Button style working in Android 5 but not Android 4

Question

I have a button style with a blue background that works fine in API 22, but the same button appears in dark grey without the applied style in Android 4. This is my style:

<style name="MyApp.Plain" parent="Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar">
      <item name="android:windowBackground">@drawable/background</item>
      <item name="android:buttonStyle">@style/MyApp.Widget.Button</item>
</style>


  <style name="MyApp.Widget.Button" parent="@android:style/Widget.Button">
      <item name="android:background">@drawable/btn_blue</item>
      <item name="android:focusable">true</item>
      <item name="android:clickable">true</item>
      <item name="android:textStyle">bold</item>
      <item name="android:textSize">14sp</item>
      <item name="android:textColor">#fff</item>
      <item name="android:gravity">center_vertical|center_horizontal</item>
   </style>

My btn_blue.xml

<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <item android:drawable="@drawable/btn_disabled" android:state_enabled="false"/>
    <item android:drawable="@drawable/btn_pressed" android:state_enabled="true" android:state_pressed="true"/>
    <item android:drawable="@drawable/btn_normal_blue" android:state_enabled="true"/>

</selector>

and btn_normal_blue.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle" >

    <gradient
        android:angle="90"
        android:endColor="#368ac6"
        android:startColor="#0e58a4" />

    <corners android:radius="20dp" />

</shape>

What could be the reason for this behavior and how can I fix this?

EDIT: This does not work with support v7:22.2.0, but does work with v7:21.0.3. I didn't change anything besides the dependency and changed AppCompatActivity to ActionBarActivity.

Possibly this is an Android bug.

Is there any chance you have separate folders for the API versions, and this style is only in one of them? — AdamMc331, Aug 11 '15 at 20:12
Do all the other attributes work? Is it clickable? Is the text style bold in 4 also? Is it *only* failing on background? — AdamMc331, Aug 11 '15 at 20:15
It is clickable, however for some reason the text is all caps, not bold, but same color. — barq, Aug 11 '15 at 20:18
Added the parent of the button style. Maybe this is causing the problems? — barq, Aug 11 '15 at 20:50
I wonder if this Android bug has anything to do with it: https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=160591 I am using v7:22.2.0 though — barq, Aug 11 '15 at 21:28
This does not work with support v7:22.2.0, but does work with v7:21.0.3. I didn't change anything besides the dependency and changed AppCompatActivity to ActionBarActivity. Possibly this is an Android bug. — barq, Aug 11 '15 at 22:26
Might not fix the problem but since your App theme inherits Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar, you should inherit your buttonStyle from Widget.AppCompat.Button or Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored — pmellaaho, Oct 12 '15 at 09:09

score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 14 '16 at 12:52

13

Try buttonStyle instead of android:buttonStyle, since this is AppCompat attribute pre Lollipop, so it should be without android prefix.

answered Mar 14 '16 at 12:52

Michał Kisiel

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This should be accepted as the answer, fixed my problem! Thanks. – Mark O'Sullivan Jul 25 '16 at 13:19

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 11 '15 at 20:09

0

I have seen some layouts where the attributes are applied twice, with and without the Android prefix. Can you try this:

<style name="MyApp.Widget.Button" parent="@android:style/Widget.Button">
      <item name="android:background">@drawable/btn_blue</item>
      <item name="background">@drawable/btn_blue</item>
      <item name="android:focusable">true</item>
      <item name="android:clickable">true</item>
      <item name="android:textStyle">bold</item>
      <item name="android:textSize">14sp</item>
      <item name="android:textColor">#fff</item>
      <item name="android:gravity">center_vertical|center_horizontal</item>
</style>

I am currently trying to find where I saw this previously, and why it worked. Let me know if it did.

answered Aug 11 '15 at 20:09

AdamMc331

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Thanks, I tried this, but unfortunately on API 10 still grey background for the button. – barq Aug 11 '15 at 20:12
@barq I guess it was worth a shot. Can you post the btn_blue contents like Lucas asked? The problem may be in there, then. – AdamMc331 Aug 11 '15 at 20:13
@barq I found what I was thinking of, it related to the support library: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18726865/custom-style-action-bar-not-working-in-android-4 I am leaving my answer for now, in case I am able to edit it and help you after. – AdamMc331 Aug 11 '15 at 20:18
Yes, I was looking at that question too. Unfortunately, this didn't work, at least not on its own. – barq Aug 11 '15 at 20:18

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 11 '15 at 20:13

0

Try to use AppCompat:

    <style name="MyApp.Widget.Button" parent="Base.TextAppearance.AppCompat.Button">
     <item name="android:background">@drawable/btn_blue</item>
      ...
    </style>

answered Aug 11 '15 at 20:13

dieter_h

2,707
1
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Thanks, but this did not work either, unfortunately. – barq Aug 11 '15 at 20:19
Did you set the style to the button? – dieter_h Aug 11 '15 at 20:39
No, it is the general button style for the app so there should be no need. It works without doing that in Android 5. – barq Aug 11 '15 at 20:41

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 06 '17 at 15:43

@Michał Kisiel answer is correct "Try buttonStyle instead of android:buttonStyle, since this is AppCompat attribute pre Lollipop, so it should be without android prefix." I just want to add that if you for instance create a view programatically you should put android:buttonStyle and buttonStyle too, sample:

    <item name="android:buttonStyle">@style/OrangeButton</item>
    <item name="buttonStyle">@style/OrangeButton</item>

Button style working in Android 5 but not Android 4

4 Answers4