Google Maps API v2 Android add shape drawable as marker

Question

I've been trying to add a shape drawable as the marker icon for a marker I want to add on the map.

shape looks like this (res/drawable/blue_circle.xml):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     android:shape="oval" >     <size         android:width="15dp"         android:height="15dp" />     <solid         android:color="@color/Blue" /> </shape> 

and I try to add the marker like this:

markerOptions.icon(BitmapDescriptorFactory.fromResource(R.drawable.blue_circle)); 

Apparently I get a NullPointer exception.

Must the marker icon be a bitmap? Am I allowed to add shapes drawables as marker icons? And if yes what am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Create a drawable for your marker (res/drawable/map_dot_red.xml):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     android:shape="oval" >      <gradient         android:angle="90"         android:endColor="#f58383"         android:startColor="#ee6464" />      <stroke         android:width="1dp"         android:color="#a13939" />  </shape> 

Create a bitmap from the drawable:

int px = getResources().getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.map_dot_marker_size); mDotMarkerBitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(px, px, Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888); Canvas canvas = new Canvas(mDotMarkerBitmap); Drawable shape = getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.map_dot_red); shape.setBounds(0, 0, mDotMarkerBitmap.getWidth(), mDotMarkerBitmap.getHeight()); shape.draw(canvas); 

Create your marker, using the bitmap:

Marker marker = mMap.addMarker(new MarkerOptions()     .position(point)     .anchor(.5f, .5f)     .icon(BitmapDescriptorFactory.fromBitmap(mDotMarkerBitmap))); 

Set the size of your marker in dimens (res/values/dimens.xml):

<resources>     <dimen name="map_dot_marker_size">12dp</dimen> </resources>