Custom Android tabs

Due to limitation of Android tab component I created a custom tabwidget that I am using in couple different projects already. the widget allows us to add custom background and use custom icons, tabs can be top/bottom aligned.

Currently tabs can launch new activity and dialog, when starting new activity we can use "startactivityforresult" so our tab will get a notification when other activity have finished.

This is not a perfect solution as there are some drawbacks to it but it suits me well so I will stick to it till something better comes along; hint Android gurus we need to be able to start new activities inside existing tab with more mizmization.

Creating a tab

There a two thing that a tab needs

• Icon: either R. drawable. ID or drawable object
• An activity set via intent or dialog

Tab homeTab=new Tab(context, "HOME");homeTab.setIcon(R.drawable.home);homeTab.setIconSelected(R.drawable.home_selected);homeTab.setIntent(new Intent(context, CarmeLauncher.class));

What is a tabhost?

Tabhost host tabs and specify how they will be rendered, tabviewconfig is used to configure the tabhost

TabHost tabHost=new TabHost(new TabViewConfig().context(context).headerResourceId(R.drawable.tab_background_55).separatorId(R.drawable.separator).orientation(TabHost.Orientation.BOTTOM));

I use fluent interfaces or as some call it builder pattern for processing ing tabhost I think its straight forward and intuitive.

Binding tabs to activity

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);//Our Tab providerTabHostProvider tabProvider=new CarmeTabProvider(this);TabHost tabHost=tabProvider.getTabHost("main");//This is the content of the tabtabHost.setCurrentView(R.layout.main);setContentView(tabHost.render());}

To make Tab selected we need to retrieve it using tab assigned tag name in this case "home" beforesetContentView(tabHost.render())Is called.

Tab home=tabHost.getTab("HOME");home.setSelected(true);setContentView(tabHost.render());

Download/view Demo project

Tabwidgetdemo

Carme project using tabs bottom aligned [view with piclens]