EditText ellipsize (three dots…)

EditText Ellipsize: The “…” Trick for Concise Text Views

Understanding Ellipsize

In Android development, the EditText view is a fundamental component for user input. However, when dealing with lengthy text, it’s essential to ensure that the display remains readable and aesthetically pleasing. Ellipsize comes into play to solve this problem.

Ellipsize is a technique used in Android to truncate long strings and replace the omitted portion with ellipses ( “…”). This helps prevent text overflow and maintains the visual integrity of your UI.

Implementing Ellipsize in EditText

To use ellipsis in your EditText, you need to modify the XML layout file of your view. The key attribute here is android:ellipsize.

Types of Ellipsis

The android:ellipsize attribute can be set to one of the following values:

• start: Ellipsis appears at the beginning of the text.
• middle: Ellipsis appears in the middle of the text.
• end: Ellipsis appears at the end of the text (the default).
• marquee: The text scrolls horizontally with an ellipsis at the beginning and end. This option is generally used for animated text.

Example Implementation

<EditText
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:ellipsize="end"
    android:lines="1"
    android:maxLines="1" 
    android:text="This is a very long line of text that will be truncated using ellipsis." />

Additional Considerations

android:maxLines

The android:maxLines attribute is often used in conjunction with android:ellipsize. It specifies the maximum number of lines the text can occupy. If the text exceeds the specified number of lines, it will be truncated with ellipsis.

android:singleLine

For single-line text views, you can use the android:singleLine attribute. This is an alternative to android:maxLines="1" and ensures that the text stays on a single line.

Customizing Ellipsis

While the built-in android:ellipsize attribute provides basic ellipsis functionality, you can create a more customized ellipsis using a custom SpannableStringBuilder. This gives you more flexibility in controlling the appearance and placement of the ellipsis.

Table for Comparison

Conclusion

Ellipsize is a powerful tool for improving the readability and aesthetics of your EditText views. By implementing the appropriate attributes and considering best practices, you can ensure that your user interfaces remain clean and visually appealing, regardless of the length of the displayed text.