How to add padding to gradient <shape> in Android?

Question

I have a shape with a gradient that I'm using as a divider between ListView items. I've defined it as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<shape
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">

<gradient
    android:startColor="#ccd0d3"
    android:centerColor="#b6babd"
    android:endColor="#ccd0d3"
    android:height="1px"
    android:angle="0" />

</shape>

I would like to add 6 pixels of padding on either side of the gradient, so that it doesn't extend from edge to edge of the screen.

However, no matter where I put an android:left="6px" and android:right="6px", it doesn't seem to take effect. I can put it in the <shape> element, the <gradient> element, or in a separate <padding> child of <shape>, and it doesn't change anything.

How can I add padding on the left and right of my list divider?

Answer 1

I guess you could combine it like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">      <item android:left="6dp"           android:right="6dp">          <shape android:shape="rectangle">             <gradient android:startColor="#ccd0d3"                       android:centerColor="#b6babd"                       android:endColor="#ccd0d3"                       android:height="1px"                       android:angle="0"/>         </shape>     </item> </layer-list> 

Answer 2

Another solution using inset:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <inset xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     android:insetLeft="6dp"     android:insetRight="6dp" >      <shape            android:shape="rectangle">      <gradient         android:startColor="#ccd0d3"         android:centerColor="#b6babd"         android:endColor="#ccd0d3"         android:height="1px"         android:angle="0" />      </shape>  </inset> 

Answer 3

One solution seems to be to "wrap" my drawable with another drawable that specifies the appropriate padding.

For example, list_divider.xml would be:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<layer-list
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <item
        android:left="6dp"
        android:right="6dp"
        android:drawable="@drawable/list_divider_inner" />

</layer-list>

And then list_divider_inner.xml would be the original drawable:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<shape
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">

<gradient
    android:startColor="#ccd0d3"
    android:centerColor="#b6babd"
    android:endColor="#ccd0d3"
    android:height="1px"
    android:angle="0" />

</shape>

This results in two files to specify a simple divider though. I don't know if there's a way to do it with only one file though.