[android] how to show progress bar(circle) in an activity having a listview before loading the listview with data

Please use the sample at tutorialspoint.com. The whole implementation only needs a few lines of code without changing your xml file. Hope this helps.

STEP 1: Import library

import android.app.ProgressDialog;

STEP 2: Declare ProgressDialog global variable

ProgressDialog loading = null;

STEP 3: Start new ProgressDialog and use the following properties (please be informed that this sample only covers the basic circle loading bar without the real time progress status).

loading = new ProgressDialog(v.getContext());
loading.setCancelable(true);
loading.setMessage(Constant.Message.AuthenticatingUser);
loading.setProgressStyle(ProgressDialog.STYLE_SPINNER);

STEP 4: If you are using AsyncTasks, you can start showing the dialog in onPreExecute method. Otherwise, just place the code in the beginning of your button onClick event.

loading.show();

STEP 5: If you are using AsyncTasks, you can close the progress dialog by placing the code in onPostExecute method. Otherwise, just place the code before closing your button onClick event.

loading.dismiss();

Tested it with my Nexus 5 android v4.0.3. Good luck!