How to use data-binding with Fragment

Question

I'm trying to follow data-binding example from official google doc https://developer.android.com/tools/data-binding/guide.html

except that I'm trying to apply data-biding to a fragment, not an activity.

the error I'm currently getting when compiling is

Error:(37, 27) No resource type specified (at 'text' with value '@{marsdata.martianSols}.

onCreate for fragment looks like this:

@Override
public void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    MartianDataBinding binding = MartianDataBinding.inflate(getActivity().getLayoutInflater());
    binding.setMarsdata(this);
}

onCreateView for fragment looks like this:

@Nullable
@Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, @Nullable ViewGroup container, @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    return inflater.inflate(R.layout.martian_data, container, false);
}

and parts of my layout file for fragment looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<layout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <data>
        <variable
            name="marsdata"
            type="uk.co.darkruby.app.myapp.MarsDataProvider" />
    </data>
...

        <TextView
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:text="@{marsdata.martianSols}"
        />

    </RelativeLayout>
</layout>

my suspicion is that MartianDataBinding doesn't know which layout file it's supposed to be bound with - hence the error. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

The data binding implementation must be in the onCreateView method of the fragment, delete any data Binding that exist in your OnCreate method, your onCreateView should look like this:

public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, 
                         @Nullable ViewGroup container, 
                         @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    MartianDataBinding binding = DataBindingUtil.inflate(
            inflater, R.layout.martian_data, container, false);
    View view = binding.getRoot();
    //here data must be an instance of the class MarsDataProvider
    binding.setMarsdata(data);
    return view;
}

Answer 2

You are actually encouraged to use the inflate method of your generated Binding and not the DataBindingUtil:

@Override
public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    MainFragmentBinding binding = MainFragmentBinding.inflate(inflater, container, false);
    //set variables in Binding
    return binding.getRoot();
}

(MainFragmentBinding is automatically generated for R.layout.main_fragment)

Docs for DataBindingUtil.inflate():

Use this version only if layoutId is unknown in advance. Otherwise, use the generated Binding's inflate method to ensure type-safe inflation.