starting new activity blank layout is created and shown

Question

I start new activity in android studio auto generated MainActivity.java file, which has Navigation drawer.

@Override
        public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                                 Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            View rootView = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_main, container, false);
            startActivity(new Intent(getActivity(), Dishes.class));

This is my Dishes.java code

public class Dishes extends FragmentActivity {
//private Context context;

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    //context = Dishes.this;

    //fragment main s shown, but no original navigation drawer??
    setContentView(R.layout.fragment_main);

    new getData().execute("..");
}

ActivityMain.xml

<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/drawer_layout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context="com.app.MainActivity">

<FrameLayout
    android:id="@+id/container"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" />

<fragment android:id="@+id/navigation_drawer"
    android:layout_width="@dimen/navigation_drawer_width"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_gravity="start"
    android:name="com.app.NavigationDrawerFragment" />

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

The problem is, that after i start new activity, the new layout is created and shown (i assume) and i cannot access old navigation drawer. How to fix it?

Answer 1

As your MainActivity already has the drawer,
For being able to access the Navigation Drawer:
You need to extend MainActivity (make a base activity with the drawer and all classes would extend that)
In the layout xml, you can make one parent layout which has the drawer and a layout..eg LinearLayout which would be inflated dynamically depending on the layouts of the activities you call.
Refer:
How to add Navigation Drawer to all the activities in the application?
Open Android Navigation Drawer from an activity class
Android Navigation Drawer (calling activities) with AbstractMainActivity

Answer 2

Follow these steps:

1. Make a FragmentActivity/ Activity depending upon the API you are targetting and in the drawer ( where I believe) you have a frame layout (if not then add) as the one which appears on top (i.e. when your app starts) and the drawer (which swipes from the left usually) which can be a list or another layout as per your requirement.
2. In onCreate method of your FragmentActivity, load the tabs which is displayed in your 1st image above in this FrameLayout.
3. Then depending upon the actions performed from the drawer or your tab activity, replace the the current fragment with the desired one in your FrameLayout.

This is the way I use Navigation Drawer and Fragments together. Let me know if its unclear or you need some snippets related to it.