Custom tab indicator view

Question

I want to reproduce this tab indicator structure (screen is from nova launcher): a dropdown menu and an arrow in the right bottom corner.

I have no problem about code but i can't reproduce this appearance. I tried this:

mBar.addTab(mBar.newTab().setText(ctx.getString(R.string.tab_actions)).setTabListener(this).setCustomView(R.layout.navigation_spinner));

where mBar is sherlock support actionBar.

This is my layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" android:layout_margin="-10dp"
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical">
    <Button android:id="@+id/button1" android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent" android:text="Button" />

</LinearLayout>

and this is my result:

The problem is that the button in the central tab doesn't fill the tab indicator. How can i set a custom view that perfectly fill the indicator without margin or padding? Or i have to approach this in a different way to have the a result like the firs screen? Thanks in advice

Answer 1

What you are trying to do is really complicated, and will be hard to achieve.

If you want drop down menus you can try those :

menu/options.xml:

<item
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_menu_sort"
    android:showAsAction="ifRoom">
    <menu>
        <item
            android:id="@+id/menuSortNewest"
            android:title="Sort by newest" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/menuSortRating"
            android:title="Sort by rating" />
    </menu>
</item>

Second option:

menu/options.xml:

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item
        android:id="@+id/menuSort"
        android:showAsAction="ifRoom"
        android:actionLayout="@layout/action_sort"  />
</menu>

layout/action_sort.xml:

<Spinner xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="@drawable/ic_menu_refresh"
    android:entries="@array/order" />

Docs for menu resources - http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/menu-resource.html