Android Listview - can not select multiple items when using a cursor

Question

I have a listview populated with data from a cursor using SimpleCursorAdapter. I want to make it so I can select multiple items with a checkbox against each item but I can only get it to check a single item at a time i.e. each time I select an item, it will clear the currently selected item.

It works fine if I populate the listview using an ArrayAdapter. I can select multiple items. So I dont know why it doesn't work with the SimpleCursorAdapter.

This is being created in a DialogFragment if that matters.

Really pulling my hair out on this, pleae help!!

Here's the code:

Cursor attributesCursor = mDBHelper.getItemAttributesbyType(menuID, itemID, "M");
getActivity().startManagingCursor(attributesCursor);

ListView lv = new ListView(this.getActivity());
LinearLayout.LayoutParams params = new LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
                LinearLayout.LayoutParams.FILL_PARENT,
                LinearLayout.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT);
lv.setLayoutParams(params);


SimpleCursorAdapter adapter = new SimpleCursorAdapter(
                getActivity(), android.R.layout.simple_list_item_multiple_choice,
                attributesCursor, new String[] { "AttributeDescription" },
                new int[] { android.R.id.text1 },0);


attributesLinearLayout.addView(lv);

lv.setAdapter(adapter);

lv.setItemsCanFocus(false);
lv.setChoiceMode(ListView.CHOICE_MODE_MULTIPLE);

Edit : Just to add some extra info, the multi choice listview works if i use this code, where "items" is a simple String array:

lv.setAdapter(new ArrayAdapter(this.getActivity(),
            android.R.layout.simple_list_item_multiple_choice, items));

Also, this listview is being dynamically added to an existing Linearlayout (attributesLinearLayout) in a dialogfragment which contains other controls. I also tried extending other adapters, including the array adapter and customer item layouts but that again didnt allow me to select multiple items.

Please help!!

Forsterite

did you find any solution, I am also having the same problem – Andradite

Why don't you use a Custom Cursor adapter? Or if i were to give you a customadapter with multi-select enabled.Would that solve your issue? – Wicket

If it works as an ArrayAdapter, can you just copy your data from the cursor to an Array and then use the array adapter? – Cardamom

Answer 1

I would use the Contextual Action mode in this project if you wish to select multiple items in a listview. This is how it is done.

First of all, the code must extend a ListActivity and implement an ActionMode.Callback

In the onCreate medthod you need to code the following:

@Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
    super.onCreate(icicle);
    String[] values = new String[] { "data list goes here" };

    MySimpleArrayAdapter adapter = new MySimpleArrayAdapter(this, values);
    setListAdapter(adapter);

    getListView().setOnItemLongClickListener(new OnItemLongClickListener() {

      @Override
      public boolean onItemLongClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {

        if (mActionMode != null) {
          return false;
        }
        selectedItem = position;

        // Start the CAB using the ActionMode.Callback defined above
        mActionMode = MyListActivityActionbar.this.startActionMode(MyListActivityActionbar.this);
        view.setSelected(true);
        return true;
      }
    });
  }

The you need to call the show method:

private void show() {
    Toast.makeText(MyListActivityActionbar.this, String.valueOf(selectedItem), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
  }

The following needs to be called each time the action mode is shown. It is always called after onCreateActionMode, but may be called multiple times if the mode is invalidated:

  @Override
  public boolean onPrepareActionMode(ActionMode mode, Menu menu) {
    return false; // Return false if nothing is done
  }

Then when the user selects a list item, the following method needs to be called:

  @Override
  public boolean onActionItemClicked(ActionMode mode, MenuItem item) {
    switch (item.getItemId()) {
    case R.id.menuitem1_show:
      show();
      // Action picked, so close the CAB
      mode.finish();
      return true;
    default:
      return false;
    }
  }

Finally when the user exits the selection:

  @Override
  public void onDestroyActionMode(ActionMode mode) {
    mActionMode = null;
    selectedItem = -1;
  }

Lopes

I have been able to do it for an array adapter , but for a custom adapter that extends cursor adapter, The actionMode doesnt activate – Andradite

Why do you need to use the CursorAdapter? – Lopes

As the Data is loaded from a Database. – Andradite

Is the database online or called through sqlLite? – Lopes

I mean that the app has a database to store incoming and outgoing messages... I use a cursor to get all the required data for the messages from database and show it in a onversation view – Andradite

Then it is n sqllite database. Take a look at this tutorial: vogella.com/tutorials/AndroidSQLite/article.html – Lopes

Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Andradite