What is tools:mockup, tools:mockup_crop and tools:mockup_opacity

Question

I just updated Android Studio to the version 2.3 (canary version) and to the last build tools 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.3.0-alpha1' and when I open a layout and write tools: and press ctrl + space to autocomplete it I found new tools namespaces :

tools:mockup
tools:mockup_crop
tools:mockup_opacity

I never see them before and search in google but I have found nothing. What are the use of them?

Bawl

is it related to android studio? I think it should related to platform & plugin updates – Billy

I think tools depend upon Api version but not on IDE. So tell me, which version of build tools and platform tools you are using? – Unwashed

You are right. I using classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.3.0-alpha1' – Bawl

I think it is related to the android studio tools-attributes . – Uvulitis

Of course pRaNaY, thats evident, but for what should be used? – Bawl

I tried looking through the publicly available Android Studio source and the Tools source from android.googlesource.com, but I could not find sources for the canary version of Studio. – Pagurian

Perhaps we should mention some Google Android dev or @CommonsWare – Bawl

They also have "tools:targetApi" . What is it for? – Distrait

Also, just a guess about the purpose of the mockup: maybe Google considered this request: code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=228538 – Distrait

@androiddeveloper targetApi is a ""supress warning" anotation in the XML to avoid have warnigs in the XML when you put params like elevation that are not supported in all versions. With that you can remove the warning – Bawl

@Bawl Yes I noticed it. But I wonder what the rest are for. Like "mockup" for example. – Distrait

Answer 1

It's for a feature we're working on but which isn't part of Studio yet. This part was accidentally not put behind a flag (which normally removes it during compilation.) We just fixed it; next canary won't show these items -- until the feature is enabled when it's done.

Predestine

Is it out now? If it is what is it for? – Publias

I still see this tools:mockup, can you point to a documentation? can't find any. – Jeggar

So 2.3 is released already and this attributes is still visible in auto-completion. What is this feature exactly? – Cheerful

FYI @Tor Norbye, continue appearing in Android Studio 2.3 and 2.4preview1 – Bawl

@tor-norbye Any update on this? I didn't see any news on this Google I/O 17 – Bawl