androidandroid-constraintlayoutconstraint-layout-chains

Constraint Layout Vertical Align Center

How to vertically align and center objects in constraint layout? It is possible to align vertically or horizontally but I have not found a way to center at the same time beside constraining the views between two gridlines.

Vertical Align Center: enter image description here

It seems like centering is a huge problem with constraint layout which forces me to go back to relative layout for "centerInParent", "centerVertical", and "centerHorizontal".

I would like to create the layout boxed in red using constraint layout: enter image description here

Unfortunately, the only way I found without using two gridlines is with nested Relative and LinearLayouts (which Constraint Layout was supposed to solve this exact scenario!).

Layout using Relative and Linear Layout:

<RelativeLayout
    android:layout_width="0dp"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/user_points"
    app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
    app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent">

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/stat_1_layout"
        android:layout_width="60dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginLeft="12dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="12dp"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/divider_1"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_1"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:text="10"
            android:textSize="16dp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondaryDark"
            android:maxLines="1"/>

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_detail_1"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:text="Streak"
            android:textSize="8sp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondary"
            android:maxLines="1"/>
    </LinearLayout>

    <View
        android:id="@+id/divider_1"
        android:layout_width="1dp"
        android:layout_height="38dp"
        android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/stat_2_layout"
        android:background="@drawable/linedivider"/>

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/stat_2_layout"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginLeft="18dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="18dp"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_2"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:text="243"
            android:textSize="16dp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondaryDark"
            android:maxLines="1"/>

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_detail_2"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:text="Calories Burned"
            android:textSize="8sp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondary"
            android:maxLines="1"/>
    </LinearLayout>

    <View
        android:id="@+id/divider_2"
        android:layout_width="1dp"
        android:layout_height="38dp"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/stat_2_layout"
        android:background="@drawable/linedivider"/>

    <LinearLayout
        android:id="@+id/stat_3_layout"
        android:layout_width="60dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginLeft="12dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="12dp"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/divider_2"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_3"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:text="3200"
            android:textSize="16dp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondaryDark"
            android:maxLines="1"/>

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/stat_detail_3"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
            android:gravity="center"
            android:text="Steps"
            android:textSize="8sp"
            android:textColor="@color/textSecondary"
            android:maxLines="1"/>
    </LinearLayout>
</RelativeLayout>
Solution

  • It's possible to set the center aligned view as an anchor for other views. In the example below "@+id/stat_2" centered horizontally in parent and it serves as an anchor for other views in this layout.

    <android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_1"
        android:layout_width="80dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:gravity="center"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:text="10"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="22sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/divider_1" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_detail_1"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Streak"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="12sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/stat_1"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@+id/stat_1"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@+id/stat_1" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/divider_1"
        android:layout_width="1dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginEnd="16dp"
        android:background="#ccc"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toStartOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/stat_detail_2" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_2"
        android:layout_width="80dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:gravity="center"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:text="243"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="22sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_detail_2"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:text="Calories Burned"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="12sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@+id/stat_2" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/divider_2"
        android:layout_width="1dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="16dp"
        android:background="#ccc"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/stat_detail_2"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/stat_2" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_3"
        android:layout_width="80dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:gravity="center"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:text="3200"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="22sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/stat_2"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/divider_2" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/stat_detail_3"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:text="Steps"
        android:textColor="#777"
        android:textSize="12sp"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/stat_3"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@+id/stat_3"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="@+id/stat_3" />

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

    Here's how it works on smallest smartphone (3.7 480x800 Nexus One) vs largest smartphone (5.5 1440x2560 Pixel XL)

    Result view