Aligning a RecyclerView below a LinearLayout

Question

I have a linear layout called "footer" I want to place below my RecyclerView (a new type of list introduced in API 21).

The recyclerview will probably want to have a "match_parent" height to efficiently use memory (avoid unecessary calculation).
I shouldn't have the recyclerview first because then it will take up the whole screen and the footer wont be visible.
Since the recyclerview comes second the linearlayout shouldn't have a "match_parent" height, because then the recyclerview won't be seen, and I don't need the footer to stretch anyways.

So I have the linearlayout "footer", a height first in my root relativelayout, then the recyclerview will be "match_parent", and specified above the "footer":

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin">

<LinearLayout
    android:id="@+id/footer"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical">

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/addTaskImage"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="end"
        android:src="@drawable/ic_edit"
        android:visibility="visible" />

    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/addTaskRL"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:visibility="gone">

        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/taskET"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="150sp"
            android:background="@color/White">
        </EditText>

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/paletteRed"
            android:layout_width="30dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="50dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:background="@color/Red" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/paletteOrange"
            android:layout_width="30dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/paletteRed"
            android:background="@color/Orange" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/paletteGreen"
            android:layout_width="30dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/paletteOrange"
            android:background="@color/Green" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/paletteRoyalBlue"
            android:layout_width="30dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/paletteGreen"
            android:background="@color/RoyalBlue" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:id="@+id/palettePurple"
            android:layout_width="30dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/paletteRoyalBlue"
            android:background="@color/Purple" />

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/submitBtn"
            android:layout_width="70dp"
            android:layout_height="30dp"
            android:layout_below="@id/taskET"
            android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@id/palettePurple"
            android:background="@color/SkyBlue"
            android:textColor="@color/White"
            android:text="@string/submit">
        </Button>
    </RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>

<android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
    android:id="@+id/tasksRV"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_above="@id/footer"/>
</RelativeLayout>

I know this is a layout issue only because if I remove the footer my recyclerview is displayed. What is my misunderstanding of layouts above?

All that shows is the footer near the top of the screen, instead of the recycler view, then the footer below it. — HukeLau_DABA, Nov 01 '14 at 19:17
You just forgot to add `android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"` to your footer layout, so to anchor it to the bottom of the RelativeLayout. — Phantômaxx, Nov 01 '14 at 19:59
hmm, I thought since I said match parent, above footer that would have taken care of it automatically, but it doesnt. thanks. — HukeLau_DABA, Nov 01 '14 at 21:52
I made my comment an answer, so you can accept it and remove it from the Unanswered Questions Queue. — Phantômaxx, Nov 02 '14 at 09:36
if you want the linear layout as a footer take look at this http://stackoverflow.com/a/26573338/2127203 — EC84B4, Nov 02 '14 at 10:08

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 02 '14 at 09:35

0

You just forgot to add this line

android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"

to your footer layout, so to anchor it to the bottom of the RelativeLayout.

answered Nov 02 '14 at 09:35

Phantômaxx

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Aligning a RecyclerView below a LinearLayout

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