page.title=Style Resource
parent.title=Resource Types
parent.link=available-resources.html
@jd:body

<div id="qv-wrapper">
  <div id="qv">
    <h2>See also</h2>
    <ol>
      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/ui/themes.html">Styles and Themes</a></li>
    </ol>
  </div>
</div>


<p>A style resource defines the format and look for a UI.
A style can be applied to an individual {@link android.view.View} (from within a layout file) or to
an entire {@link android.app.Activity} or application (from within the manifest file).</p>

<p>For more information about creating and applying styles, please read
<a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/ui/themes.html">Styles and Themes</a>.</p>

<p class="note"><strong>Note:</strong> A style is a simple resource that is referenced
using the value provided in the {@code name} attribute (not the name of the XML file). As
such, you can combine style resources with other simple resources in the one XML file,
under one {@code &lt;resources>} element.</p>

<dl class="xml">

<dt>file location:</dt>
<dd><code>res/values/<em>filename</em>.xml</code><br/>
The filename is arbitrary. The element's {@code name} will be used as the resource ID.</dd>

<dt>resource reference:</dt>
<dd>
In XML: <code>@[package:]style/<em>style_name</em></code>
</dd>

<dt>syntax:</dt>
<dd>
<pre class="stx">
&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
&lt;<a href="#resources-element">resources</a>>
    &lt;<a href="#style-element">style</a>
        name="<em>style_name</em>"
        parent="@[package:]style/<em>style_to_inherit</em>">
        &lt;<a href="#item-element">item</a>
            name="<em>[package:]style_property_name</em>"
            &gt;<em>style_value</em>&lt;/item>
    &lt;/style>
&lt;/resources>
</pre>
</dd>

<dt>elements:</dt>
<dd>
<dl class="tag-list">

  <dt id="resources-element"><code>&lt;resources&gt;</code></dt>
    <dd><strong>Required.</strong> This must be the root node.
      <p>No attributes.</p>
    </dd>
  <dt id="style-element"><code>&lt;style&gt;</code></dt>
    <dd>Defines a single style. Contains {@code &lt;item&gt;} elements.
      <p class="caps">attributes:</p>
      <dl class="atn-list">
        <dt><code>name</code></dt>
        <dd><em>String</em>. <strong>Required</strong>. A name for the style, which is used as the
resource ID to apply the style to a View, Activity, or application.
        </dd>
        <dt><code>parent</code></dt>
        <dd><em>Style resource</em>. Reference to a style from which this
style should inherit style properties.
        </dd>
      </dl>

    </dd>
  <dt id="item-element"><code>&lt;item&gt;</code></dt>
    <dd>Defines a single property for the style. Must be a child of a
      <code>&lt;style&gt;</code> element.</p>
      <p class="caps">attributes:</p>
      <dl class="atn-list">
        <dt><code>name</code></dt>
        <dd><em>Attribute resource</em>. <strong>Required</strong>. The name of the style property
to be defined, with a package prefix if necessary (for example {@code android:textColor}).
        </dd>
      </dl>
    </dd>

</dl>
</dd> <!-- end  elements and attributes -->

<dt>example:</dt>
<dd>
  <dl>

    <dt>XML file for the style (saved in <code>res/values/</code>):</dt>
    <dd>
<pre>
&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
&lt;resources>
    &lt;style name="CustomText" parent="@style/Text">
        &lt;item name="android:textSize">20sp&lt;/item>
        &lt;item name="android:textColor">#008&lt;/item>
    &lt;/style>
&lt;/resources>
</pre>
    </dd>

    <dt>XML file that applies the style to a {@link android.widget.TextView}
        (saved in <code>res/layout/</code>):</dt>
    <dd>
<pre>
&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
&lt;EditText
    style="@style/CustomText"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="Hello, World!" />
</pre>
    </dd>

  </dl>
</dd> <!-- end example -->

</dl>