Create a spinner programmatically in Android

Question

I want to create a spinner without using XML. I am new in android and my knowledge is limited. By now I have this code (see above) and I want my spinner in one of the tabs of my TabActivity. There is no obvious error but when I open my activity the tab is empty. I would appreciate some help.

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {

    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    ArrayList<String> spinnerArray = new ArrayList<String>();
    spinnerArray.add("one");
    spinnerArray.add("two");
    spinnerArray.add("three");
    spinnerArray.add("four");
    spinnerArray.add("five");

    Spinner spinner = new Spinner(this);
    ArrayAdapter<String> spinnerArrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(this, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item, spinnerArray);
    spinner.setAdapter(spinnerArrayAdapter);

}

Answer 1

You need to add the Spinner to a layout.

First create a container for the Spinner and then create the Spinner and add it to your container. Next set content of you Activity to your container.

This could be done like this, in your onCreate method:

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_my);

    LinearLayout layout = new LinearLayout(this);

    ArrayList<String> spinnerArray = new ArrayList<String>();
    spinnerArray.add("one");
    spinnerArray.add("two");
    spinnerArray.add("three");
    spinnerArray.add("four");
    spinnerArray.add("five");

    Spinner spinner = new Spinner(this);
    ArrayAdapter<String> spinnerArrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter<String>(this, android.R.layout.simple_spinner_dropdown_item, spinnerArray);
    spinner.setAdapter(spinnerArrayAdapter);

    layout.addView(spinner);

    setContentView(layout);
}

EDIT:

Just to clarify: if the Spinner isn't added to the content of the Activity inside a layout, it isn't visible, so that's why you don't get any errors or anything, because there isn't any errors in your code, per se ;-)