How to set my first value (default value) in spinner as empty

Question

How to set my first value (default value) in spinner as empty. Means, until the user selects value from list, spinner will have no value. I tried below

list.add(""); 

But, it won't work. Below is my code :

if(values.contains("options")){
       spinner.setOnItemSelectedListener(MyClass.this);
       List<String> list = new ArrayList<String>();
       list.add("");
       list.add("Test");
       list.add("Working");
       ArrayAdapter<String> adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(mContext, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item, list) {};

      adapter.setDropDownViewResource(R.layout.custom_spinner_list);
      spinner.setAdapter(adapter);     
   }
 }

Flub

empty means what you want to set – Organism

@user3676184 - Empty means "null" value or "nothing" string – Flub

No Rustam, I don't want to clear my list, i just want the default value of spinner to be empty, means value will only be shown once user selects, until then spinner will have no value – Flub

Have you tried spinner.setPrompt(""); or put this in your xml (Spinner) android:prompt="" – Carboni

what is showing currently by default to the spinner ? – Opine

@HradeshKumar - ofcourse, it will show the first value from array list – Flub

@Skizo - Thanks but setPrompt only works when you have static spinner with string items defined in resource – Flub

Answer 1

i found out the way. Here is how we do it, let the last line be

list.add("");

and add below code :

ArrayAdapter<String> adapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(mContext, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item, list) {

                        @Override
                        public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {

                                View v = super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
                                if (position == getCount()) {
                                    ((TextView)v.findViewById(android.R.id.text1)).setText("");
                                    ((TextView)v.findViewById(android.R.id.text1)).setHint(getItem(getCount())); //"Hint to be displayed"
                                }

                                return v;
                            }       

                            @Override
                            public int getCount() {
                                return super.getCount()-1;            // you don't display last item. It is used as hint.
                            }

                    };


                    adapter.setDropDownViewResource(R.layout.custom_spinner_list);
                    spinner.setAdapter(adapter);
                    spinner.setSelection(adapter.getCount());        //set the hint the default selection so it appears on launch.
                    spinner.setOnItemSelectedListener(this);
                    notifyDataSetChanged();        

Flub

This is a terrific solution, as it avoids having to hack the first view from not appearing. I posted a SpinnerNoDefault class below which takes this answer into account. Thanks! – Lorelle

Answer 2

Thanks to user45678's answer above, I wrote this

public class SpinnerNoDefault extends Spinner {

public void initialize(List<String> items) {
    initialize(items, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);
}

public void initialize(List<String> items, @LayoutRes int mItemResId, @LayoutRes int dropdownResId) {
    List<String> itemsWithEmpty = new ArrayList<>(items);
    itemsWithEmpty.add("");

    String[] choicesArray = itemsWithEmpty.toArray(new String[itemsWithEmpty.size()]);
    ArrayAdapter<String> spinnerArrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(getContext(), mItemResId, choicesArray) {
        @NonNull
        @Override
        public View getView(int position, View convertView, @NonNull ViewGroup parent) {
            View v = super.getView(position, convertView, parent);
            if (position == getCount()) {
                ((TextView)v.findViewById(android.R.id.text1)).setText(null);
                ((TextView)v.findViewById(android.R.id.text1)).setHint(parent.getContext().getString(R.string.spinner_no_default_hint));
            }

            return v;
        }

        @Override
        public int getCount() {
            // Don't display last item. It is used as hint.
            return super.getCount()-1;
        }
    };

    spinnerArrayAdapter.setDropDownViewResource(dropdownResId);
    setAdapter(spinnerArrayAdapter);
    setSelection(itemsWithEmpty.size()-1);
}
}

Lorelle

Answer 3

    List<String> allGoverNames = new ArrayList<String>();
    allGoverNames.add(0, "");
    allGoverNames.add(1,"Cricket");
    allGoverNames.add(2,"FootBall");
    allGoverNames.add(3,"Chess");


ArrayAdapter<String> GoverdataAdapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>
                            (context, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_item, allGoverNames);

                    GoverdataAdapter.setDropDownViewResource
                            (android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item);

                    GovernorateSpinner.setAdapter(GoverdataAdapter);

Postmistress

Answer 4

In SearchableSpinner (com.toptoche.searchablespinnerlibrary.SearchableSpinner) there is a parameter called "app:hintText" - you can use it for your purpose. For example:

<com.toptoche.searchablespinnerlibrary.SearchableSpinner
            android:id="@+id/vehicle_name"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:background="@drawable/spinner_background"
            android:layout_marginStart="20dp"
            android:layout_marginEnd="20dp"
            android:layout_marginBottom="20dp"
            app:hintText=" "/>

Hint will dissapear once something will be chosen from the Spinner list.

Hygroscopic

Answer 5

At first. When you initialize your spinner add

spinner.setSelection(0, false)

And I created this adapter with selected item:

abstract  class SpinnerSelectAdapter<T>(
    context: Context,
    private val resource: Int,
    @ColorRes private  val unselectedColorResource: Int,
    @ColorRes private val selectedColorResource: Int,
    open var objects: List<T>
) :
    ArrayAdapter<T>(context, resource, objects) {

    var selectedPosition = -1

    override fun getView(position: Int, convertView: View?, parent: ViewGroup): View {
        val view = convertView ?: LayoutInflater.from(parent.context)
            .inflate(resource, parent, false)
        if(selectedPosition != -1) {
            setView(view, getItem(position)!!)
        }
        return view
    }

    override fun getDropDownView(position: Int, convertView: View?, parent: ViewGroup): View {
        val view = convertView ?: LayoutInflater.from(parent.context)
            .inflate(resource, parent, false)
        if(selectedPosition == position){
            view.setBackgroundResource(selectedColorResource)
        }else {
            view.setBackgroundResource(unselectedColorResource)
        }
        setView(view, getItem(position)!!)
        return view
    }

    open fun setView(view: View, item: T) {

    }

    open fun setEmptyView(view: View){

    }


    override fun getItem(position: Int): T? {
        return objects[position]
    }


    override fun getCount(): Int {
        return objects.size
    }
}

Then I created adapter for String Values inherited from SpinnerSelectAdapter

class SpinnerStringAdapter(
    context: Context,
    resource: Int,
    @ColorRes unselectedColorResource: Int,
    @ColorRes selectedColorResource: Int,
    override var objects: List<String>
) :
    SpinnerSelectAdapter<String>(
        context,
        resource,
        unselectedColorResource,
        selectedColorResource,
        objects
    ) {


    override fun setView(view: View, item: String) {
        val txt = view.findViewById<TextView>(android.R.id.text1)
        txt.text = item
    }

}

And after in your fragment or activity

       val adapter = SpinnerStringAdapter(
           requireContext(),
           R.layout.spinner_item,
           R.color.colorBG,
           R.color.colorSubBG,
           types
       )
       spinner.adapter = typeAdapter
       spinner.setSelection(0, false)
       spinner.onItemSelectedListener = object : AdapterView.OnItemSelectedListener {
           override fun onItemSelected(
               parent: AdapterView<*>?,
               view: View?,
               position: Int,
               id: Long
           ) {
               adapter.selectedPosition = position
               adapter.notifyDataSetChanged()
           }
``

Orchitis