Android Spinner with Search using XML Example

Hi there, in this Android Spinner with Search Example you will learn how to use xml spinner with a search option. As soon as the spinner’s down arrow would be tapped, a searchbar followed by a list of options would pop up. The list will eventually get filtered as you type something into the search bar. The sample output of this Android Spinner with Search can be seen below.

That’s what you are gonna get through in this tutorial. So, Let’s get Started.

Android Spinner with Search Example

Creating a New Android Studio Project

Create a new Android Studio Project with Empty Activity.
As usual, we shall begin with configuring the MainActivity.java and activity_main.xml. Add the following codes into respective files.
Here’s the activity_main.xml. It consists of the xml code of the Searchbar.

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

<RelativeLayout

xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"

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"

tools:context="com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine.MainActivity">

<com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine.SearchableSpinner

android:id="@+id/spinner"

android:layout_width="wrap_content"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:entries="@array/colleges"

app:hintText="Name your college with State"/>

</RelativeLayout>

We needn’t configure the MainActivity.java in this project. Instead, we’ll be creating a two classes named SearchableSpinner.java and SearchableListDialog.java. So, go ahead and create a class named SearchableSpinner.java and the following code. In this class, there’s a string called selectedItem which contains the value of the selected item in the searchlist. You can use it as per required.

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package com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine;

import android.app.Activity;

import android.content.Context;

import android.content.ContextWrapper;

import android.content.DialogInterface;

import android.content.res.TypedArray;

import android.text.TextUtils;

import android.util.AttributeSet;

import android.view.MotionEvent;

import android.view.View;

import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;

import android.widget.Spinner;

import android.widget.SpinnerAdapter;

import android.widget.Toast;

import com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine.R;

import com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine.SearchableListDialog;

import java.util.ArrayList;

import java.util.List;

public class SearchableSpinner extends Spinner implements View.OnTouchListener,

SearchableListDialog.SearchableItem {

String selectedItem;

//this string above will store the value of selected item.

public static final int NO_ITEM_SELECTED = -1;

private Context _context;

private List _items;

private SearchableListDialog _searchableListDialog;

private boolean _isDirty;

private ArrayAdapter _arrayAdapter;

private String _strHintText;

private boolean _isFromInit;

public SearchableSpinner(Context context) {

super(context);

this._context = context;

init();

}

public SearchableSpinner(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {

super(context, attrs);

this._context = context;

TypedArray a = context.obtainStyledAttributes(attrs, R.styleable.SearchableSpinner);

final int N = a.getIndexCount();

for (int i = 0; i < N; ++i) {

int attr = a.getIndex(i);

if (attr == R.styleable.SearchableSpinner_hintText) {

_strHintText = a.getString(attr);

}

a.recycle();

init();

}

public SearchableSpinner(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {

super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);

this._context = context;

init();

}

private void init() {

_items = new ArrayList();

_searchableListDialog = SearchableListDialog.newInstance

(_items);

_searchableListDialog.setOnSearchableItemClickListener(this);

setOnTouchListener(this);

_arrayAdapter = (ArrayAdapter) getAdapter();

if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(_strHintText)) {

ArrayAdapter arrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter(_context, android.R.layout

.simple_list_item_1, new String[]{_strHintText});

_isFromInit = true;

setAdapter(arrayAdapter);

}

@Override

public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {

if (event.getAction() == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {

if (null != _arrayAdapter) {

// Refresh content #6

// Change Start

// Description: The items were only set initially, not reloading the data in the

// spinner every time it is loaded with items in the adapter.

_items.clear();

for (int i = 0; i < _arrayAdapter.getCount(); i++) {

_items.add(_arrayAdapter.getItem(i));

}

// Change end.

_searchableListDialog.show(scanForActivity(_context).getFragmentManager(), "TAG");

}

return true;

}

@Override

public void setAdapter(SpinnerAdapter adapter) {

if (!_isFromInit) {

_arrayAdapter = (ArrayAdapter) adapter;

if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(_strHintText) && !_isDirty) {

ArrayAdapter arrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter(_context, android.R.layout

.simple_list_item_1, new String[]{_strHintText});

super.setAdapter(arrayAdapter);

} else {

super.setAdapter(adapter);

}

} else {

_isFromInit = false;

super.setAdapter(adapter);

}

//The method just below is executed when an item in the searchlist is tapped.This is where we store the value int string called selectedItem.

@Override

public void onSearchableItemClicked(Object item, int position) {

setSelection(_items.indexOf(item));

if (!_isDirty) {

_isDirty = true;

setAdapter(_arrayAdapter);

setSelection(_items.indexOf(item));

}

selectedItem= getItemAtPosition(position).toString();

Toast.makeText(getContext(),"You selected "+selectedItem,Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

}

private Activity scanForActivity(Context cont) {

if (cont == null)

return null;

else if (cont instanceof Activity)

return (Activity) cont;

else if (cont instanceof ContextWrapper)

return scanForActivity(((ContextWrapper) cont).getBaseContext());

return null;

}

@Override

public int getSelectedItemPosition() {

if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(_strHintText) && !_isDirty) {

return NO_ITEM_SELECTED;

} else {

return super.getSelectedItemPosition();

}

@Override

public Object getSelectedItem() {

if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(_strHintText) && !_isDirty) {

return null;

} else {

return super.getSelectedItem();

}

Next, create a class named SearchableListDialog.java and add the following code.

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package com.example.manishvishwakarma.searchablespinnermine;

import android.app.AlertDialog;

import android.app.Dialog;

import android.app.DialogFragment;

import android.app.SearchManager;

import android.content.Context;

import android.content.DialogInterface;

import android.os.Bundle;

import android.text.TextUtils;

import android.view.LayoutInflater;

import android.view.View;

import android.view.ViewGroup;

import android.view.WindowManager;

import android.view.inputmethod.InputMethodManager;

import android.widget.AdapterView;

import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;

import android.widget.ListView;

import android.widget.SearchView;

import java.io.Serializable;

import java.util.List;

public class SearchableListDialog extends DialogFragment implements

SearchView.OnQueryTextListener, SearchView.OnCloseListener {

private static final String ITEMS = "items";

private ArrayAdapter listAdapter;

private ListView _listViewItems;

private SearchableItem _searchableItem;

private OnSearchTextChanged _onSearchTextChanged;

private SearchView _searchView;

private String _strTitle;

private String _strPositiveButtonText;

private DialogInterface.OnClickListener _onClickListener;

public SearchableListDialog() {

}

public static SearchableListDialog newInstance(List items) {

SearchableListDialog multiSelectExpandableFragment = new

SearchableListDialog();

Bundle args = new Bundle();

args.putSerializable(ITEMS, (Serializable) items);

multiSelectExpandableFragment.setArguments(args);

return multiSelectExpandableFragment;

}

@Override

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

}

@Override

public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,

Bundle savedInstanceState) {

getDialog().getWindow().setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams

.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_HIDDEN);

return super.onCreateView(inflater, container, savedInstanceState);

}

@Override

public Dialog onCreateDialog(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

// Getting the layout inflater to inflate the view in an alert dialog.

LayoutInflater inflater = LayoutInflater.from(getActivity());

// Crash on orientation change #7

// Change Start

// Description: As the instance was re initializing to null on rotating the device,

// getting the instance from the saved instance

if (null != savedInstanceState) {

_searchableItem = (SearchableItem) savedInstanceState.getSerializable("item");

}

// Change End

View rootView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.searchable_list_dialog, null);

setData(rootView);

AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(getActivity());

alertDialog.setView(rootView);

String strPositiveButton = _strPositiveButtonText == null ? "CLOSE" : _strPositiveButtonText;

alertDialog.setPositiveButton(strPositiveButton, _onClickListener);

String strTitle = _strTitle == null ? "Select Item" : _strTitle;

alertDialog.setTitle(strTitle);

final AlertDialog dialog = alertDialog.create();

dialog.getWindow().setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams

.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_HIDDEN);

return dialog;

}

// Crash on orientation change #7

// Change Start

// Description: Saving the instance of searchable item instance.

@Override

public void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {

outState.putSerializable("item", _searchableItem);

super.onSaveInstanceState(outState);

}

// Change End

public void setTitle(String strTitle) {

_strTitle = strTitle;

}

public void setPositiveButton(String strPositiveButtonText) {

_strPositiveButtonText = strPositiveButtonText;

}

public void setPositiveButton(String strPositiveButtonText, DialogInterface.OnClickListener onClickListener) {

_strPositiveButtonText = strPositiveButtonText;

_onClickListener = onClickListener;

}

public void setOnSearchableItemClickListener(SearchableItem searchableItem) {

this._searchableItem = searchableItem;

}

public void setOnSearchTextChangedListener(OnSearchTextChanged onSearchTextChanged) {

this._onSearchTextChanged = onSearchTextChanged;

}

private void setData(View rootView) {

SearchManager searchManager = (SearchManager) getActivity().getSystemService(Context

.SEARCH_SERVICE);

_searchView = (SearchView) rootView.findViewById(R.id.search);

_searchView.setSearchableInfo(searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getActivity().getComponentName

()));

_searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false);

_searchView.setOnQueryTextListener(this);

_searchView.setOnCloseListener(this);

_searchView.clearFocus();

InputMethodManager mgr = (InputMethodManager) getActivity().getSystemService(Context

.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);

mgr.hideSoftInputFromWindow(_searchView.getWindowToken(), 0);

List items = (List) getArguments().getSerializable(ITEMS);

_listViewItems = (ListView) rootView.findViewById(R.id.listItems);

//create the adapter by passing your ArrayList data

listAdapter = new ArrayAdapter(getActivity(), android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,items); //attach the adapter to the list

_listViewItems.setAdapter(listAdapter);

_listViewItems.setTextFilterEnabled(true);

_listViewItems.setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView.OnItemClickListener() {

@Override

public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {

_searchableItem.onSearchableItemClicked(listAdapter.getItem(position), position);

getDialog().dismiss();

}

});

}

@Override

public boolean onClose() {

return false;

}

@Override

public boolean onQueryTextSubmit(String s) {

_searchView.clearFocus();

return true;

}

@Override

public boolean onQueryTextChange(String s) {

// listAdapter.filterData(s);

if (TextUtils.isEmpty(s)) {

// _listViewItems.clearTextFilter();

((ArrayAdapter) _listViewItems.getAdapter()).getFilter().filter(null);

} else {

((ArrayAdapter) _listViewItems.getAdapter()).getFilter().filter(s);

}

if (null != _onSearchTextChanged) {

_onSearchTextChanged.onSearchTextChanged(s);

}

return true;

}

public interface SearchableItem<T> extends Serializable {

void onSearchableItemClicked(T item, int position);

}

public interface OnSearchTextChanged {

void onSearchTextChanged(String strText);

}

By now, we are done with the Java part. Now, we have some business left with xml resource files. So, let’s deal with it.
Create a layout resource file named searchable_list_dialog.xml and add the following code. It configures the view after spinner is tapped.

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

<LinearLayout

xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="match_parent"

android:orientation="vertical"

android:paddingTop="8dp"

android:paddingRight="8dp"

android:paddingLeft="8dp">

<SearchView

android:id="@+id/search"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:iconifiedByDefault="false"/>

<ListView

android:id="@+id/listItems"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>

</LinearLayout>

Next, create a values resource file named colleges.xml and add the following code. It will contain the list of options to be filtered upon the search.

<string name="app_name">Spinner with Search</string>

<string-array name="colleges">

//Arts and Science Colleges

<item>Mahatma Gandhi Government College,Andaman and Nicobar Islands</item>

<item>Tagore Government College of Education,Andaman and Nicobar Islands</item>

<item>Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology Port Blair,Andaman and Nicobar Islands</item>

<item>Government Arts College, Rajahmundry,Andhra Pradesh</item>

<item>Government Medical College, Anantapur,Andhra Pradesh</item>

<item>Maharajah\'s Government College of Music and Dance,Andhra Pradesh</item>

<item>P. V. K. N. Government College,Andhra Pradesh</item>

<item>Silver Jubilee Government Degree College,Andhra Pradesh</item>

</string-array>

</resources>

Finally, create a values resource file named attrs.xml and add the following code.

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

<declare-styleable name="SearchableSpinner">

</declare-styleable>

</resources>

That’all. Run the app and you will find a spinner. As you tap it, it shall turn into a search bar. If you still find some problem, let me know in the comments section or you can also go through the source code of this Android Spinner with Search Example.

So thats all for this Android Spinner with Search Example. Stay tuned for more android tutorials. Thank You 🙂

Manish Kumar

Hello, I am Manish Kumar. I am a B.Tech Student at NIT Jamshedpur. Fortunately, I find myself quite passionate about Computers and Technology. Android is my most recent Crush.

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7 thoughts on “Android Spinner with Search using XML Example”

M Jalali
September 27, 2016 at 10:44 pm
Thanks for your tutorial.
how can i put PHP json array to spinner with search?
Tony
October 2, 2016 at 9:48 am
Thanks bro…
Ras
October 10, 2016 at 10:32 am
I need the source code
shankarvannala
November 25, 2016 at 9:02 am
Hai sir , nice tutorial and i have been using this project to show our state college details and information. problem is when a user search with a college name using spinner list and click on search item , the respective college details should be opened in new activity . please help with this
sharon
December 21, 2016 at 7:34 am
aaaa bro pls upload video
nilesh
May 8, 2017 at 10:17 am
This works good with done funtionality but whenever if a dilaog is opened and direct close of app button is leading to Crash of app.
Stéphane
January 9, 2018 at 10:59 pm
Marvellous. Very good work. Exactly what I’m searching

Android Spinner with Search using XML Example

Android Spinner with Search Example

Creating a New Android Studio Project

Related

Checkout these tutorials as well:

7 thoughts on “Android Spinner with Search using XML Example”

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