How to make layout with View fill the remaining space?

Question

Answer from woodshy worked for me, and it is simpler than the answer by Ungureanu Liviu since it does not use RelativeLayout. I am giving my layout for clarity:

<LinearLayout 
      android:layout_width="fill_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:orientation="horizontal"
      >

     <Button
        android:layout_width = "80dp"
        android:layout_weight = "0"
        android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
        android:text="&lt;"/>
     <TextView
        android:layout_width = "fill_parent"
        android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
        android:layout_weight = "1"/>
     <Button
        android:layout_width = "80dp"
        android:layout_weight = "0"
        android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
        android:text="&gt;"/>   
 </LinearLayout>

If <TextView> is placed in a LinearLayout, set the Layout_weight proprty of < and > to 0 and 1 for the TextView.

If you're using a RelativeLayout, align < and > to the left and right and set "Layout to left of" and "Layout to right of" property of the TextView to the ids of < and >.

If you use RelativeLayout, you can do it something like this:

<RelativeLayout
    android:layout_width = "fill_parent"
    android:layout_height = "fill_parent">
    <ImageView
        android:id = "@+id/my_image"
        android:layout_width = "wrap_content"
        android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
        android:layout_alignParentTop ="true" />
    <RelativeLayout
        android:id="@+id/layout_bottom"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height = "50dp"
        android:layout_alignParentBottom = "true">
        <Button
            android:id = "@+id/but_left"
            android:layout_width = "80dp"
            android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
            android:text="&lt;"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft = "true"/>
        <TextView
            android:layout_width = "fill_parent"
            android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
            android:layout_toLeftOf = "@+id/but_right"
            android:layout_toRightOf = "@id/but_left" />
        <Button
            android:id = "@id/but_right"
            android:layout_width = "80dp"
            android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
            android:text="&gt;"
            android:layout_alignParentRight = "true"/>
    </RelativeLayout>
</RelativeLayout>

Using a ConstraintLayout, I've found something like

<Button
    android:id="@+id/left_button"
    android:layout_width="80dp"
    android:layout_height="48dp"
    android:text="&lt;"
    app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

<TextView
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="0dp"
    app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="@+id/left_button"
    app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="@+id/right_button"
    app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

<Button
    android:id="@+id/right_button"
    android:layout_width="80dp"
    android:layout_height="48dp"
    android:text="&gt;"
    app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

works. The key is setting the right, left, top, and bottom edge constraints appropriately, then setting the width and height to 0dp and letting it figure out it's own size.

It´s simple You set the minWidth or minHeight, depends on what you are looking for, horizontal or vertical. And for the other object(the one that you want to fill the remaining space) you set a weight of 1 (set the width to wrap it´s content), So it will fill the rest of area.

<LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:gravity="center|left"
        android:orientation="vertical" >
</LinearLayout>
<LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="80dp"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:minWidth="80dp" >
</LinearLayout>

you can use high layout_weight attribute. Below you can see a layout where ListView takes all free space with buttons at bottom:

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    tools:context=".ConfigurationActivity"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    >

        <ListView
            android:id="@+id/listView"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
            android:layout_weight="1000"
            />


        <Button
            android:id="@+id/btnCreateNewRule"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:text="Create New Rule" />



        <Button
            android:id="@+id/btnConfigureOk"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:text="Ok" />


</LinearLayout>

You should avoid nesting 2 relative layout since relative layout always make 2 pass for drawing (against 1 for any other type of layout). It becomes exponential when you nest them. You should use linear layout with width=0 and weight=1 on the element you want to fill the space left. This answer is better for performance and the practices. Remember: use relative layout ONLY when you don't have other choice.

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

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/imageview"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="50dp"
        android:orientation="horizontal">

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/prev_button"
            android:layout_width="80dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="&lt;" />

        <TextView
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:ellipsize="end"
            android:singleLine="true"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:text="TextView" />

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/next_button"
            android:layout_width="80dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="&gt;" />
    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>