In this article, we will learn how to create android ProgressBar programmatically in Kotlin. We will go through various steps that explains how to create ProgressBar and add it in kotlin file, use different attributes to customise it etc. in any android application. For example, how to set text in ProgressBar programmatically, how to set id of ProgressBar, how to capitalise text of ProgressBar dynamically etc. We will get answer to all such questions in this post.

Learn to use Different Attributes of ProgressBar in XML File to Customize it.

Output

Tutorialwing Android Dynamic ProgressBar Output

Getting Started

We can define android ProgressBar widget as below –

Android progressBar widget is an user interface that indicates the progress of an operation.

Now, how do we use ProgressBar in android application ?

Before we move ahead, we need to setup for viewBinding to access ProgressBar in Kotlin file without using findViewById() method.

Setup ViewBinding

Add viewBinding true in app/build.gradle file.

 
 android { 
 	// OTHER CODE... 
 	buildFeatures { 
 		viewBinding true 
 	} 
 } 
 

Now, set content in activity using view binding.
Open MainActivity.kt file and write below code in it.

 
 class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() { 
 	
 	private lateinit var binding: ActivityMainBinding 
 	
 	override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) { 
 		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState) 
 		binding = ActivityMainBinding.inflate(layoutInflater) 
 		val view = binding.root 
 		setContentView(view) 
 	} 
 } 
 

Now, we can access view in Kotlin file without using findViewById() method.

Since we have a new project, we will modify the xml and class file to use ProgressBar programmatically in kotlin. Please follow the steps below.

2. Modify Values Folder

Open res/values/strings.xml file. Add below code into it.

<resources>
    <string name="app_name">DynamicProgressBar</string>
</resources>

Other values folders have not been changed. So, we are not going to mention it here.

3. Modify Layout Folder

Open res/layout/activity_main.xml file. Add below code into it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:gravity="center"
    android:orientation="vertical">

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/rootContainer"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="vertical">

    </LinearLayout>

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button_ID"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="HIDE PROGRESSBAR"/>

</LinearLayout>

In activity_main.xml file, we have defined a linearLayout, with id rootContainer, that will act as container for the progressBar created dynamically in the application. We have also defined a button that will cause the progressBar to show/hide whenever it is clicked.

4. Create Android ProgressBar programmatically in Kotlin

Open src/main/java/com.tutorialwing.dynamicprogressbar/MainActivity.kt file. Then, add below code into it.

package com.tutorialwing.dynamicprogressbar

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.view.View
import android.view.ViewGroup
import android.widget.LinearLayout
import android.widget.ProgressBar
import com.tutorialwing.dynamicprogressbar.databinding.ActivityMainBinding

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

	private lateinit var binding: ActivityMainBinding

	override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
		binding = ActivityMainBinding.inflate(layoutInflater)
		val view = binding.root
		setContentView(view)

		addProgressBar()
	}

	private fun addProgressBar() {
		// Create progressBar dynamically...
		val progressBar = ProgressBar(this)
		progressBar.layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)

		// Add ProgressBar to LinearLayout
		binding.rootContainer.addView(progressBar)

		binding.buttonID.setOnClickListener {
			val visibility = if (progressBar.visibility == View.GONE) View.VISIBLE else View.GONE
			progressBar.visibility = visibility

			val btnText =
				if (progressBar.visibility == View.GONE) "SHOW PROGRESSBAR" else "HIDE PROGRESSBAR"
			binding.buttonID.text = btnText
		}
	}
}

Here, we have created a progressBar programmatically in kotlin file (in MainActivity.kt file). After that, we have added this widget into linearLayout. Then, we have set a click listener to show/hide progressBar added in linearLayout.

Finally, when you run the application, you will get output as shown above.

Tutorialwing Android Dynamic ProgressBar Output

Now, Let’s check how to use different attributes of ProgressBar to customize it dynamically –

Set Id of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set id of ProgressBar programmatically –

• Create ids.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code into it –

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <resources>
      <item type="id" name="progressBar_ID" />
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set id of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  progressBar.id = R.id.progressBar_ID  // ProgressBar
  

  Here, we have set id of ProgressBar using property access syntax – progressBar.id

Learn to Set ID of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Width and Height of ProgressBar

We use layoutParams to set width and height of any View programmatically. In this article, we have added ProgressBar in LinearLayout. So, we will define LayoutParams as below –

progressBar.layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
	ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
	ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
)

Here, we have set width and height as WRAP_CONTENT. Some of possible values for width and height are –

• WRAP_CONTENT: Sets value of width or height depending on text inside it.
• MATCH_PARENT: Sets value of width of height depending on width or height of parent layout . i.e. width or height of ProgressBar will be same as width or height of parent layout.
• Fixed Value: Sets width or height as per value provided.

Learn to Set Width or Height of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Padding of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set padding of ProgressBar Dynamically –

• If there is no dimens.xml file, create dimens.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code in it –

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <resources>
      <dimen name="text_padding">16dp</dimen>
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set padding of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  val padding = resources.getDimension(R.dimen.text_padding).toInt()
  progressBar.setPadding(padding, padding, padding, padding)
  

  Here, we have accessed dimension defined in dimens.xml using getDimension() method. Then, set padding of ProgressBar using setPadding() method.

Learn to Set Padding of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Margin of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set margin of ProgressBar Dynamically –

• If there is no dimens.xml file, create dimens.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code in it –

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <resources>
      <dimen name="text_margin">16dp</dimen>
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set margin of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  val margin = resources.getDimension(R.dimen.text_margin).toInt()
  val layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
  	ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
  	ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
  )
  layoutParams.setMargins(margin, margin, margin, margin)
  progressBar.layoutParams = layoutParams
  

  Here, we have accessed dimension defined in dimens.xml using getDimension() method. Then, we have defined layoutParams, set margin to layoutParams. After that, set layoutParams to ProgressBar.

Learn to Set Margin of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Background of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set background of ProgressBar programmatically –

• If there is no colors.xml file, create colors.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code in it –

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <resources>
      <color name="purple_200">#FFBB86FC</color>
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set background of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  val color = ContextCompat.getColor(this, R.color.purple_200)
  progressBar.setBackgroundColor(color)
  

  Here, we used setBackgroundColor() method to set background color in progressBar.

Learn to Set Background of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Visibility of ProgressBar

We can set visibility of ProgressBar programmatically as –

progressBar.visibility = View.VISIBLE

Here, we have set visibility of ProgressBar using progressBar.visibility attribute. Visibility can be of three types – gone, visible and invisible.
Learn to Set Visibility of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Text of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set text of ProgressBar programmatically –

• If there is no strings.xml file, create strings.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code in it –

  <resources>
      <string name="click_on_me">Click on me</string>
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set text of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  progressBar.text = getString(R.string.click_on_me)
  

  Here, we used progressBar.text to set text in progressBar.

Learn to Set Text of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Color of Text of ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set color of text of ProgressBar programmatically in Kotlin –

• If there is no colors.xml file, create colors.xml file in res/values folder. Then, add below code in it –

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <resources>
      <color name="black">#FF000000</color>
  </resources>
  

• Now, we can set color of text of ProgressBar dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

  val textColor = ContextCompat.getColor(this, R.color.black)
  progressBar.setTextColor(textColor)
  

  Here, we used setTextColor() method to set color of ProgressBar of progressBar.

Learn to Set Color of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Gravity of ProgressBar

We can set gravity of text of ProgressBar programmatically in Kotlin as –

progressBar.gravity = Gravity.CENTER

Here, we have set gravity of ProgressBar as center. So, all the text of ProgressBar will be center aligned.
We can also apply multiple gravity values as –

progressBar.gravity = Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL or Gravity.BOTTOM

Here, we have applied multiple gravity values, in Kotlin, to ProgressBar. In above case, text will be aligned as horizontally centered to bottom.
Learn to Set Margin of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Text in Uppercase or Lowercase

Follow steps below to set text in uppercase or lowercase programmatically as –

• Set Text in Uppercase

  We use progressBar.isAllCaps attributes to set text in uppercase or normal. If it is true, text will be set in uppercase.

  progressBar.text = "Hello Tutorialwing"
  progressBar.isAllCaps = true
  

  In Above case, “Hello Tutorialwing” will be set in Uppercase to ProgressBar. So, text will be “HELLO TUTORIALWING”.

• By default, isAllCaps is false. So, whatever is written, text will be set as it is. For example,

  progressBar.text = "Hello Tutorialwing"
  progressBar.isAllCaps = false. // By default it is false. Written here for example.
  

  Above code will set text, “Hello Tutorialwing”, to ProgressBar without changing it to Uppercase.

  Actually, if isAllCaps is false, text is set as it is. It neither changes to uppercase nor lowercase.

  How do we set text in lowercase?

  Answer –

  • In xml file – write all the text in lowercase.
  • In kotlin file – take text as string. Then, convert it in lowercase. Then, set it to progressBar.

Learn to Set Text in Uppercase or Lowercase Using XML Attribute

Set Size of Text in ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set size of ProgressBar programmatically using progressBar.textSize attribute –

• Open res/values/dimens.xml file. Then, add below font-size in it –

  <dimen name="text_size">16sp</dimen>
  

• Now, using progressBar.textSize attribute, we can set size of text dynamically as –

  progressBar.textSize = resources.getDimension(R.dimen.text_margin)
  

Learn to Set Size of Text in ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Style (Bold/italic) of Text in ProgressBar

We can set textStyle of ProgressBar programmatically as –

progressBar.typeface = Typeface.DEFAULT_BOLD;

In above case, we have set textStyle as bold. So, text of ProgressBar will be displayed as bold letters.

If we want to preserve previous textStyle too, we can do it as –

progressBar.setTypeface(progressBar.typeface, Typeface.BOLD);

Learn to Set Typeface of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

Set Letter Spacing of Text in ProgressBar

Follow steps below to set letter spacing of ProgressBar programmatically –

• Open res/values/dimens.xml file. Then, add below dimension in it –

  <dimen name="text_letter_spacing">1dp</dimen>
  

• We use progressBar.letterSpacing attribute to set letter spacing of ProgressBar as below –

  progressBar.letterSpacing = resources.getDimension(R.dimen.text_letter_spacing)
  

Learn to Set Letter Spacing of ProgressBar Using XML Attribute

That’s end of tutorial on ProgressBar Programmatically in Kotlin With Example.