What is difference between Dialog.setContentView( View ) & AlertDialog.setView( View )

Question

I'm working on creating a custom dialog to get input from the user. I've noticed that when I use an AlertDialog I can add widgets such as an EditText to the AlertDialog using setView() method. I'm looking into customizing AlertDialog and noticed that Dialog has a method setContentView(). In the subclass of AlertDialog I could use either setContentView() or setView().

One difference I've noticed is when I use setView() on an AlertDialog, I can see Positive & Negative buttons. In my subclass of AlertDialog, using setContentView() I don't get the Positive & Negative buttons.

Can anyone explain other differences?

Thanks.

Dread

You cannot use "setContentView()" with AlertDialog. – Altigraph

Actually you can. Since AlertDialog is a subclass of Dialog, AlertDialog inherits all of Dialog's methods including Dialog.setContentView() – Dread

I have tried it you'll get this error The method setContentView(int) is undefined for the type AlertDialog.Builder :) – Altigraph

You can use it with AlertDialog but not with AlertDialog.Builder. – Suffumigate

Answer 1

If I undesrstood it correctly, setContentView inflates the entire Dialog window with your custom layout. Title, icon, buttons... nothing remains. setView on the other hand sets the layout of the view between the buttons and the title.

Lindgren

I assume you meant setContentView ? – Malva

Answer 2

setContentView is AlertDialog' father class method, it means all the dialog windows, and setView is AlertController method, in AlertDialog windows view, there are topPanel，contentPanel，buttonPanel.setView only set customView to contentpanel.

Zendejas

Answer 3

BTW you can also call the AlertDialogs setView method, which seems to also remove the extra "spacing" around the view.

void setView(View view, int viewSpacingLeft, int viewSpacingTop, int viewSpacingRight, int viewSpacingBottom)

like this.

alertDialog.setView(myView,0,0,0,0);

Bibby

i have read the same in the Android Reference, but it does not seem to work for me; it would only recognize setView(myview); Do you know how to make it use setView(View view, int viewSpacingLeft, int viewSpacingTop, int viewSpacingRight, int viewSpacingBottom); ?? – Muniment