How can I get color-int from color resource?

Is there any way to get a color-int from a color resource?

I am trying to get the individual red, blue and green components of a color defined in the resource (R.color.myColor) so that I can set the values of three seekbars to a specific level.

You can use:

getResources().getColor(R.color.idname);

Check here on how to define custom colors:

http://sree.cc/google/android/defining-custom-colors-using-xml-in-android

EDIT(1): Since getColor(int id) is deprecated now, this must be used :

ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.your_color);

(added in support library 23)

EDIT(2):

Below code can be used for both pre and post Marshmallow (API 23)

ResourcesCompat.getColor(getResources(), R.color.your_color, null); //without theme

ResourcesCompat.getColor(getResources(), R.color.your_color, your_theme); //with theme

Based on the new Android Support Library (and this update), now you should call:

ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.name.color);

According to the documentation:

public int getColor (int id)

This method was deprecated in API level 23. Use getColor(int, Theme) instead

It is the same solution for getResources().getColorStateList(id):

You have to change it like this:

ContextCompat.getColorStateList(getContext(),id);

EDIT 2019

Regarding ThemeOverlay use the context of the closest view:

val color = ContextCompat.getColor(
  closestView.context,
  R.color.name.color
)

So this way you get the right color based on your ThemeOverlay.

Specially needed when in same activity you use different themes, like dark/light theme. If you would like to understand more about Themes and Styles this talk is suggested: Developing Themes with Style

Define your color

values/color.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>

    <!-- color int as #AARRGGBB (alpha, red, green, blue) -->
    <color name="orange">#fff3632b</color>
    ...
    <color name="my_view_color">@color/orange</color>

</resources>

#Get the color int and set it

int backgroundColor = ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.my_view_color);
// Color backgroundColor = ... (Don't do this. The color is just an int.)

myView.setBackgroundColor(backgroundColor);

#See also

• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2173936/how-to-set-background-color-of-a-view

• Color docs

• Color Style Design docs

#Best Approach

As @sat answer, good approach for getting color is

ResourcesCompat.getColor(getResources(), R.color.your_color, null);

or use below way when you don't have access to getResources() method.

Context context  = getContext(); // like Dialog class
ResourcesCompat.getColor(context.getResources(), R.color.your_color, null);

#What i do is

public void someMethod(){
    ...
    ResourcesCompat.getColor(App.getRes(), R.color.your_color, null);
}

It is most simple to use anywhere in your app! Even in Util class or any class where you don't have Context or getResource()

#Problem (When you don't have Context) When you don't have Context access, like a method in your Util class.

Assume below method without Context.

public void someMethod(){
    ...
    // can't use getResource() without Context.
}

Now you will pass Context as a parameter in this method and use getResources().

public void someMethod(Context context){
    ...
    context.getResources...
}

So here is a Bonus unique solution by which you can access resources from anywhere like Util class . Add Resources to your Application class or Create one if does not exist.

import android.app.Application;
import android.content.res.Resources;

public class App extends Application {
    private static App mInstance;
    private static Resources res;


    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        mInstance = this;
        res = getResources();
    }

    public static App getInstance() {
        return mInstance;
    }

    public static Resources getResourses() {
        return res;
    }

}

Add name field to your manifest.xml <application tag. (If not added already)

<application
        android:name=".App"
        ...
        >
        ...
    </application>

Now you are good to go. Use ResourcesCompat.getColor(App.getRes(), R.color.your_color, null); anywhere in app.

Found an easier way that works as well:

Color.parseColor(getString(R.color.idname);

If your current min. API level is 23, you can simply use getColor() like we are using for getString():

//example
textView.setTextColor(getColor(R.color.green));
// if context is not available(ex: not in activity) use with context.getColor()

If you want below API level 23, just use this:

textView.setTextColor(getResources().getColor(R.color.green));

But note that getResources().getColor() is deprecated in API Level 23. In that case replace above with:

textView.setTextColor(ContextCompat.getColor(this /*context*/, R.color.green)) //Im in an activity, so I can use `this`

ContextCompat: Helper for accessing features in Context

If You want, you can constraint with SDK_INT like below:

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
    textView.setTextColor(getColor(R.color.green));
} else {
    textView.setTextColor(getResources().getColor(R.color.green));
}

I updated to use ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.your_color); but sometimes (On some devices/Android versions. I'm not sure) that causes a NullPointerExcepiton.

So to make it work on all devices/versions, I fall back on the old way of doing it, in the case of a null pointer.

try {
    textView.setTextColor(ContextCompat.getColor(getActivity(), R.color.text_grey_dark));
}
catch(NullPointerException e) {
    if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
        textView.setTextColor(getContext().getColor(R.color.text_grey_dark));
    }
    else {
        textView.setTextColor(getResources().getColor(R.color.text_grey_dark));
    }
}

For more information on another use-case that may help surface this question in search results, I wanted to apply alpha to a color defined in my resources.

Using @sat's correct answer:

int alpha = ... // 0-255, calculated based on some business logic
int actionBarBackground = getResources().getColor(R.color.actionBarBackground);
int actionBarBackgroundWithAlpha = Color.argb(
        alpha,
        Color.red(actionbarBackground),
        Color.green(actionbarBackground),
        Color.blue(actionbarBackground)
);

Accessing colors from a non-activity class can be difficult. One of the alternatives that I found was using enum. enum offers a lot of flexibility.

public enum Colors
{
  COLOR0(0x26, 0x32, 0x38),    // R, G, B
  COLOR1(0xD8, 0x1B, 0x60),
  COLOR2(0xFF, 0xFF, 0x72),
  COLOR3(0x64, 0xDD, 0x17);


  private final int R;
  private final int G;
  private final int B;

  Colors(final int R, final int G, final int B)
  {
    this.R = R;
    this.G = G;
    this.B = B;
  }

  public int getColor()
  {
    return (R & 0xff) << 16 | (G & 0xff) << 8 | (B & 0xff);
  }

  public int getR()
  {
    return R;
  }

  public int getG()
  {
    return G;
  }

  public int getB()
  {
    return B;
  }
}

ContextCompat.getColor(context, R.color.your_color);

in activity

ContextCompat.getColor(actvityname.this, R.color.your_color);

in fragment

ContextCompat.getColor(getActivity(), R.color.your_color);

for example:

tvsun.settextcolour(ContextCompat.getColor(getActivity(), R.color.your_color))

Most Recent working method:

getColor(R.color.snackBarAction)

or if you have a function(string text,string color) and you need to pass the Resource Color String you can do as follow

String.valueOf(getResources().getColor(R.color.enurse_link_color))

In kotlin just use this in your activity

R.color.color_name

ex-

mytextView.setTextColor(R.color.red_900)