I'm having trouble getting the Android Search Interface to work in the Action Bar

Question

I tried following the guide here, but I'm having some problems. I correctly got the search icon to appear in the action bar, but I'm having trouble attaching the searchable configuration to the SearchView.

My res/menu/options_menu.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:id="@+id/search"
          android:title="@string/search_title"
          android:icon="@drawable/search"
          android:showAsAction="collapseActionView|ifRoom"
          android:actionViewClass="android.widget.SearchView" />
</menu>

My res/xml/searchable.xml file (Note: I had to create an "xml" folder in the res folder because one did not exist. I don't think this should make a difference though?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<searchable xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:hint="@string/search_hint" />

My res/values/strings.xml file:

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

<string name="app_name">Starting To Feel It</string>
<string name="single_post">Single Post View</string>
<string name="search">Search Activity</string>

<string name="action_settings">Settings</string>
<string name = "pagination_last">Last</string>
<string name = "pagination_next">Next</string>

<string name = "player_play">Play</string>
<string name = "player_previous">Previous</string>
<string name = "player_next">Next</string>
<string name = "player_playlist">Playlist</string>
<string name = "player_progress_bar">Progress Bar</string>

<string name="drawer_open">Open navigation drawer</string>
<string name="drawer_close">Close navigation drawer</string>


<string name="search_title">Search STFI</string>
<string name="search_hint">Search STFI</string>


<string name="menu_item_picture">Menu Item Picture</string>

</resources>

My AndroidManifest.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="com.stfi"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"></uses-permission>

<uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="14"
    android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

<application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:largeHeap="true"
    android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light" >


    <activity
        android:name=".StartingToFeelIt"
        android:label="@string/app_name" >
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>


    <activity
        android:name=".activities.SinglePost"
        android:label="@string/single_post">

    </activity>

    <activity 
        android:name=".activities.SearchActivity" 
        android:label="@string/search">

        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEARCH" />
        </intent-filter>

        <meta-data
            android:name="android.app.searchable"
            android:resource="@xml/searchable" />
    </activity>


</application>

</manifest>

All of my activities extend a class I called MenuActivity, and here is the onCreateOptionsMenu function define in MenuActivity.java:

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.options_menu, menu);

    // Associate searchable configuration with the SearchView
    SearchManager searchManager =
            (SearchManager) getSystemService(Context.SEARCH_SERVICE);
    SearchView searchView =
            (SearchView) menu.findItem(R.id.search).getActionView();

    System.out.println("The component name is " + this.getComponentName().toString());

    SearchableInfo info = searchManager.getSearchableInfo(getComponentName());

    if(info  == null)
    {
        System.out.println("It is null!");
    }

    searchView.setSearchableInfo(info);

    return true;
}

I'm always getting that info is null in this function. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong to get info is null, and I'm not sure how to fix it. I'm not sure if you need it or not, but below is my SearchActivity class. Right now it doesn't do anything but try to display the search (however, it is never called because the search configuration is not set up correctly). The file is saved in com.stfi.activities.SearchActivity.java.

Another note: When I print out the component name in the function above, I get The component name is ComponentInfo(com.stfi/com.stfi.StartingToFeelIt) and not just com.stfi.StartingToFeelIt. This leads me to believe something is wrong with my AndroidManifest file, but I have no idea if this is the cause as to why I can't attach the search configuration.

public class SearchActivity extends Activity {

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    handleIntent(getIntent());
}

@Override
protected void onNewIntent(Intent intent) {
    handleIntent(intent);
}

private void handleIntent(Intent intent) {

    if (Intent.ACTION_SEARCH.equals(intent.getAction()))
    {
        String query = intent.getStringExtra(SearchManager.QUERY);
        System.out.println("You are searchin " + query);
    }
}
}

Answer 1

I have beeen poking around and have found two things you need to do.

1. Update your Manifest.xml and use <meta to add your Search Interface.

2. In order for it to have searchable configuration you need to add meta data

<activity ... >
    ...
    <meta-data android:name="android.app.searchable"
            android:resource="@xml/searchable" />

</activity>