What is difference between Dialog.setContentView( View ) & AlertDialog.setView( View )

Question

I'm working on creating a custom dialog to get input from the user. I've noticed that when I use an AlertDialog I can add widgets such as an EditText to the AlertDialog using setView() method. I'm looking into customizing AlertDialog and noticed that Dialog has a method setContentView(). In the subclass of AlertDialog I could use either setContentView() or setView().

One difference I've noticed is when I use setView() on an AlertDialog, I can see Positive & Negative buttons. In my subclass of AlertDialog, using setContentView() I don't get the Positive & Negative buttons.

Can anyone explain other differences?

Thanks.

Actually you can. Since AlertDialog is a subclass of Dialog, AlertDialog inherits all of Dialog's methods including Dialog.setContentView() — kralvarado, May 24 '11 at 06:20
I have tried it you'll get this error The method setContentView(int) is undefined for the type AlertDialog.Builder :) — Jaydeep Khamar, May 24 '11 at 06:37
You can use it with `AlertDialog` but not with `AlertDialog.Builder`. — Czechnology, Jan 22 '13 at 16:50

Maggie · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-05T07:32:08.827

31

If I undesrstood it correctly, setContentView inflates the entire Dialog window with your custom layout. Title, icon, buttons... nothing remains. setView on the other hand sets the layout of the view between the buttons and the title.

See image

edited Apr 05 '13 at 07:32

answered Nov 08 '11 at 12:35

Maggie

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I assume you meant setContentView ? – Mugen Apr 04 '13 at 16:28

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 21 '17 at 08:01

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setContentView is AlertDialog' father class method, it means all the dialog windows, and setView is AlertController method, in AlertDialog windows view, there are topPanel，contentPanel，buttonPanel.setView only set customView to contentpanel.

answered Aug 21 '17 at 08:01

kuiper

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 28 '14 at 08:11

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BTW you can also call the AlertDialogs setView method, which seems to also remove the extra "spacing" around the view.

void setView(View view, int viewSpacingLeft, int viewSpacingTop, int viewSpacingRight, int viewSpacingBottom)

like this.

alertDialog.setView(myView,0,0,0,0);

answered Jan 28 '14 at 08:11

guyland123

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i have read the same in the Android Reference, but it does not seem to work for me; it would only recognize setView(myview); Do you know how to make it use setView(View view, int viewSpacingLeft, int viewSpacingTop, int viewSpacingRight, int viewSpacingBottom); ?? – iversoncru Feb 23 '15 at 08:59

What is difference between Dialog.setContentView( View ) & AlertDialog.setView( View )

3 Answers3

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