How can I set camera preview size to squared aspect ratio in a squared SurfaceView (like Instagram)

Question

I'm trying to develop my own camera activity, but I have a problem that I'm not unable to solve...

What I want, is something very similiar to instagram photo frame, and this is what I get:

When I should get something like this:

and...

when I should get something like:

I think I'm maanaging the SurfaceView and Camera preview well, only using

Camera.Parameters parameters = camera.getParameters();
camera.setDisplayOrientation(90);

and Custom SurfaceView:

public class SquaredSurfaceView extends SurfaceView {

private int width;
private int height;

public SquaredSurfaceView(Context context) {
    super(context);
}

public SquaredSurfaceView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
    super(context, attrs);
}

public SquaredSurfaceView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
    super(context, attrs, defStyle);
}

@Override
protected void onMeasure(int widthMeasureSpec, int heightMeasureSpec) {
    super.onMeasure(widthMeasureSpec, heightMeasureSpec);
    width = MeasureSpec.getSize(widthMeasureSpec);
    height = width;
    setMeasuredDimension(width, width);
}

public int getViewWidth() {
    return width;
}

public int getViewHeight() {
    return height;
}

}

What I'm doing wrong?? :-(

Answer 1

As said before you need to find the correct preview size (the one with aspect ratio 1:1) and probably you have to use FrameLayout for the SurfacePreview. It seems that you have and aspect ratio problem maybe you have the right preview size but you are placing it in an incorrect layout.

Another solution might be (just like Instagram does) to make your camera at full size and then hide some areas of the layout just to make it look like a square. Then by software you would have to cut the image to make it a real square.

Hope this helps you

Answer 2

The solution that works for me is the 2nd Answer, but because we need to rotate the camera 90º is necessary to switch the WIDTH with the HEIGTH, something like this...

   camera.setDisplayOrientation(90);
   Camera.Parameters params= camera.getParameters();
   surfaceView.getLayoutParams().width=params.getPreviewSize().height;
   surfaceView.getLayoutParams().height=params.getPreviewSize().width;

Hope this solution helps!! :D

Answer 3

my solution is more like building a square mask and then to place it over the preview surface.

You will need 3 things mainly, first a square frame component. I've made a custom component:

package com.example.squaredviewer;

import android.content.Context;
import android.util.AttributeSet;
import android.view.Display;
import android.view.WindowManager;
import android.widget.RelativeLayout;

/**
* Created by yadirhb on 14-08-2015.
*/
public class SquaredFrame extends RelativeLayout{
    public SquaredFrame(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
         super(context, attrs);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onMeasure(int widthMeasureSpec, int heightMeasureSpec) {
        super.onMeasure(widthMeasureSpec, heightMeasureSpec);
        int size = Math.min(getMeasuredWidth(), getMeasuredHeight());
        setMeasuredDimension(size, size);
    }
}

Depending of the Android API version for the which you're developing, you will maybe need to add another constructor overload. For Kitkat this is just fine.

The second step is to build the layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:orientation="horizontal"
android:visibility="visible">

<RelativeLayout
    android:id="@+id/camera_preview"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_alignParentLeft="false"
    android:layout_alignParentTop="false"
    android:layout_centerInParent="true"
    android:background="#ffffff">

</RelativeLayout>

<LinearLayout
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <LinearLayout
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:background="#131008">

    </LinearLayout>

    <com.example.squaredviewer.SquaredFrame
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"></com.example.squaredviewer.SquaredFrame>

    <LinearLayout
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:background="#131008" />
</LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

Notice that the RelativeLayout "camera_preview" is the one used to render the preview, it is centered and has a LinearLayout which contains the squared component. This is actually the "mask" and it covers the camera preview. Notice also that except the SquaredFrame, which is transparent, the others two are background coloured with black.

Now the surface view, for the camera preview in which the surface is sized acording the aspect ratio.

public class CameraPreview extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {

    private final String TAG = "PIC-FRAME";

    private SurfaceHolder mHolder;
    private Camera mCamera;
    private Display display;

    public CameraPreview(Activity context, Camera camera) {
        super(context);
        mCamera = camera;
        display = ((WindowManager) context.getSystemService(Context.WINDOW_SERVICE)).getDefaultDisplay();

        // Install a SurfaceHolder.Callback so we get notified when the
        // underlying surface is created and destroyed.
        mHolder = getHolder();
        mHolder.addCallback(this);
        // deprecated setting, but required on Android versions prior to 3.0
        mHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);

        setKeepScreenOn(true);
    }

    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        // empty. Take care of releasing the Camera preview in your activity.
        this.getHolder().removeCallback(this);
    }

    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int w, int h) {
        // If your preview can change or rotate, take care of those events here.
        // Make sure to stop the preview before resizing or reformatting it.

        if (mHolder.getSurface() == null) {
            // preview surface does not exist
            return;
        }

        try {
            // stop preview before making changes
            mCamera.stopPreview();
            // set preview size and make any resize, rotate or
            // reformatting changes here
            // Now that the size is known, set up the camera parameters and begin
            // the preview.
            Camera.Parameters parameters = mCamera.getParameters();
            // You need to choose the most appropriate previewSize for your app
            Camera.Size previewSize = parametes.getSupportedPreviewSizes().get(0);
            parameters.setPreviewSize(previewSize.width, previewSize.height);


             // start preview with new settings
             mCamera.setParameters(parameters);

             // Set the holder size based on the aspect ratio
             int size = Math.min(display.getWidth(), display.getHeight());
             double ratio = (double) previewSize.width / previewSize.height;

             mHolder.setFixedSize((int)(size * ratio), size);
             mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(mHolder);
             mCamera.startPreview();

         } catch (Exception e) {
             Log.d(TAG, "Error starting camera preview: " + e.getMessage());
         }
      }
   }
}

Now everything must be tied in the activity class

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_picture_taker);

    mDecorView = getWindow().getDecorView();

    //mCamera = a camera instance;

    // Create our Preview view and set it as the content of our activity.
    mPreview = new CameraPreview(this, mCamera);

    //Layout where camera preview is shown.
    RelativeLayout preview = (RelativeLayout) findViewById(R.id.camera_preview);
    //FrameLayout stack controllers inside and superpose them.
    preview.addView(mPreview, 0);

    // TODO
}

A little long, but I hope it be helpful for more than one. :-)