Add margin to guideline objects inside ConstraintLayout

Question

Is this possible?

I want following:

HEADER of a defined height (e.g. 64dp)
4 rows of evenly distributed heights (25% of view height MINUS header height <= this is the problematic detail)

Can I somehow achieve this with a ConstraintLayout?

Problem

I want to add a header of a fixed height and I want the the percentage constraints do not calculate their percentages based on the ConstraintLayouts height but on the remaining space inside the ConstraintLayout after substracting the header.

Important Note

Yes, I can wrap the whole ConstraintLayout inside a LinearLayout but I'm interested in a ConstraintLayout only based solution.

Edit 1

To make it more clear, I want following:

h_full... full height of ConstraintLayout
h_header... full height of header

Vertical arrangement of views should look like following:
    - HEADER - y = 0
    - VIEW 1 - y = h_header
    - VIEW 2 - y = h_header + (h_full - h_header) / 4
    - VIEW 3 - y = h_header + (h_full - h_header) / 4 * 2
    - VIEW 4 - y = h_header + (h_full - h_header) / 4 * 3

Let's assume following:
   h_full = 1000
   h_header = 100
   space for views = 1000 - 100 = 900 (this is the base for the percentages!)
  h_view = 900 / 4 = 225

Then we get following:
    - HEADER - y = 0
    - VIEW 1 - y = 100
    - VIEW 2 - y = 100 + 225
    - VIEW 3 - y = 100 + 225 * 2
    - VIEW 4 - y = 100 + 225 * 3

Code

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <!-- Guidelines -->
    <!-- 3 horizontal guidelines -->

    <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
        android:id="@+id/guideline_horizontal1"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        app:layout_constraintGuide_percent="0.25" />

    <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
        android:id="@+id/guideline_horizontal2"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        app:layout_constraintGuide_percent="0.5" />

    <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
        android:id="@+id/guideline_horizontal3"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        app:layout_constraintGuide_percent="0.75" />

    <!-- Views - HEADER -->

    <View
        android:id="@+id/header"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="64dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

     <!-- Views - 4 Views, evenly distrubuted vertically -->
     
    <View
        android:id="@+id/view1"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@id/guideline_horizontal1"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/view2"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@id/guideline_horizontal2"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/guideline_horizontal1" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/view3"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@id/guideline_horizontal3"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/guideline_horizontal2" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/view4"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/guideline_horizontal3" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 29 '21 at 11:51

Solution for having a HEADER :

Use bias with app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias and/or app:layout_constraintVertical_bias to modify view location when the available space allow . For eg :

<Button
    ...
    app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="0.25"
    .../>

Or , you can make use of guidelines with app:layout_constraintGuide_percent like this: For eg :

<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
    android:id="@+id/guideline"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    app:layout_constraintGuide_percent="0.5"/>

Solution for having 4 rows of evenly distributed heights (25% of view height - header height)

You can make use of ConstraintLayout.widget.Flow for the same . The documentation for the same could be found here : https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/constraintlayout/helper/widget/Flow

It helps you to constraint all your required views having only one sort of width and height in a confined manner :


    <androidx.constraintlayout.helper.widget.Flow
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" 
        app:constraint_referenced_ids="item_1,item_2,item_3" />

The reference_ids is place where you place all your views that you need in a confined manner . One also get the option of having different wrap modes for the view's to be arranged . You can explore the wrap modes from the documentation .

That's actually my solution (the one with the `Guidelines`) - as my question actually says, how can I tell the `Guidelines` that they should use the space WITHOUT the header only for their percentage calculation? 0% should be handled like at the bottom of the header and 100% the bottom of the parent... — prom85, Aug 29 '21 at 16:48
Check out my edit 1 - it makes the problem more clear by fully explaining the desired logic and a number based example — prom85, Aug 29 '21 at 16:55

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 01 '21 at 07:19

I found the solution by building my layout with LinearLayouts and then convert it to a ConstraintLayout and then I made some adjustments - and it worked.

The solution is to use biderectional bindings without guidelines - this way you can define a header of a fixed height and biderictionally bind all views below to each other with a height of 0dp and this will have the effect that all views below the header share the remaining space equally with each other.

Here's my full layout, it's a week view with a header (the header has a fixed size, the day cells do use the remaining space equally):

Screenshot

Layout

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <!-- Header -->

    <com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView
        android:id="@+id/mcvDetails"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/btFriday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent">

        <LinearLayout
            android:id="@+id/llDayDetails"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_margin="4dp"
            android:orientation="vertical">

            <TextView
                android:id="@+id/tvInfos"
                android:gravity="center_horizontal"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:text="Infos" />

        </LinearLayout>

    </com.google.android.material.card.MaterialCardView>

    <!-- Row 1 - Mon / Fri -->

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btMonday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/btFriday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/btFriday"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/btFriday"
        app:vcc_label="@string/monday" />

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btFriday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/btSaturday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/btMonday"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/mcvDetails"
        app:vcc_label="@string/friday" />

    <!-- Row 2 - Tue / Sat -->

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btTuesday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/btSaturday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/btSaturday"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/btSaturday"
        app:vcc_label="@string/tuesday" />

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btSaturday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/btSunday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/btTuesday"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btFriday"
        app:vcc_label="@string/saturday" />

    <!-- Row 3 - Wen / Sun -->

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btWednesday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/btSunday"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/btSunday"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/btSunday"
        app:vcc_label="@string/wednesday" />

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btSunday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/btUnused"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/btWednesday"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btSaturday"
        app:vcc_label="@string/sunday" />

    <!-- Row 4 - Thu -->

    <com.michaelflisar.iron.feature.workoutlog.views.calendarview.cell.CalendarCellView
        android:id="@+id/btThursday"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/btUnused"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/btUnused"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/btUnused"
        app:vcc_label="@string/thursday" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/btUnused"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/calender_cell_half_padding"
        android:layout_marginEnd="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/calender_cell_padding"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/btThursday"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btSunday" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Add margin to guideline objects inside ConstraintLayout

2 Answers2