How to Make setBackgroundColor Work on All Android Versions in a Button

Discover how to effectively use `setBackgroundColor` on Android buttons across all versions. Learn the right approach to enhance your app's UI now!
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Ensuring Consistent Button Background Colors Across Android Versions

When developing an Android application, one common hurdle developers face is ensuring that UI elements like buttons behave consistently across different Android versions. A situation arose recently where a developer was able to successfully set the background color of a button in a ClickListener for an Android version 4.4 but found that it didn’t work on Android 9. The issue at hand is related to the setBackgroundColor method and how it interacts with themes and styles across various versions of Android.

The Problem

In the aforementioned case, the developer attempted to set the background color of two buttons when they were clicked. Here’s a brief look at the relevant code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While this works on earlier versions of Android, it may not yield the desired effect on newer versions due to the way the Material Design components are applied. Apps utilizing Theme.MaterialComponents instead of standard themes must adapt how they handle UI element customization.

The Solution

To achieve consistent background coloring across all Android versions, a change in approach is necessary. Instead of using setBackgroundColor, you need to utilize setBackgroundTintList. Here's how:

Step 1: Import Required Package

Make sure to import the necessary package:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Modify Your Button Click Listener

Replace the setBackgroundColor method with setBackgroundTintList in your ClickListener. Below is a modified version of your code that applies this solution:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Update Your Color Resources

Explanation of setBackgroundTintList

Compatibility: The setBackgroundTintList method is designed to work with Material Design components, ensuring that UI elements adapt appropriately based on Android version.

Flexibility: This method allows you to use color state lists, which means you can define different colors for different states (e.g., pressed, focused).

Version Support: By using Theme.MaterialComponents.*, your app will automatically use the MaterialButton runtime, which supports these methods effectively in APIs greater than 14.

Conclusion

By switching to setBackgroundTintList, you can ensure that the button's background color changes consistently across all Android versions. This enhances the user experience and maintains visual integrity in your app.

Implement this approach in your projects and say goodbye to inconsistencies across Android versions! If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.