Transparent Actiobar in android

Question

I am trying to give transparent effect to my action bar. I have used the following line to make it work that way, but strangely on my Nexus 5 I am can see the bar coming, but on my galaxy nexus I don't see it at all.

I am not sure why this is coming up on N5? How to solve this issue?

Here is the code:

    getWindow().requestFeature(Window.FEATURE_ACTION_BAR_OVERLAY);
    getActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
    getActionBar().setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
    ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
    actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(android.graphics.Color.TRANSPARENT));
    actionBar.setStackedBackgroundDrawable(new ColorDrawable(android.graphics.Color.TRANSPARENT));
    setContentView(R.layout.profile);

Here is the screenshot for both Galaxy nexus running Jelly Bean (4.3) and Nexus 5 running kitkat (4.4.4)

Galaxy Nexus: showing transparent action bar perfectly:

Nexus 5: showing transparent action bar: (A horizontal line is shown)

Update 2:

I managed to remove the line on N5 by using the following style

  styles.xml in Values-v14 folder

  <style name="AppBaseTheme" parent="android:Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar"></style>
  <style name="CustomActionBarTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo"></style>

  then added theme to specific activity in manifext:

      <activity
        android:name=".Profile"
        android:label="@string/profile"
        android:theme="@style/CustomActionBarTheme"
        android:screenOrientation="portrait" >

but then all my text, dialog format have changed in this activity. It has become dark. It doesn't change even though I programatically change the theme for dialog. I am not sure what is wrong? Can someone help me out with this?

Update 1: As per @erakitn advice: I tried the following with few changes:

<!-- Transparent ActionBar Style -->
<style name="CustomThemeTransparent" parent="AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:background">@android:color/transparent</item>
    <item name="background">@android:color/transparent</item>
</style>

<!-- Activity Theme with transparent ActionBar -->
<style name="CustomThemeTransparentLight" parent="AppBaseTheme">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/CustomThemeTransparent</item>
    <item name="actionBarStyle">@style/CustomThemeTransparent</item>
    <item name="android:windowIsTranslucent">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
    <item name="android:backgroundDimEnabled">false</item>
    <item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
    <item name="windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
</style>

I have getting the following error:

1. error: Error: No resource found that matches the given name: attr 'background'.
2. error: Error: No resource found that matches the given name: attr 'actionBarStyle'.
3. error: Error: No resource found that matches the given name: attr 'windowActionBarOverlay'.

Answer 1

To remove ActionBar shadow try to add <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item> attribute to your Activity theme. Below there is an example of theme with transparent ActionBar. Define it in res/styles.xml:

<!-- Your App Theme-->
<style name="YourAppTheme.Light" parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light">
    <...>
</style>

<!-- Transparent ActionBar Style -->
<style name="YourAppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent" parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar">
    <item name="android:background">@android:color/transparent</item>
    <item name="background">@android:color/transparent</item>
</style>

<!-- Activity Theme with transparent ActionBar -->
<style name="YourAppTheme.TransparentActionBar.Light" parent="@style/YourAppTheme.Light">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/YourAppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent</item>
    <item name="actionBarStyle">@style/YourAppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent</item>
    <item name="android:windowIsTranslucent">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
    <item name="android:backgroundDimEnabled">false</item>
    <item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
    <item name="windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
</style>

And set this theme to your Activity:

<activity
    android:name="your.package.name.YourActivity"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/YourAppTheme.TransparentActionBar.Light" />

UPD:

If you are not using AppCompat or ABS you should use HOLO theme as parent for your theme. It seems you use light theme with dark ActionBar. Please try following solution:

<!-- Your App Theme-->
<style name="YourAppTheme.Light" parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <...>
</style>

<!-- Transparent ActionBar Style -->
<style name="YourAppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">@android:color/transparent</item>
</style>

<!-- Activity Theme with transparent ActionBar -->
<style name="YourAppTheme.TransparentActionBar.Light" parent="@style/YourAppTheme.Light">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/YourAppTheme.Light.ActionBar.Transparent</item>
    <item name="android:windowIsTranslucent">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
    <item name="android:backgroundDimEnabled">false</item>
    <item name="android:windowActionBarOverlay">true</item>
</style>

Answer 2

Please don't change anything

Your original code is just fine. All you need to do is set/apply the following attribute:

android:windowContentOverlay = true

Again, don't change your theme/style. Define a new one like this:

<style name="ConOver" >    <<== no parent
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
</style>

Add this above your code:

// Add this line
// Lets you add new attribute values into the current theme
getTheme().applyStyle(R.style.ConOver, true);

// Rest stays the same
getWindow().requestFeature(Window.FEATURE_ACTION_BAR_OVERLAY);
getActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
getActionBar().setDisplayShowHomeEnabled(false);
ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(new 
                              ColorDrawable(android.graphics.Color.TRANSPARENT));
actionBar.setStackedBackgroundDrawable(new 
                              ColorDrawable(android.graphics.Color.TRANSPARENT));
setContentView(R.layout.profile);