How to make two buttons to be equal size and occupying all their parent's width?

Question

There are two buttons :

<LinearLayout 
    android:layoutWidth="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:gravity="center">

   <Button 
       android:id="@+id/btn1"
       android:layoutWidth="wrap_content"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:text="Launch camera"
       android:onClick="launchCamera" />

   <Button 
       android:id="@+id/btn2"
       android:layoutWidth="wrap_content"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:text="List of photos"
       android:onClick="listPhotos" />

</linearLayout>

How to make these two buttons having equal size and spanning all their parent's width ?

You can't do this. The `|` operator is a binary OR which can only be used for ORing numeric values. Trying to overlay more than one background is completely different. You'd need to use a `FrameLayout` for that and apply each image separately in code. — Squonk, Apr 11 '15 at 14:54
http://myandroidtipsandtricks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/drawables-part-ii.html — Hector, Apr 11 '15 at 15:05
This is a horizontal layout, meaning the buttons are side by side, and you want both of them to fill the parent? — grebulon, Apr 28 '15 at 14:45
@ pheromix Have you tried to set width of the buttons to fill parent (or better match parent)? — Domenico Pacecca, Apr 28 '15 at 14:51

score 4 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

By using "weightSum" attribute at LinearLayout and "layout_weight" and "width" = zero at its children (Buttons) and this Link for explaining What is android:weightSum and how it works in Android

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:weightSum="2"
    android:gravity="center">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn1"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Launch camera"
        android:onClick="launchCamera" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn2"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="List of photos"
        android:onClick="listPhotos" />
</LinearLayout>

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

3

Answer:

Very important, both buttons are aligned side by side(android:orientation="horizontal") and notice that there is a android:layout_weight="1".

<LinearLayout
     android:layout_width="fill_parent"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
     android:orientation="horizontal">
  <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn1"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Launch camera"
        android:onClick="launchCamera" />
  <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn2"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="List of photos"
        android:onClick="listPhotos" />
</LinearLayout>

Please see other examples here: Linear Layout and weight in Android

Example of the weights, using just layouts and colors:

enter image description here

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

1
1

answered Apr 28 '15 at 14:46

Jared Burrows

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The default weigth sum is 1.0, so `layout_weight` of 0.5 should be enought for both `Button`s ;) – shkschneider Apr 28 '15 at 14:49
1

@shkschneider Then why didn't you do so in your answer? – ygesher Apr 28 '15 at 14:53
@JaredBurrows I actually did, sir. Anyway, all our answers work ^^ – shkschneider Apr 28 '15 at 14:54
@shkschneider Do you mean (at) jegesh? – Jared Burrows Apr 28 '15 at 14:55
Yes, sorry. @jegesh: I precisely did. – shkschneider Apr 28 '15 at 14:56

score 3 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 27 '17 at 04:10

Use weights:

<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:gravity="center">
   <Button android:id="@+id/btn1"
       android:layout_width="0dp"
       android:layout_weight="1"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:text="Launch camera"
       android:onClick="launchCamera" />
   <Button android:id="@+id/btn2"
       android:layout_width="0dp"
       android:layout_weight="1"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:text="List of photos"
       android:onClick="listPhotos" />
</LinearLayout>

bounty can be awarded after 9h , @moictab will be given it :) — pheromix, Apr 29 '15 at 05:28

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 28 '15 at 14:52

You can use android:weightSum on the LinearLayout and android:layout_weight on your Buttons.

<LinearLayout android:layoutWidth="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:weightSum="2"
    android:gravity="center">
   <Button android:id="@+id/btn1"
       android:layoutWidth="match_parent"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:layout_weight="1"
       android:text="Launch camera"
       android:onClick="launchCamera" />
   <Button android:id="@+id/btn2"
       android:layoutWidth="match_parent"
       android:layout_weight="1"
       android:layout_height="wrap_content"
       android:text="List of photos"
       android:onClick="listPhotos" />
</LinearLayout>

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 28 '15 at 14:52

By using LinearLayout Weight

<LinearLayout
 xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
 android:layout_width="match_parent"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 android:orientation="horizontal">
 <Button
    android:id="@+id/btn1"
    android:text="Launch camera"
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:padding="10dp"
    android:layout_weight="0.5"
    android:onClick="launchCamera" />
 <Button
    android:id="@+id/btn2"
    android:text="List of photos"
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:padding="10dp"
    android:layout_weight="0.5"  />    
</LinearLayout>

The default weight sum is 1.0, so 0.5 is enough in this example of 2 children Views.

How to make two buttons to be equal size and occupying all their parent's width?

5 Answers5

Answer:

Example of the weights, using just layouts and colors: