Programmatically setting TextView background

Question

I've defined a background for my TextView:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape= "rectangle"  >
    <solid android:color="#000"/>
    <stroke android:width="1dp"  android:color="#ff9"/>
</shape>

Now I'm trying to set it to my TextView programmatically:

textview.setBackground((Drawable)findViewById(R.drawable.cellborder));

This isn't working though, it's telling me it can't cast a View as a Drawable. Is there another way to do this?

Have you tried setBackgroundDrawable()? – GuilhE Aug 30 '15 at 20:20 — GuilhE, Aug 30 '15 at 20:20

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 27 '20 at 20:14

5

If you want backwards compatibility then use the following:

textView.setBackground(ContextCompat.getDrawable(MainActivity.this, R.drawable.cellborder));

Replace MainActivity.this with the name of the activity from where are you calling these methods.

If you call textView.setBackground(...) from Pijamas activity then do the following:

textView.setBackground(ContextCompat.getDrawable(Pijamas.this, R.drawable.cellborder));

edited Jul 27 '20 at 20:14

Gourav

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answered Aug 30 '15 at 20:50

Tudor

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--- the best way ----- – Noor Hossain Nov 25 '20 at 22:27

ci_ · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-08T13:27:39.877

3

You have to use

getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.cellborder);

which will return a Drawable.

If you use findViewById() it will try to find a View in the View Hierarchy and return that. A View is not a Drawable, so you can't cast it.

edited Sep 08 '15 at 13:27

answered Aug 30 '15 at 20:21

ci_

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score 2 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:52

2

try to set drawable like this

textview.setBackgroundDrawable( getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.cellborder) );

visit for more help. set background drawable programmatically in Android

edited May 23 '17 at 11:52

Community

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answered Aug 30 '15 at 20:19

Mohammad Tauqir

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This method is deprecated. use instead `tv.setBackground(ContextCompat.getDrawable(QuestionActivity.this, R.drawable.bg_shadow));` – Dharmishtha Jan 26 '21 at 12:39

Programmatically setting TextView background

3 Answers3