Search on ActionBar

Question

Level:Beginner I am trying to implement a search bar on ActionBar. I want that when someone clicks the search icon, he should get a text field, where he simply fills in the text and can search by submitting through the keyboard search Button. Following several tutorials, I am quite confused.

When I do not add

searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName()));        
    searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false); 

I get an icon for search, but it does not expands into a text field. So I am not able to search anything from there.

when I add

`searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName()));        
        searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false); `

I get an error 'unfortunately, Application has stopped' and the logcat shows:-

Process: com.example.bhavya.myapplication, PID: 23261 java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void android.widget.SearchView.setIconifiedByDefault(boolean)' on a null object reference at com.example.bhavya.myapplication.MainActivity.onCreateOptionsMenu(MainActivity.java:27)

    @Override                                                                                       
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {                                                 
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.                    
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.menu_main, menu);                                          
        SearchManager searchManager = (SearchManager) getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE);   
        SearchView searchView = (SearchView) menu.findItem(R.id.action_search).getActionView();   
        searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName()));        
        searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false);                                                  

        return true;                                                                                
    }                                                                                         

I also tried to set 'intent-filter' and 'meta-data' in the following way after I was unsuccesful

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.bhavya.myapplication" >

<application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
    <activity
        android:name=".MainActivity"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
        <meta-data android:name="android.app.default_searchable"
            android:value=".SearchableActivity"/>
    </activity>
    <activity
        android:name=".SearchableActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_searchable" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEARCH" />
        </intent-filter>
        <meta-data android:name="android.app.searchable"
            android:resource="@xml/searchable"/>

    </activity>
</application>

but nothing changed, I also made a folder "xml" and set searchable configuration

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<searchable xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:hint="@string/app_name" >
</searchable>

This is my menu.

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" tools:context=".MainActivity">
<item android:id="@+id/action_settings" android:title="@string/action_settings"
    android:orderInCategory="100" app:showAsAction="never" />
<item android:id="@+id/action_search"
    android:title="Search"
    android:icon="@android:drawable/ic_menu_search"
    app:showAsAction="always"
    android:actionViewClass="android.widget.SearchView" />

</menu>

This is my 2nd activity

public class SearchableActivity extends ActionBarActivity {

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_searchable);
    handleIntent(getIntent());
}

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.menu_main, menu);
    SearchManager searchManager =
            (SearchManager) getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE);
    SearchView searchView =
            (SearchView) menu.findItem(R.id.action_search).getActionView();
    searchView.setSearchableInfo(
            searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName()));

    return true;I get an icon for search, but it does not expands into a text field. So I am not able to search anything from there.
}

@Override
protected void onNewIntent(Intent intent) {
    handleIntent(intent);
}

private void handleIntent(Intent intent) {

    if (Intent.ACTION_SEARCH.equals(intent.getAction())) {
        String query = intent.getStringExtra(SearchManager.QUERY);
        //use the query to search
    }
   }
  }

I tried to look up a lot, but only got confused more. Please Help.