Android: Is there a good way to create a Toast-like dialog?

Question

I would like to display some information to the user, but I don't want the information to dismiss until the user taps elsewhere or presses the back button. I realize the obvious option for this is to display the text in a dialog (as opposed to a toast). I would like my dialog to resemble the system Toast. I recognize that I can just copy the transient_notification.xml layout (and its relevant resources), but because Toast styling varies widely by device and OS, this is unlikely to produce a good match.

So, is there a good way to create a Dialog which inherits the styling for the system Toast?

Answer 1

or you could use a custom layout

Custom method to display a toast

public static Toast currentToast;
/**
 * Use a custom display for Toasts.
 *
 * @param message
 */
public static void customToast(String message) {
    // Avoid creating a queue of toasts
    if (currentToast != null) {
        // Dismiss the current showing Toast
        currentToast.cancel();
    }       
    //Retrieve the layout Inflater
    LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater) 
            context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
    //Assign the custom layout to view
    View layout = inflater.inflate(R.layout.custom_toast, null);
    //Return the application context
    currentToast = new Toast(context.getApplicationContext());
    //Set toast gravity to center
    currentToast.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER | Gravity.CENTER, 0, 0);
    //Set toast duration
    currentToast.setDuration(Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
    //Set the custom layout to Toast
    currentToast.setView(layout);
    //Get the TextView for the message of the Toast
    TextView text = (TextView) layout.findViewById(R.id.text);
    //Set the custom text for the message of the Toast
    text.setText(message);
    //Display toast
    currentToast.show();
    // Check if the layout is visible - just to be sure
    if (layout != null) {
        // Touch listener for the layout
        // This will listen for any touch event on the screen
        layout.setOnTouchListener(new OnTouchListener() {           
            @Override
            public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
                // No need to check the event, just dismiss the toast if it is showing
                if (currentToast != null) {
                    currentToast.cancel();
                    // we return True if the listener has consumed the event
                    return true;
                }   
                return false;
            }
        });
    }
}

---

and the custom_toast.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="10dip"
    android:background="@drawable/custom_toast_shape">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/title" 
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:textStyle="bold"
        android:textColor="@color/blue"
        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:text="@string/app_name" 
    />

    <View
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="2dip"
        android:background="@color/blue" 
    />

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:textColor="@color/black"
        android:layout_marginTop="5dp"
        android:layout_marginBottom="5dp"
        android:maxEms="15"
        android:gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:id="@+id/text" 
    />
</LinearLayout>

To use this just call

Utils.customToast("Just a test to see if toast is working!\nPerfect");

EDIT I have modified the method a little. Now it won't create a queue of toasts and it will be dismissed on touch, like the normal toast is.

If anyone else can improve it, please feel free to do it :)

Answer 2

You might want to try Crouton, its customizable and can be dismissed on touch.