about the `findItem(R.id.sort)`? Are you sure it shouldn't be `R.id.spinner`? – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 08:49
You are assigning a MenuItem to a spinner. – Simas Jul 23 '14 at 08:51
@user3249477 Yeah, I had that nagging feeling that something isnt right :) – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 08:51
1

Sorry, I didnt read the question fully and made a silly mistake in the code. I didn't try this out, but it should work. Updated the code. Please check. :) – Harikrishnan Jul 23 '14 at 08:53
@LittleChild Sorry, but as far as I know for changing the Typeface you will have to use custom adapter for the spinner. Check this answer: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19150588/android-spinner-change-font-typeface/19150605#19150605 – Harikrishnan Jul 23 '14 at 09:05

Simas · Answer 2 · 2014-07-23T09:06:15.773

1

Inside of your onCreateOptionsMenu you can save a global reference of your menu like this:

public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.actionbar_items, menu);
    mMenu = menu;
    ...
}

EDIT:

To change the Font you will however have to use an adapter. Here's an example that should work.

MenuItem item = mMenu.findItem(R.id.sort);
Spinner spinner = (Spinner) item.getActionView().findViewById(R.id.spinner);

MyAdapter adapter = new MyAdapter(this, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item);
adapter.setDropDownViewResource(android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);

spinner.setAdapter(adapter);

private class MyAdapter extends ArrayAdapter {

    public MyAdapter(Context context, int textViewResourceId) {
        super(context, textViewResourceId);
    }

    public TextView getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        TextView v = (TextView) super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
        v.setTypeface(myFont);
        return v;
    }

    public TextView getDropDownView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        TextView v = (TextView) super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
        v.setTypeface(myFont);
        return v;
    }

}

edited Jul 23 '14 at 09:06

answered Jul 23 '14 at 08:50

Simas

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and now for the `Typeface` for the text inside the spinner. How to? :) – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 08:52
No way to avoid the adapter ? :) – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 09:08
1

I am afraid not. You have to set the Typeface for the TextView and that cannot be done unless you make a custom adapter. – Harikrishnan Jul 23 '14 at 09:10
@LittleChild what do you need the spinner for, if you're not planning to use an adapter? How else would you populate it then? – Simas Jul 23 '14 at 09:14
@user3249477 I think he was actually speaking about custom adapter. If needed he can simply populate it using an `ArrayAdapter`. No need to customise. But for setting `TypeFace` he will definitely need to customise it. – Harikrishnan Jul 23 '14 at 09:29
@user3249477 using a string array straight from the XML using `android:entries="@array/something"` – An SO User Jul 23 '14 at 10:13
@LittleChild You do know that you can still use the xml array with the custom adapter? – Simas Jul 23 '14 at 10:17

Get reference to a Spinner in ActionBar

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