Setting Vector Drawables as Side Drawables in Android TextViews
Adding a visual element beside your text, like an icon, can significantly enhance the aesthetics and clarity of your Android app. Vector Drawables, known for their scalability and lightweight nature, are a perfect choice for this. However, setting a Vector Drawable as a side drawable in a TextView can be tricky. This article will guide you through the process, explaining the challenges and providing a solution.
The Challenge
Android's TextView doesn't directly support adding a drawable to the left or right of the text. You might think using android:drawableLeft or android:drawableRight would work, but these attributes are meant for padding and not for side-by-side placement with the text.
Here's a snippet illustrating the issue:
<TextView
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="This is some text"
android:drawableLeft="@drawable/my_vector_drawable" />
This code will simply place the drawable to the left of the text, pushing the text to the right, without any actual side-by-side arrangement.
The Solution: Custom Compound Drawable
The solution lies in utilizing the setCompoundDrawables method of the TextView. This method lets you set the drawable to specific positions (left, top, right, bottom) and also allows for customization of the spacing between the drawable and the text.
TextView myTextView = findViewById(R.id.my_text_view);
Drawable myVectorDrawable = ContextCompat.getDrawable(this, R.drawable.my_vector_drawable);
myTextView.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBounds(myVectorDrawable, null, null, null);
In this code:
ContextCompat.getDrawable(this, R.drawable.my_vector_drawable)retrieves the Vector Drawable from your resources.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBoundssets the drawable to the left (myVectorDrawable), and the other positions are set tonull.- You can customize the spacing between the drawable and the text using
setCompoundDrawablePadding(int padding).
Important Considerations:
- Vector Drawable Compatibility: Ensure your target SDK version supports Vector Drawables.
- Drawable Size: Vector Drawables are scalable, but their size might affect layout. Adjust the size and padding as needed for optimal visual appeal.
- Text Alignment: Consider how the text alignment (
android:gravityorandroid:textAlignment) interacts with the side drawable.
Examples:
Adding a Left Drawable:
myTextView.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBounds(myVectorDrawable, null, null, null);
Adding a Right Drawable:
myTextView.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBounds(null, null, myVectorDrawable, null);
Custom Spacing:
myTextView.setCompoundDrawablePadding(10); // Adds 10dp padding
Conclusion
By understanding the limitations of android:drawableLeft and android:drawableRight, and utilizing setCompoundDrawables with proper spacing adjustments, you can effectively integrate Vector Drawables as side drawables in your Android TextViews. This technique enhances the visual appeal of your text and provides a more engaging user experience.
Feel free to experiment with different Vector Drawables, spacing, and text styles to create unique and visually appealing layouts for your Android app.
