Android NumberPicker widget – Part 1

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Freddy Martens

I’m working on an Android application that requires a NumberPicker widget, the widget behind the DatePicker. Luckily, I’m not the only one and QuietlyCoding shows us how to clone and use the NumberPicker widget.

Then I started using the NumberPicker and I found out that not all is working as I would like to see. There are 2 things bugging me:

Entering numbers via the EditText (mText widget) do not stick. The mCurrent variable is not updated.
Variables are entered twice, entering a ‘2’ via the EditText widgets results in ’22’ being displayed.

I’m not sure yet what to do but I think I need to write my own NumberPicker or update the existing one, one that

looks like the real NumberPicker widget.
Behaves like the real NumberPicker (well… partly).
Accepts data from the EditText widget.
Does not use the ‘mDisplayedValues’. (I think this is implemented to support the DatePicker)

This entry was posted in Post Android, User Interfaces and tagged Android, NumberPicker. Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to Android NumberPicker widget – Part 1

Freddy Martens says:

July 15, 2010 at 20:37

I added 2 changes to the NumberPicker to disable manual entry:
1) Added the following lines to ‘OnCreate()’ in NumberPicker.java, just below mText.setRawInputType(InputType.TYPE_CLASS_NUMBER);:
mText.setInputType(0); //See http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=7115 mText.setEnabled(false); // Disable the EditText widget.
2) Updated the setEnabled() member. I replaced mText.setEnabled(enabled) with mText.setEnabled(false)

Both changes make sure that the user cannot enter a value manually, he/she has to use the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ button. My problem with the NumberPicker is that the value is only stored when the user hits enter after manually entering a value. I want the entry to be used without hitting the enter key. Just try it for yourself, enter a value and press ‘+’ or ‘-‘.

Reply
Fran Fitzpatrick says:

September 9, 2010 at 04:27

I’m also running into the problem of the values not sticking when manually editing the EditText field. However, I WANT my users to have the option of doing this.

Have you found out a solution?

In addition the NumberPicker dialog seems to use the displayed values as long as it is set with setRange(int start, int end, String[] dispvalues) or whatever. Let me know if you have any questions.

Reply
- ScottyB says:
  
  March 16, 2011 at 15:04
  
  @Fran Fitzpatrick
  Old post I know – but maybe help for others.
  
  A quick easy win to the ‘edit text not sticking’ problem
  
  When you get the result – don’t call the ‘getCurrent()’ method.
  Interrogate the field directly
  i.e.
  EditText number = (EditText) dialog .findViewById(R.id.timepicker_input);
  int myNewNumber = Integer.parseInt(number.getText() .toString()));
  Hope that helps
  
  Reply
Junzi says:

April 14, 2011 at 12:19

I have tried to add a OnEditorActionListener to the NumberClass, seems it solved the problem for me.

– modify the NumberPicker.java let it extends OnEditorActionListener.
– add **mText.setOnEditorActionListener(this);** to NumberPicker constructor
– implement **onEditorAction**:

@Override
public boolean onEditorAction(TextView v, int actionId, KeyEvent event) {
validateInput(v);
return false;
}

Hope it can be helpful.

Reply
- Freddy Martens says:
  
  May 29, 2011 at 12:27
  
  Great, this is helpfull. Thanks
  
  Reply
CFranko says:

October 31, 2011 at 21:14

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