Select target API in the Android Studio layout design preview

Question

My application targets API 17 but the min Sdk version is the 8. In the layout design preview page I can se how my layout appears on an API 17 version, but if I click on the API selector drop down menu, I can't choose any other API level. Obviousely I can run my application in a 2.3 Android version and on a real device I can see the result, but is there a way to test in also in the design preview page?

My manifest snippet:

    <uses-sdk
    android:minSdkVersion="8"
    android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

Answer 1

UPDATE

Actually I found out what the problem was: when you install Android Studio, by default it uses its own Android SDK (located in the Android Studio.app/sdk folder), instead of the ones you downloaded (for example to use with Eclipse).

So I simply had a misalignement between the SDK I thought I was using and the ones I was actually using. To solve this you have 2 options:

-from Android Studio select File -> Project Structure. Under "platform settings" you can add your (updated) downloaded SDK folder and use it for your projects.

-open the Android Studio SDK manager and install also the older android versions SDKs