EditText getHint() returns null when using design support library

Question

When using EditText in combination with Design lib's (ver 22.2.1) TextInputLayout getting hint programmatically returns null.

I'm trying to append asterisk '*' to a mandatory field programmatically, hence EditText.getHint() but the fact that it returns null is an issue in this case.

EditText editText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.edit2);
String hint = String.format("%s *", editText.getHint());
editText.setHint(hint);

A simple code illustration: Layout.xml:

<android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content">
    <EditText
            android:id="@+id/edit2"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:hint="@string/hello_world"
            android:inputType="text"/>
</android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout>

Java:

EditText editText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.edit2);
if (editText.getHint() == null) throw new AssertionError("Hint should not be null");

dependency: compile 'com.android.support:design:22.2.1'

Previously related issue here!

Answer 1

Actually the hint moves to the parent view TextInputLayout that surrounds the EditText view:

You can get the hint like this:

android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout parent = (android.support.design.widget.TextInputLayout) yourEditText.getParent();
String hint = parent.getHint().toString();

And if you want to add * make it like this:

parent.setHint(parent.getHint() + "*");

Happy codding! :)

Answer 2

Hint is linked with its's parent layout

((TextInputLayout)view.getParent()).getHint()