Updating the list view when the adapter data changes

Question

When the data associated with array adapter is changed, invalidating the listview is sufficient to show the updated values? Following piece of code is not working, did i misunderstood something here.?

public class ZeroItemListActivity extends Activity {
    private ArrayList<String> listItems=new ArrayList<String>();
    private ListView mMyListView;
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        mMyListView=(ListView) findViewById(R.id.MyListView);
        mMyListView.setAdapter(new ArrayAdapter<String>(this, android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,listItems));
    }
    public void addItem(View v){
        listItems.add("list Item");
        mMyListView.invalidate();
    }
}

Layout used :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">
    <TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="@string/hello" />
    <ListView android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/MyListView"></ListView>
    <Button android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/AddItemsButton"
        android:text="Add Items" android:onClick="addItem"></Button>
</LinearLayout>

Hormonal

Answer 1

substitute:

mMyListView.invalidate();

for:

((BaseAdapter) mMyListView.getAdapter()).notifyDataSetChanged(); 

If that doesnt work, refer to this thread: Android List view refresh

Bunting

@Bunting if i have to update the single item of the listview then what i have to do – Sclerite

If BaseAdapter does not exist, notifyDataSetChanged() won't show up, so you need to change BaseAdapter to YourCustomAdapter – Toot

Answer 2

Change this line:

mMyListView.setAdapter(new ArrayAdapter<String>(this, 
                           android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, 
                           listItems));

to:

ArrayAdapter<String> adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(this,
                                   android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, 
                                   listItems)
mMyListView.setAdapter(adapter);

and after updating the value of a list item, call:

adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();

Torquemada

I have a chat screen, Here how can I update the message received from an user. For example userA and userB are chatting, Here the recyclerview only shows the message while entering to the screen, but failed to receive the message. How can I update the if the userb sends a message to usera. Using only the recyclerview with Java. Did you have any thought @Thomas – Glottology

Answer 3

invalidate(); calls the list view to invalidate itself (ie. background color)
invalidateViews(); calls all of its children to be invalidated. allowing you to update the children views

I assume its some type of efficiency thing preventing all of the items to constantly have to be redraw if not necessary.

Vivl

Answer 4

I found a solution that is more efficient than currently accepted answer, because current answer forces all list elements to be refreshed. My solution will refresh only one element (that was touched) by calling adapters getView and recycling current view which adds even more efficiency.

mListView.setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView.OnItemClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
      // Edit object data that is represented in Viewat at list's "position"
      view = mAdapter.getView(position, view, parent);
    }
});

Aframe