Robolectric inflating custom views for tests

Question

I'm trying to write some tests for a custom view, but I am having trouble inflating the custom view in my test case. The error I get is

android.view.InflateException: <merge /> can be used only with a valid ViewGroup root and attachToRoot=true
    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:458)
    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:397)
    at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:353)
    at com.androidas.models.ui.order.MyLocationViewTest.setUp(MyLocationViewTest.java:45)

I even tried making a dummy activity (TestActivity) with a tag in it to try to inflate it

public class MyLocationView extends RelativeLayout {

private TextView mTextEta;
private TextView mTextOnTime;
private Date mMeetTime;
private CalendarManager mCalendarManager;



public MyLocationView(Context context) {
    this(context, null);
}

public MyLocationView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
    this(context, attrs, 0);
}

public MyLocationView(Context context, AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {
    super(context, attrs, defStyle);

    LayoutInflater.from(context)
            .inflate(R.layout.v_mylocation, this, true);

    mTextEta = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.order_statusTracking_txt_myEta);
    mTextOnTime = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.order_statusTracking_txt_myDelay);

}
}

layout

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
>


<ImageView
    android:id="@+id/order_statusTracking_img_walking"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:src="@drawable/ic_walk"
    />

<TextView
    android:id="@+id/order_statusTracking_txt_myEta"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/spacing_small"
    android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/order_statusTracking_img_walking"
    android:layout_toEndOf="@+id/order_statusTracking_img_walking"
    android:gravity="center_vertical"
    tools:text="Arrive in 7min"
    style="@style/HeaderText"
    />

<TextView
    android:id="@+id/order_statusTracking_txt_myDelay"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/order_statusTracking_txt_myEta"
    android:layout_below="@+id/order_statusTracking_txt_myEta"
    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/spacing_normal"
    tools:text="On Time"
    style="@style/InfoText.Black"
    />
</merge>

and Test case:

@RunWith(RobolectricTestRunner.class)
@Config(emulateSdk = 18)
public class MyLocationViewTest {

MyLocationView mLocation;
TextView mTextDelay;
Trip mTrip;
CalendarManager mCalendarManager;
Date meetupTime;


@Before
public void setUp() {


    Activity activity = Robolectric.buildActivity(TestActivity.class).create().get();
    mLocation = (MyLocationView) LayoutInflater.from(activity).inflate(R.layout.v_mylocation, null);
    mTextDelay = (TextView) mLocation.findViewById(R.id.order_statusTracking_txt_myDelay);
}

Answer 1

OK, 1 year later but here is the weird thing that worked for me:

MyCustomView mView = (MyCustomView) LayoutInflater
        .from(RuntimeEnvironment.application)
        .inflate(R.layout.my_custom_view_layout, 
                 new MyCustomView(RuntimeEnvironment.application),
                 true);