Properly aligning TextViews in RelativeLayout

Question

I´m developing an instant message application for an university course, similar to Whatsapp as you could guess seeing the icon in the attached screenshot :).

I have a ListFragment being populated with a custom CursorAdapter. It gives two type of views, sent messages (aligned to right) and received messages (aligned to left).

The layout for sent messages works nicely, but I cannot say the same for received messages.

Here is a screenshot:

Sent message 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="wrap_content" >

    <RelativeLayout
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
        android:background="#FFCCCCCC"
        android:padding="5dp" >

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/ceo_timestamp"
            android:layout_width="60sp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
            android:background="#FFBBBBBB"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:textSize="10sp" />

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/ceo_text"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/ceo_timestamp"
            android:background="#FFAAAAAA"
            android:gravity="right"
            android:textSize="16sp" />
    </RelativeLayout>

</RelativeLayout>

Received message 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="wrap_content"
    android:gravity="left" >

    <RelativeLayout
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
        android:background="#FF999999"
        android:padding="5dp" >

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/cei_timestamp"
            android:layout_width="60sp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
            android:background="#FF888888"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:textSize="10sp" />

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/cei_text"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/cei_timestamp"
            android:background="#FF777777"
            android:gravity="right"
            android:textSize="16sp" />
    </RelativeLayout>

</RelativeLayout>

Those ugly background colors are added just to see the space taken for each view and layout. As you can see in the screenshot, send messages (right-aligned) work great. Received messages (left-aligned) aren't aligning well, because RelativeLayout takes all horizontal space available, insted of just wrapping content.

Anyone knows how to fix it, or maybe a better layout design to accomplish what I need?

Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

In Sent message layout replace android:layout_alignParentRight="true" parameter with the android:layout_alignParentLeft="true".