Android different screen size and different densities [duplicate]

Question

I have to manage different screen sizes and different densities in my Android app. I am not getting directory structure properly.

What I understand so far is there are four types of screen sizes:

1. small
2. normal
3. large
4. xlarge

and different densities as well:

1. ldpi
2. mdpi
3. hdpi
4. xhdpi

Now each device size (small , normal , large and xlarge) shall map against each density. Because every size can have different density, right? If yes, then we can say small screen have all the density i.e ( ldpi , mdpi , hdpi , xhdpi) same for normal, large and xlarge.

The point is how I'll manage them in my drawable directories. Will there be four folders for small screen size with different size (drawable-small-ldpi, drawable-small-mdpi, drawable-small-hdpi, drawable-small-xhdpi)?

And same for other screen sizes as well.

If not then how I'll manage all the image in ( drawable-ldpi , drawable-mdpi , drawable-hdpi , drawable-xhdpi) folder because different screen size I'll have different size of images. Then how can a small device with different density and large device with a different size be manageable in same density folder.

Please don't give me reference of any Android document as I read all that stuff.

If any one can't get my point, then please let me know. I'm very confused.

Answer 1

When I have started development in Android, I was confused about same issue.But now I have figured it out and I'm doing pretty well.

Anyways, You are absolutely right.you can provide different images by 4 folders for each.i.e.: drawable-small-ldpi, drawable-small-mdpi, drawable-small-hdpi, drawable-small-xhdpi

But it is just waste of your time.because you don't need to worry this much about it.Android can scale up/scale down according to the device configuration.so just provide extra images for those devices only if you don't get desired outputs for them.

As far as I know, supporting multiple devices, you have to consider few general criteria in your mind.

Density qualifiers: ldpi,mdpi,hdpi,xhdpi,etc are generally used when you want to provide different resolution images.

Size qualifiers + Orientation qualifiers: small,normal,large,xlarge,sw600dp,normal-land,normal-port,etc are generally used when you want to provide different layout designs.

i.e.: single pane layout,multi-pane layout,different elements in layouts according to different screen sizes.

For reference: Download the example app from here and try to understand how it is being supported for multiple screens.

I hope it will be helpful !!

Answer 2

Here are official docs for you to read about the subject: Supporting Multiple Screens then Supporting Different Screen Sizes