Different values folders in android

Question

I am creating different values folders in my app (values, values-ldpi, values-mdpi, values-hdpi, values-xhdpi, values-nodpi, values-w360dp-mdpi). But some devices that belong same category. But having different screen sizes. But I see give font size according to device densities in this the answer provided by @PankajSharma suggest to create folders like-

res/values/dimens.xml    
res/values-small/dimens.xml    
res/values-normal/dimens.xml    
res/values-xlarge/dimens.xml

I want to know what is the difference b/w my way and the other way? I think the answer provided by @PankajSharma is easy. I also want to know which way is better?

Evaporation

I think you should take a look at developer.android.com/guide/practices/screens_support.html there you can find why is like that. And you can see a example here developer.android.com/training/multiscreen/screensizes.html – Lethia

I see these links before but not clear. – Evaporation

and this one helps ??#13068773 – Lethia

But my question about values folder not about layout folders. – Evaporation

Th answer is the same the diference between small and dpi is small is related to screen size not to screen density. You can have a small screen with hi density. something like values-small-hdpi. that's the diference between small and ldpi. Imagine a table with a bad screen like really low resolution folder is values-xlarge-ldpi but you can just use values-ldpi and it will work. Hope I have halped. – Lethia

plz refer this link for answer https://mcmap.net/q/153036/-dimens-xml-in-values-folder-for-7-quot-and-10-quot-tablet-how-to – Backspin

Answer 1

The approach you are using is a valid approach, but a little outdated. From HoneyComb, there is a new way to fix all of this. Your resources folder should now look like this:

Please refer to the link I have posted and familiarize yourself with Smallest Width concept.

Hope this helps :)

EDIT: Adding to this post, try to establish some kind of standardization in your dimens.xml, something like this:

Doing this makes it easier to maintain code, plus it reduces the number of dimen folders. Normally rather than having values-hdpi, values-xhdpi, etc. files like values-sw480dp-xhdpi might have more values to adjust, but then again all of this is contextual.

Coprolite

sw320dp means minimum width 320dp? – Evaporation

Why do we need to append -hdpi, -xhdpi for same sw480dp for ex? – Incongruent

Because these devices are further categorized into such measurements. – Coprolite

@user2247689 Ok. Then there will be hell lot of folders if u want to support for all existing devices :( – Incongruent

You could see how applications like facebook, etc handle this. See the res files from the apk. – Coprolite

Is it work values-ldpi, values-hdpi, values-mdpi? – Score

rather than using values-ldpi, better to use values-normal-ldpi, because values-ldpi wasn't working in my case, but values-normal-ldpi worked. Specifically for micromax bolt device – Aflame

I don't understand the need to further categorize values in hdpi and xhdpi if you're working with dp. Care you explain please? – Boustrophedon

@Boustrophedon We are working in dp but for devices that fall in different categories, in this case 'hdpi' or 'xhdpi', the default dp measurement may not scale well. The values may need to be scaled up or scaled down according to how much pixels you want your assets to occupy. (px = dp* (dpi/160)) I hope this helps. – Coprolite

@RakeebRajbhandari shouldn't there be "values-sw480dp-hdpi" .xhdpi and xxhdpi and so on ? only 320dp have such in your answer.. please reply – Longhair

how to you get the values for dimens in dp? it is mystery for me. cause all dp should seen same in all device but you changed the dp size for example padding_small=10dp and padding_normal=16dp – Parahydrogen

making a good design will decrease the number of values inserted in the different dimen files and combining this with AutoFitTextView library will make the different dimen files to include only paddings, spaces, radiuses and etc – Otoscope

is there a big difference if we only create values-sw320dp, values-sw600dp...et cetera instead of values-sw320dp-xhdpi, values-sw320dp-hdpi, values-sw320dp-mdpi? Is that suffix mdpi/hdpi/xhdpi at the end of values-swXXXdp that important? – Ger

Answer 2

Create a Single layout for default screens 4.7 inch (hdpi) in layout folder and dimensions in values folder. This is your Superset.

Now let say you want your layouts for 7inch devices. Create values-sw600dp folder for 7inch in Portrait orientation

Now lets say you want your layouts for 10 inch devices Create values-dw720dp folder

NOTE :- For landscape just add "-land" in front of folder names.

Now lets say you have new devices such as Xperia SP (4.7' and XHDPI) and Nexus 5(5" and XXHDPI).

For these, you can create values-xhdpi and values-xxhdpi folders and similary add -land for landscape orientation..

I hope you got the point of how to create folders..

Now your superset is defined in values folder. Most of the dimensions will be used from here only. Now run your app in other devices. Whatever mismatch is occuring just add that specific dimension in their respective values folder

To check from which folder your layouts, images are used, use my trick.

Create five same strings and put in it all the values folders like this :- Default Screen Screen 4.7 XHDPI Screen MDPI Screen

Create five drawable folders, most of them will be already there : - drawable-hdpi, drawable-mdpi, drawable-xhdpi, drawable-xxhdpi, drawable-xxxhdpi Put the screenshots below in their respective folder under the same name

This is how my res folder looks like and i am supporting all the devices from 4.7 screen and above :-

Hypoglycemia

Are you always copy&pasting your own answer across questions? How about commenting with a link to your previous answer instead of repeating and extending it (a bit). But the best part: You fix an issue with your question here but not on your previous answer... great! – Dehumanize

"Create a Single layout for default screens 4.7 inch (hdpi) in layout folder and dimensions in values folder." This is wrong. The screen size has no direct relation with the dpi. – Dehumanize

Don't use eclipse – Mackoff