Get linearLayout from another xml Android

Question

In need to get a LinearLayout that isn't located in the main xml file (the one that i set in setContentView()). So in write this code:

public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.main);

    LinearLayout main = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.main1);

    LinearLayout oggetto = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.element1);

    main.addView(oggetto);
}

The xml file where element1 is written is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
        <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
            android:id="@+id/element1"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:orientation="horizontal" 
            android:layout_height="90px"
            android:background="#000000">

            <LinearLayout
                android:id="@+id/linearLayoutLeftBar"
                android:layout_width="10px"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                android:orientation="horizontal"
                android:background="#7FFF00" >
            </LinearLayout>

            <LinearLayout
                android:id="@+id/linearLayoutRightContent"
                android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                android:orientation="vertical"
                android:background="#EEEEEE" >

                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@+id/linearLayout1"
                    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                    android:layout_height="45px"
                    android:orientation="horizontal"
                    android:background="#EEEEEE" >

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:id="@+id/linearLayoutTxtView1"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical"
                        android:background="#EEEEEE"
                        android:layout_gravity="right" >

                        <TextView
                            android:id="@+id/textView1"
                            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                            android:text="TextBox1"
                            android:layout_marginLeft="5px"
                            android:textColor="#000000"
                            android:gravity="center" />

                    </LinearLayout>

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:id="@+id/linearLayoutImgView"
                        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical"
                        android:gravity="right|center" >

                        <ImageView
                            android:id="@+id/imageView1"
                            android:layout_width="16px"
                            android:layout_height="16px"
                            android:layout_marginRight="16px"
                            android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"
                            android:background="#FF0000"/>

                    </LinearLayout>

                </LinearLayout>

                <LinearLayout
                    android:id="@+id/linearLayout2"
                    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                    android:layout_height="45px"
                    android:orientation="horizontal"
                    android:background="#EEEEEE" >

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:id="@+id/linearLayoutTxtView1"
                        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical"
                        android:background="#EEEEEE"
                        android:layout_gravity="right" >

                        <TextView
                            android:id="@+id/textView2"
                            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                            android:text="TextBox2"
                            android:layout_marginLeft="5px"
                            android:textColor="#000000"
                            android:gravity="center" />

                    </LinearLayout>

                    <LinearLayout
                        android:id="@+id/linearLayoutImgView"
                        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                        android:orientation="vertical"
                        android:gravity="right|center" >

                        <TextView
                            android:id="@+id/textView3"
                            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                            android:layout_marginRight="16px"
                            android:text="TextBox3"
                            android:textColor="#000000"
                            android:gravity="center|right" />

                    </LinearLayout>

                </LinearLayout>

            </LinearLayout>
        </LinearLayout>

The problem is that I get an error when I start the app: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.chiamata/com.chiamata.ChiamataActivity}: java.lang.NullPointerException This because element1 is null. If I put if(element1 != null) before adding it to main Linearlayout everything works fine, but element1 is obviously not added. I need to add it programmatically, so I can't put all in one xml file. How can I do? Thanks, Mattia

Answer 1

If I correctly understand your question, you can use

LayoutInflater inflater;
inflater = (LayoutInflater) this.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);              

LinearLayout layout = (LinearLayout) inflater.inflate(R.layout.Your_layout_file_with_element1 , null);

Then you can use main.addView(layout ); to add the external layout.