[android] How to support different screen size in android

I'm developing an app in android and I have to support all different screen sizes and density. So i've created different folder for layout : layout-small layout-large and layout.

Then I've created different folder for image: ldpi, mdpi and hdpi. In all drawable folder the image must be with different size true? I ask this cause of I have a phone with screen size large and density medium, the image shown will be smaller and they will not take the right size?

Android adjust by it self you can put separate image for different folder if you want to use different images for high resolution devices and other device. Otherwise just put in one drawable,layout folder only for some images you can make 9-patch also.

read here

you need permission in manifest for multiple screen support link

<supports-screens android:resizeable=["true"| "false"]
                  android:smallScreens=["true" | "false"]
                  android:normalScreens=["true" | "false"]
                  android:largeScreens=["true" | "false"]
                  android:xlargeScreens=["true" | "false"]
                  android:anyDensity=["true" | "false"]
                  android:requiresSmallestWidthDp="integer"
                  android:compatibleWidthLimitDp="integer"
                  android:largestWidthLimitDp="integer"/>

Use sdp library which is provided in Github

You can use sdp size unit instead of dp size unit. The sdp size unit is relative to the screen size and therefor is often preferred for targeting multiple screen sizes.

Use it carefully! for example, in most cases you still need to design a different layout for tablets.

Adding to @ud_an

It is not a good practice to create different folders for layouts. Create your layout such that it works fine with all the screen sizes. To achieve this, play with the layout attributes. You only need to have different images for hdpi, mdpi and ldpi types. The rest will be managed by android OS.

you can create bitmaps for the highes resolution / size your application will run and resize them in the code (at run time)

check this article http://nuvornapps-en.blogspot.com.es/

Beginning with Android 3.2 (API level 13), size groups (folders small, normal, large, xlarge) are deprecated in favor of a new technique for managing screen sizes based on the available screen width.

---

There are different resource configurations that you can specify based on the space available for your layout:

1) Smallest Width - The fundamental size of a screen, as indicated by the shortest dimension of the available screen area.

Qualifier Value: sw'dp value'dp

Eg. res/sw600dp/layout.xml -> will be used for all screen sizes bigger or equal to 600dp. This does not take the device orientation into account.

---

2) Available Screen Width - Specifies a minimum available width in dp units at which the resources should be used.

Qualifier Value: w'dp value'dp

Eg. res/w600dp/layout.xml -> will be used for all screens, which width is greater than or equal to 600dp.

---

3) Available Screen Height - Specifies a minimum screen height in dp units at which the resources should be used.

Qualifier Value: h'dp value'dp

Eg. res/h600dp/layout.xml -> will be used for all screens, which height is greater than or equal to 600dp.

---

So at the end your folder structure might look like this:

res/layout/layout.xml -> for handsets (smaller than 600dp available width)
res/layout-sw600dp/layout.xml -> for 7” tablets (600dp wide and bigger)
res/layout-sw720dp/layout.xml -> for 10” tablets (720dp wide and bigger)

---

For more information please read the official documentation:
https://developer.android.com/guide/practices/screens_support.html#DeclaringTabletLayouts

You can figure out the dimensions of the screen dynamically

Display mDisplay= activity.getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay();
int width= mDisplay.getWidth();
int Height= mDisplay.getHeight();

The layout can be set using the width and the height obtained using this method.

It sounds lofty,when it comes to supporting multiple screen Sizes.The following gves better results .

res/layout/layout-w120dp
res/layout/layout-w160dp
res/layout/layout-w240dp
res/layout/layout-w160dp
res/layout/layout-w320dp
res/layout/layout-w480dp
res/layout/layout-w600dp
res/layout/layout-w720dp

Chek the Device Width and Height using Display Metrics

Place/figure out which layout suits for the resulted width of the Device .

let smallestScreenWidthDp="assume some value(Which will be derived from Display metrics)"

All should be checked before setContentView().Otherwise you put yourself in trouble

     Configuration config = getResources().getConfiguration();


        if (config.smallestScreenWidthDp >= 600) {
            setContentView(R.layout.layout-w600dp);
        } else {
            setContentView(R.layout.main_activity);
        }

In the top,i have created so many layouts to fit multiple screens,it is all depends on you ,you may or not.You can see the play store reviews from Which API ,The Downloads are High..form that you have to proceed.

I hope it helps you lot.Few were using some third party libraries,It may be reduce your work ,but that is not best practice. Get Used to Android Best Practices.

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