Cannot set the toolbar in android

Question

i am trying to add a custom tool bar

this is my toolbar.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
android:id="@+id/toolbar"
app:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"
app:subtitleTextColor="@color/sub_text_color"
app:navigationContentDescription="@string/abc_action_bar_up_description"
android:background="@color/sub_text_color"
app:navigationIcon="?attr/homeAsUpIndicator"
/>

this is my style

   <!-- Base application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
    <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
    <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
    <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
    <item name="colorAccent">@color/colorAccent</item>
</style>

i have included it in my activity main

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="com.example.myproj.activities.RegisterActivity">

<include layout="@layout/toolbar"/>

in my main activity class i called

 @Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_register);

    toolbar = findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
    setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
    toolbar.setTitle(R.string.create_account);
}

but still i am not able to see the toolbar in my class. Can some one help me to figure out the error

Answer 1

Quite a number of things could be responsible for this.

Firstly, It is possible that the views placed after the custom toolbar are overlayed on it, hence blocking it from view. Remenber that you are using RelativeLayout as your root element. So you'll want to ensure that views after the toolbar have android:layout_below="@+id/toolbar" attribute.

Secondly, I'll advice you to use a coordinator layout as your rootview and wrap your custom toolbar in AppBarLayout view. So that your layout file resembles this:

<android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context="ng.shoppi.lafarge_app.MainActivity">

<android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme.AppBarOverlay">

    <android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
        android:id="@+id/toolbar"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
        android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
        app:popupTheme="@style/AppTheme.PopupOverlay" />

</android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

<include
    android:id="@+id/content_main"
    layout="@layout/content_main" />

This will keep the toolbar at the top and ensure other views are below the toolbar. Goodluck.