Cardview shadow not appearing in lollipop devices?

Question

Am using the cardview in my android app. However the shadow is not showing. Here is the xml layout

The default optionsmenu shadow also not showing.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    xmlns:card_view="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:background="#ECEDF0"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <android.support.v7.widget.CardView
        xmlns:card_view="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
        android:id="@+id/card_view"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:clipChildren="false"
        card_view:cardBackgroundColor="@color/white"
        card_view:cardCornerRadius="4dp"
        card_view:cardElevation="14dp"
        card_view:cardUseCompatPadding="true" >

        <TextView
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:padding="20dp"
            android:text="Google Play" />
    </android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

</LinearLayout>

Answer 1

After going through the docs again, I finally found the solution.

Just add card_view:cardUseCompatPadding="true" to your CardView and shadows will appear on Lollipop devices.

What happens is, the content area in a CardView take different sizes on pre-lollipop and lollipop devices. So in lollipop devices the shadow is actually covered by the card so its not visible. By adding this attribute the content area remains the same across all devices and the shadow becomes visible.

My xml code is like :

<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
    android:id="@+id/media_card_view"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="130dp"
    card_view:cardBackgroundColor="@android:color/white"
    card_view:cardElevation="2sp"
    card_view:cardUseCompatPadding="true"
    >
...
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

Answer 2

As mentioned there CardView not showing Shadow in Android L make sure that you are drawing your view using hardwareAccelerated = true

hardwareAccelerated = true

hardwareAccelerated = false

See Android Hardware Acceleration for details

Answer 3

For Lollipop and higher you should add some margins to the card:

<android.support.v7.widget.CardView
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_margin="4dp"
            />

Since the shadow lies outside of the actual view