[android] How to implement a custom AlertDialog View

Custom AlertDialog

This full example includes passing data back to the Activity.

Create a custom layout

A layout with an EditText is used for this simple example, but you can replace it with anything you like.

custom_layout.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:paddingLeft="20dp"
              android:paddingRight="20dp"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/editText"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"/>

</LinearLayout>

Use the dialog in code

The key parts are

• using setView to assign the custom layout to the AlertDialog.Builder
• sending any data back to the activity when a dialog button is clicked.

This is the full code from the example project shown in the image above:

MainActivity.java

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    }

    public void showAlertDialogButtonClicked(View view) {

        // create an alert builder
        AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
        builder.setTitle("Name");

        // set the custom layout
        final View customLayout = getLayoutInflater().inflate(R.layout.custom_layout, null);
        builder.setView(customLayout);

        // add a button
        builder.setPositiveButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                // send data from the AlertDialog to the Activity
                EditText editText = customLayout.findViewById(R.id.editText);
                sendDialogDataToActivity(editText.getText().toString());
            }
        });

        // create and show the alert dialog
        AlertDialog dialog = builder.create();
        dialog.show();
    }

    // do something with the data coming from the AlertDialog
    private void sendDialogDataToActivity(String data) {
        Toast.makeText(this, data, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }
}

Notes

• If you find yourself using this in multiple places, then consider making a DialogFragment subclass as is described in the documentation.

See also

• Android Alert Dialog with one, two, and three buttons
• How can I display a list view in an Android Alert Dialog?