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

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

Output

Tutorialwing Kotlin Dynamic ScrollView Output

Getting Started

We can define android ScrollView widget as below –

ScrollView is a widget that are used to define vertically scrollable views. It can have only one direct child. So, if you need multiple child views, create a viewGroup as direct child of scrollView. Then, define all the views inside this viewGroup.

Now, how do we use ScrollView in android application ?

Before we move ahead, we need to setup for viewBinding to access ScrollView 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 ScrollView programmatically in kotlin. Please follow the steps below.

3. Download Drawable Resources Needed

You will need some images, stored in res/drawable folder, that will be used in the application. These drawable images will be used by child views of scrollView to create different views.

2. Modify Values Folder

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

<resources>
    <string name="app_name">DynamicScrollView</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 ScrollView Dynamically and add it into this LinearLayout having id rootContainer.

4. Create Android ScrollView programmatically in Kotlin

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

package com.tutorialwing.dynamicscrollview

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.view.Gravity
import android.view.ViewGroup
import android.widget.ImageView
import android.widget.LinearLayout
import android.widget.ScrollView
import com.tutorialwing.dynamicscrollview.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)

		addScrollView()
	}

	private fun addScrollView() {
		val scrollView = ScrollView(this)
		val layoutParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT
		)
		scrollView.layoutParams = layoutParams

		val linearLayout = createLinearLayout()
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.guava))
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.jackfruit))
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.mix_fruit))
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.pomegranate))
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.strawberry))
		linearLayout.addView(createImageView(R.drawable.zespri_kiwi))

		scrollView.addView(linearLayout)
		binding.rootContainer.addView(scrollView)
	}

	private fun createLinearLayout(): LinearLayout {
		val linearLayout = LinearLayout(this)
		val linearParams = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)
		linearLayout.orientation = LinearLayout.VERTICAL
		linearLayout.layoutParams = linearParams
		return linearLayout
	}

	private fun createImageView(imgSrc: Int): ImageView {
		val imageView = ImageView(this)
		val params = LinearLayout.LayoutParams(
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT,
			ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
		)
		params.setMargins(20, 20, 20, 20)
		params.gravity = Gravity.CENTER
		imageView.layoutParams = params
		imageView.setImageResource(imgSrc)
		return imageView
	}
}

We have defined scrollView programmatically in kotlin file (i.e. in MainActivity.kt file). Then, we have set layout params etc. in it. After that, we have created a linearLayout and added it as direct child of scrollView. Then, we have created 6 imageViews as added it as direct child of linearLayout. Then, we have added scrollView into linearLayout, having id rootContainer.

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

Tutorialwing Kotlin Dynamic ScrollView Output

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

Set Id of ScrollView

Follow steps below to set id of ScrollView 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="scrollView_ID" />
  </resources>
  

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

  scrollView.id = R.id.scrollView_ID  // ScrollView
  

  Here, we have set id of ScrollView using property access syntax – scrollView.id

Learn to Set ID of ScrollView Using XML Attribute

Set Width and Height of ScrollView

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

scrollView.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 ScrollView 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 ScrollView Using XML Attribute

Set Padding of ScrollView

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

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

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

Learn to Set Padding of ScrollView Using XML Attribute

Set Margin of ScrollView

Follow steps below to set margin of ScrollView 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 ScrollView 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)
  scrollView.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 ScrollView.

Learn to Set Margin of ScrollView Using XML Attribute

Set Background of ScrollView

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

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

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

Learn to Set Background of ScrollView Using XML Attribute

Set Visibility of ScrollView

We can set visibility of ScrollView programmatically as –

scrollView.visibility = View.VISIBLE

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

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