Android: set empty view to a list view

Question

 <TextView
            android:id="@android:id/empty"
            style="@style/FacebookFont"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:text="@string/no_result_found"
            android:textColor="@color/white" />

this is the xml code for empty view. I am setting empty view as follows:

    list.setAdapter(adapter);
    list.setEmptyView(findViewById(android.R.id.empty));

I have the items in the listview even then also before listview is populated the empty view is shown. I don't want that empty view to be shown when listview contains some item.

Please help.

Turnkey

Answer 1

if you are using ListActivity then no need to set the empty view manually. Remove list.setEmptyView(findViewById(android.R.id.empty)); from your code.

Change your layout like below then it's automatically add EmptyView if list has no item:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:paddingLeft="8dp"
        android:paddingRight="8dp">

    <ListView android:id="@android:id/list"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:background="#00FF00"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:drawSelectorOnTop="false"/>

     <TextView android:id="@android:id/empty"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:background="#FF0000"
            android:text="No data"/>

</LinearLayout>

Asomatous

Can you show me you full activity code and layout file code??? Add these all in your question – Asomatous

sure, but how do you get a hold of that TextView (or whatever view) if you need to do something to it, there's no real id associated to it, you traverse the layout programatically? – Dichotomous

Good tip, it also works if you're using ListFragment. No need for the extra large fonts though :P – Acreage

Answer 2

You have to set the empty view before setting the adapter, if your MainActivity is not extending ListActivity.

Try this

list.setEmptyView(findViewById(android.R.id.empty));
list.setAdapter(adapter);

Sorry for the late answer!

Alternate method: Make your activity extend from ListActivity. And add a textview to your list layout with id android.R.id.empty

Draw

Answer 3

Try this

    View view = getLayoutInflater() .inflate(<resource id of the empty view>, null);
    ViewGroup viewGroup= ( ViewGroup)list.getParent();
    viewGroup.addView(view);
    list.setEmptyView(view); 
    list.setAdapter(adapter);

Lifelong

Answer 4

There are some correct answers, however, I think this is the best approach I've found:

View emptyView = getLayoutInflater().inflate(R.layout.empty_list_cart, null);
addContentView(emptyView, listView.getLayoutParams()); // You're using the same params as listView
listView.setEmptyView(emptyView);
listView.setAdapter(adapter);

Healey

Answer 5

Whatever @dhawalSodhaParmar has explained is correct. But there is a confusion when you look at the way the answer is put down.

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<RelativeLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".SampleActivity">

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/list"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
        android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
        android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
        android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
        android:divider="@null"
        android:dividerHeight="0dp" />

    <!-- Empty view is only visible when the list has no items. -->
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/empty_text_view"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:text="NO DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE!"
        android:textColor="#525252"
        android:textAppearance="?android:textAppearanceMedium"
        android:visibility="gone"/>

</RelativeLayout>

Suppose if you already have a list view and adapter backing the same with data. And assuming everything is working fine, whoever wants to implement this empty list view screen has to start like below: Step 1: Modify the existing Activity XML file which has the list view with the one I have used here. You can use either a Linear Layout or Relative Layout, but preferably Relative because of the flexibility. And a textView like I have written.

Step 2: Go to your Activity Java file, and after your setContentView

ListView emptyListView = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.list);
// set your adapter here
// set your click listener here
// or whatever else
emptyListView.setEmptyView(findViewById(R.id.empty_text_view));

That's it, now run and you are set!

Coulter

Answer 6

// first of all create a global variable of Text view 
// which is displayed when the list is empty

private TextView mEmptyStateTextView;
    
//then in onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
/Setting empty text view

mEmptyStateTextView=(TextView) findViewById(R.id.emptyview);

view.setEmptyView(mEmptyStateTextView);  

//then in onLoadfinished method

mEmptyStateTextView.setText(R.string.no_earthquakes);

Bought