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

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

Output

Getting Started

We can define android ChipGroup widget as below –

A ChipGroup is used to hold multiple chips. By default, chips are arranged in multiple lines. However, we can align it in single line too. Chips can be selected as well. If we want to select only one chip at a time, it is also possible.

Now, how do we use ChipGroup in android application ?

Before we move ahead, we need to setup for viewBinding to access ChipGroup 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 ChipGroup 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">DynamicChipGroup</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"?>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/rootContainer"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="20dp"
    tools:context=".MainActivity">

</LinearLayout>

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

4. Create Android ChipGroup programmatically in Kotlin

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

package com.tutorialwing.dynamicchipgroup

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.view.ViewGroup
import android.widget.LinearLayout
import android.widget.Toast
import com.google.android.material.chip.Chip
import com.google.android.material.chip.ChipGroup
import com.tutorialwing.dynamicchipgroup.databinding.ActivityMainBinding

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

	private lateinit var binding: ActivityMainBinding

	override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

		binding = ActivityMainBinding.inflate(layoutInflater)
		setContentView(binding.root)

		setupChipGroupDynamically()
	}

	private fun setupChipGroupDynamically() {
		val chipGroup = ChipGroup(this)
		chipGroup.layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)
		chipGroup.isSingleSelection = true
		chipGroup.isSingleLine = false

		chipGroup.addView(createChip("India"))
		chipGroup.addView(createChip("Nepal"))
		chipGroup.addView(createChip("USA"))
		chipGroup.addView(createChip("South Africa"))

		binding.rootContainer.addView(chipGroup)
	}

	private fun createChip(label: String): Chip {
		val chip = Chip(this, null, R.style.Widget_MaterialComponents_Chip_Entry)
		chip.layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)

		chip.text = label
		chip.isCloseIconVisible = true
		chip.isChipIconVisible = true
		chip.isCheckable = true
		chip.isClickable = true
		chip.setOnCloseIconClickListener {
			Toast.makeText(this, "Chip deleted successfully", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
		}
		return chip
	}
}

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

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

Set Id of ChipGroup

Follow steps below to set id of ChipGroup 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="chipGroup_ID" />
  </resources>
  

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

  chipGroup.id = R.id.chipGroup_ID  // ChipGroup
  

  Here, we have set id of ChipGroup using property access syntax – chipGroup.id

Learn to Set ID of ChipGroup Using XML Attribute

Set Width and Height of ChipGroup

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

chipGroup.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 ChipGroup 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 ChipGroup Using XML Attribute

Set Padding of ChipGroup

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

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

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

Learn to Set Padding of ChipGroup Using XML Attribute

Set Margin of ChipGroup

Follow steps below to set margin of ChipGroup 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 ChipGroup 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)
  chipGroup.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 ChipGroup.

Learn to Set Margin of ChipGroup Using XML Attribute

Set Background of ChipGroup

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

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

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

Learn to Set Background of ChipGroup Using XML Attribute

Set Visibility of ChipGroup

We can set visibility of ChipGroup programmatically as –

chipGroup.visibility = View.VISIBLE

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

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