Change Selection in a ListView from Orange to Green

Question

How do I do this per selected list item.

I tried adding this to android:background

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"&gt;
    <item android:state_focused="true" 
        android:state_pressed="false"
        android:drawable="@color/android_green" />
    <item android:state_focused="true" 
        android:state_pressed="true"
        android:drawable="@color/black_alpha" />
    <item android:state_focused="false" 
        android:state_pressed="true"
        android:drawable="@color/black_alpha" />
    <item android:drawable="@color/white_alpha" />
</selector> 

but it does not work, it changes the entire list

Answer 1

Here's a good article on how to use selectors with lists.

Instead of setting it to be the android:background of the list, I believe you want to set android:listSelector as shown below:

<ListView android:id="@+id/list" 
      android:layout_width="fill_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
      android:dividerHeight="0dip"
      android:divider="@null" 
      android:listSelector="@drawable/list_selector"
      android:layout_gravity="center" />

Answer 2

Still not working, here is what I have so far

::listview_background

<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"&gt;
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:drawable="@color/black_alpha" />
    <item android:drawable="@color/white_alpha" />  
</selector> 

::My view that is using the above

<ListView android:id="@+id/list" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:layout_below="@+id/round"
    android:listSelector="@drawable/listview_background">
</ListView>

The problem is that the black_alpha will apply the the entire list, not just the selected list item

Answer 3

Jax, you said that:

The problem is that the black_alpha will apply the the entire list, not just the selected list item

I had the same problem. After playing around with it for a while, I was able to get it to stop applying the color to the whole list by using a 3x3 png image of the color I wanted instead of applying a color. So for some weird reason if you use a color you get the odd background behavior, when you use a png, it works fine. :S

So that is one way to get around it.

-----Another way----------

I found the best results when I set the listView selector to not have any states like this:

res/drawable/list_selector.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"&gt;
</selector>

Then I take care of all the states in the background of the list item. NOT in the selector. I found I had more control this way.

res/color/list_item_bg.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"&gt;
<item android:state_selected="false"
    android:state_pressed="false" 
    android:drawable="@color/list_item_black_translucent" />
<item android:state_pressed="true" 
    android:drawable="@color/light_green_accent_translucent" />
</selector>

Then here is my list item:

res/layout/simple_list_item.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:paddingRight="45dip"
android:paddingBottom="2dip"
android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
android:background="@color/list_item_bg">
  <ImageView
    android:id="@+id/arrow"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginRight="8dip"
    android:src="@drawable/list_item_arrow" />
 <TextView
android:id="@+id/simple_list_item_label"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center_vertical"
android:textSize="12sp"
android:textColor="@color/list_label_color"/>
</LinearLayout>