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

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

Output

Tutorialwing Android Space Output

Getting Started

We can define android Space View widget as below –

Android Space is lightweight View subclass that are used to create gaps between different components in any android application.

Now, how do we use Space View in android application ?

Before we move ahead, we need to setup for viewBinding to access Space View 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 Space View 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">SpaceView</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
    android:id="@+id/rootContainer"
    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>

Note that LinearLayout has id rootContainer. In Kotlin file, we will create Space View Dynamically and add it into this LinearLayout having id rootContainer.

4. Create Android Space View programmatically in Kotlin

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

package com.tutorialwing.dynamicspaceview

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.view.Gravity
import android.view.Gravity.CENTER
import android.view.View
import android.view.ViewGroup
import android.widget.LinearLayout
import android.widget.Space
import android.widget.TextView
import com.google.android.material.switchmaterial.SwitchMaterial
import com.tutorialwing.dynamicspaceview.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)

		addTextView("Line 1, notice the SPACE below it")
		addSpaceView()
		addTextView("Line 2, notice the SPACE above it")
	}

	private fun addTextView(text: String) {
		// Create TextView programmatically.
		val tv = TextView(this)
		val layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)
		layoutParams.gravity = CENTER
		layoutParams.setMargins(30, 30, 30, 30)
		tv.layoutParams = layoutParams
		tv.text = text
		tv.setBackgroundColor(resources.getColor(android.R.color.holo_blue_light))

		// Add TextView to LinearLayout
		binding.rootContainer.addView(tv)
	}

	private fun addSpaceView() {
		// Create Space programmatically.
		val tv = Space(this)
		val layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
			40
		)
		tv.layoutParams = layoutParams

		// Add Space to LinearLayout
		binding.rootContainer.addView(tv)
	}
}

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

Tutorialwing Android Space Output

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

Set Id of Space View

Follow steps below to set id of Space View 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="spaceView_ID" />
  </resources>
  

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

  spaceViewID.id = R.id.spaceView_ID  // Space View
  

  Here, we have set id of Space View using property access syntax – spaceViewID.id

Learn to Set ID of Space View Using XML Attribute

Set Width and Height of Space View

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

spaceViewID.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 Space View 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 Space View Using XML Attribute

Set Padding of Space View

Follow steps below to set padding of Space View 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 Space View dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

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

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

Learn to Set Padding of Space View Using XML Attribute

Set Margin of Space View

Follow steps below to set margin of Space View 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 Space View 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)
  spaceViewID.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 Space View.

Learn to Set Margin of Space View Using XML Attribute

Set Background of Space View

Follow steps below to set background of Space View 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 Space View dynamically, in MainActivity.kt file, as –

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

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

Learn to Set Background of Space View Using XML Attribute

Set Visibility of Space View

We can set visibility of Space View programmatically as –

spaceViewID.visibility = View.VISIBLE

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

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