Android Eclipse editText not displaying after setText on local instance

Question

I call on a few EditTexts via "instanceOf" because I don't necessarily know the exact names / ids of them. When I do this to get the text, it works just fine. But when I try to setText() based on the local instanceOf EditText, it won't display the string I am passing it. Oddly enough, when I setText and then Log the getText, it logs it correctly -- it just won't physically display it.

I also tested setting the visibility to View.INVISIBLE or View.GONE just to see if i can interact with it at all, and it doesn't do anything.

Here is the code snippet that sets the text then logs it:

    LinearLayout mLayout = (LinearLayout) main_fields_holder.getChildAt(0);
         LinearLayout mLayout2 = (LinearLayout) mLayout.getChildAt(0);
         LinearLayout mLayout3 = (LinearLayout) mLayout2.getChildAt(1);
for(int i = 0; i < mLayout3.getChildCount(); i++){
                    View v = (View) mLayout3.getChildAt(i);
                    if (v instanceof EditText){
                        EditText e = (EditText) v;
                        e.setText("HELLO");

                        Log.v("USER TEXT", "Text is: " + e.getText().toString() + "!");

                        ;

                    }
} 

I should also mention that I do the same instanceOf method with button text and it won't display my setText either.

Is there some reason that a local instance of an editText (or button) cannot be manipulated?

By the way, the line Log.v("USER TEXT", "Text is: " + e.getText().toString() + "!"); DOES give me "HELLO!". I'm not even sure what that means for my problem.

The main layout file is:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <LinearLayout    
        xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:orientation="vertical" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" 
        android:background="#fff"
        xmlns:android1="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">


    <ScrollView android:id="@+id/scrollView1" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
      <LinearLayout 
        android:orientation="vertical" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" android1:focusable="false">

       <LinearLayout android:id="@+id/item_edit_linear" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:background="@drawable/backrepeat"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        >
            <TextView android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/add_item_text" android:text="Add New Item" android:textStyle="bold" android:paddingLeft="15dip" android1:paddingTop="8dip" android1:textSize="12pt" android1:textColor="@color/blue"></TextView>
        </LinearLayout>
       <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:orientation="vertical" android1:paddingLeft="15dip" android1:background="@drawable/borderlines" android1:paddingBottom="15dip" android1:paddingTop="10dip" android1:id="@+id/spinner_holder_layout">
           <TextView android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:paddingTop="5dip" android1:text="Item Name:" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:paddingBottom="5dip"></TextView>
           <EditText android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="290dip" android1:id="@+id/edit_item_title">
               <requestFocus></requestFocus>
           </EditText>
           <TextView android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:paddingTop="5dip" android1:id="@+id/textView9" android1:text="Select Category:" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:paddingBottom="5dip"></TextView>
           <Spinner android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:prompt="@string/edit_item_category_spinner_text" android1:id="@+id/edit_item_category_spinner" android1:entries="@array/categoryList" android1:paddingBottom="10dip"></Spinner>
           <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:orientation="vertical" android1:id="@+id/item_spinner_layout" android1:visibility="gone">
               <TextView android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:paddingTop="5dip" android1:id="@+id/textView10" android1:text="Select Item" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:paddingBottom="5dip"></TextView>
               <Spinner android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:prompt="@string/edit_item_item_spinner_text" android1:paddingBottom="10dip" android1:id="@+id/edit_item_spinner"></Spinner>
           </LinearLayout>
       </LinearLayout>
       <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:orientation="vertical" android1:id="@+id/editItemFields">

       </LinearLayout>
       <LinearLayout android1:layout_marginLeft="15dip" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:id="@+id/date_time_container" android1:visibility="gone">
           <LinearLayout android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/linearLayout7" android1:orientation="vertical">
               <TextView android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/dep_date_text" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip" android1:text="Departure Date:" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip"></TextView>
               <TextView android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/dep_time_text" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip" android1:text="Depature Time:" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip"></TextView>
               <TextView android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/arr_date_text" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip" android1:text="Arrival Date:" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip"></TextView>
               <TextView android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/arr_time_text" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip" android1:text="Arrival Time:" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip"></TextView>
           </LinearLayout>
           <LinearLayout android1:layout_marginLeft="5dip" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/linearLayout8" android1:orientation="vertical">
               <Button android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/departure_date" android1:minWidth="125dip" android1:text="Button"></Button>
               <Button android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/departure_time" android1:minWidth="125dip" android1:text="Button"></Button>
               <Button android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/arrival_date" android1:minWidth="125dip" android1:text="Button"></Button>
               <Button android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/arrival_time" android1:minWidth="125dip" android1:text="Button"></Button>
           </LinearLayout>
       </LinearLayout>

        <LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/editItemLinearLayout" 
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:orientation="vertical" android1:paddingLeft="15dip" android1:visibility="gone">
        <TextView android:text="Cost" android:id="@+id/textView1" 
            android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </TextView>
        <EditText android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_cost">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:text="Contact Phone" android:id="@+id/textView2" 
            android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </TextView>
        <EditText android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_phone">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:text="Carrier" android:id="@+id/textView3" 
            android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </TextView>
        <EditText android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_carrier">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:text="Names" android:id="@+id/textView4" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content"></TextView>
        <EditText android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_names">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:text="Departure Location" android:id="@+id/textView5" 
            android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </TextView>
        <EditText  android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_departure_location">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:text="Arrival Location" android:id="@+id/textView6" 
            android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </TextView>
        <EditText android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/edit_item_arrival_location">
        </EditText>
        <TextView android:id="@+id/textView7" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:text="Date"></TextView>
        <Button android:text="Button" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/edit_item_reminder_date"></Button>
        <TextView android:id="@+id/textView8" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:text="Time"></TextView>
        <Button android:text="Button" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/edit_item_reminder_time"></Button>
        </LinearLayout>
        <RelativeLayout android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:layout_marginTop="50dip" 
        android1:id="@+id/relativeLayout1" android1:layout_height="fill_parent">
            <Button android1:id="@+id/edit_item_confirm" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:background="@drawable/savebutton" android1:layout_alignParentBottom="true"></Button>
            <Button android1:width="159dip" android1:background="@drawable/cancelbutton" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:id="@+id/item_creation_cancel" android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_alignParentRight="true" android1:layout_alignParentBottom="true"></Button>
        </RelativeLayout>

        </LinearLayout>

    </ScrollView>

    </LinearLayout>

Through code, I inflate the editItemFields Layout with the following:

<LinearLayout android1:paddingLeft="15dip" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" 
android1:background="@color/white" android1:id="@+id/flight_edit_container" 
android1:orientation="vertical" android1:layout_height="fill_parent" 
xmlns:android1="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android1:paddingTop="10dip">
    <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="wrap_content" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:id="@+id/linearLayout6">
        <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="fill_parent" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:id="@+id/linearLayout7" android1:orientation="vertical">
            <TextView android1:id="@+id/TextView02" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip" android1:text="Airline:"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Flight #:" android1:id="@+id/TextView05" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Gate:" android1:id="@+id/TextView04" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_width="100dip" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:id="@+id/TextView09" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:text="Departure Location:" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Departure Airport:" android1:id="@+id/TextView14" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="10dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Confirmation #:" android1:id="@+id/TextView12" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:gravity="right|center" android1:text="Destination:" android1:id="@+id/TextView08" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Arrival Airport:" android1:id="@+id/TextView15" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Cost:" android1:id="@+id/TextView09" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Class:" android1:id="@+id/TextView08" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Seat:" android1:id="@+id/TextView11" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Travelers:" android1:id="@+id/TextView12" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
            <TextView android1:text="Memo:" android1:id="@+id/TextView13" android1:textColor="@color/gray" android1:layout_width="fill_parent" android1:gravity="right|center" android1:layout_height="36dip" android1:layout_marginBottom="9dip"></TextView>
        </LinearLayout>
        <LinearLayout android1:layout_height="fill_parent" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:id="@+id/linearLayout8" android1:orientation="vertical" android1:layout_marginLeft="5dip">
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_airline"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_number" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_gate" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_deplocation" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_depairport" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_confirmation" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_destination"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_arrairport">
            </EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_cost"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_class"></EditText>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:layout_height="45dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_seat"></EditText>
            <Button android1:text="Button" android1:minWidth="125dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_travelers" android1:layout_width="wrap_content" android1:layout_height="45dip"></Button>
            <EditText android1:layout_width="190dip" android1:id="@+id/flight_memo" android1:layout_height="45dip"></EditText>
        </LinearLayout>
    </LinearLayout>
           </LinearLayout>

I basically drill down into the layouts until i am at the linear layout that holds my editTexts.

Finally, here is the code snippets that inflate the layout:

main_fields_holder = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.editItemFields);
view = LayoutInflater.from(getBaseContext()).inflate(R.layout.flight_fields,
                        null);
                 main_fields_holder.addView(view);

UPDATE: Just to test, I added this line to see if i can hard reference it by id:

EditText a = ((EditText)findViewById(R.id.flight_airline));
            a.setText("HELLO");

And it STILL won't show up. Could the fact that I inflate the layout that holds these items have anything to do with it? Basically when a spinner item is selected, a layout is inflated and I try to set the Text of the items in that layout, but to no avail. Btw, I can also still trace out the value of the EditText after setting it, but the bugger just won't physically show up.

Answer 1

FYI I figured this out. For whatever reason, the app needed a moment to go through all of the functions that grab the information and set them, so I added a post handler:

handler.postDelayed(new Runnable() { public void run() { populateFields(item); } }, 500);

This 1/2 second wait allowed the information to be displayed properly. Thanks for everyone's answers

Answer 2

There seem to be very subtle but important differences when retrieving Views with findViewById().

If you call findViewById(R.id.yourEditText) "natively" e.g. in a top-level-line of the onResume() Method, the EditText seems to behave correctly, setText(...) shows the new Value in the display.

But if you put the Activity into a member variable of another Object (e.g. some POJO), and you do this:

editText = pojo.getActivity().findViewById(R.id.EditText);

you still will find the right an indistinguishable EditText-Object, but setText() doesn't work anymore. I don't know why.

I spent a lot of hours to find this (API Level 7-Project). Huuuh!!!

---

(Oooops - forget it. I didn't have a POJO, but some wrong Map-caching which gave me an old Activity-Object)