How to use FirebaseListAdapter with 2 layouts

Question

So I want to make a chat app with the help of the Firebase API but it seems that I can't change between layout for specific items (eg: Sent and received messages). I found a way but it's not efficient and this method is like this: I make 1 layout whit the model for Sent and Received message and after that I wold hide the Sent box if the message is received and hide the Received Box if the Message is sent I use this for my adapter:

mPostAdapterChat = new FirebaseRecyclerAdapter<Chat, ChatViewHolder>(
            Chat.class,
            R.layout.item_layout_chat,
            ChatViewHolder.class,
            mChatRef
    )

So do you guys have some methods how can I use 2 layout and change between them for every item (eg Sent and received message) or do you know another way how can I do it better than using gone/visibile

Answer 1

You can actually do this:

1) In your chat class, identify which type of message it is: send or receive. Add an attribute or create a method like isSent() to check if it's a send message or a receive message. I'll use an isSent() method as an example.

2) Override the method getItemViewType in your recycler view adapter and return an int representing the type (eg 0 for send and 1 for receive)

@Override
    public int getItemViewType(int position) {
        Chat chat = this.getItem(position);
        if(chat.isSent()){
           return 0;
         }else{
           return 1;
         }
    }

To get an item in your RecyclerViewAdapter override getItem:

@Override
public Chat getItem(int pos) {
    return super.getItem(getCount() - 1 - pos);
}

3) In your onCreateViewHolder method you'll have access to the view type so you can simply inflate a different layout depending on the view type.

public RecyclerView.ViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
         switch (viewType) {
             case 0: //inflate and return view holder type 0
             case 1: //inflate and return view holder type 1
         }
    }