How to programmatically add views and constraints to a ConstraintLayout?

I'm having a problem to programmatically add views to a ConstraintLayout, and set up all the constraints required for the layout to work.

What I have at the moment doesn't work:

ConstraintLayout layout = (ConstraintLayout) findViewById(R.id.mainConstraint);
ConstraintSet set = new ConstraintSet();
set.clone(layout);

ImageView view = new ImageView(this);
layout.addView(view,0);
set.connect(view.getId(), ConstraintSet.TOP, layout.getId(), ConstraintSet.TOP, 60);
set.applyTo(layout);

The ImageView doesn't even appear on the layout. When adding to a RelativeLayout, it works like a charm.

What can I do to create the constraints I need, so that my layout work again?

I think you should clone the layout after adding your ImageView.

ConstraintLayout layout = (ConstraintLayout)findViewById(R.id.mainConstraint);
ConstraintSet set = new ConstraintSet();

ImageView view = new ImageView(this);
view.setId(View.generateViewId());  // cannot set id after add
layout.addView(view,0);
set.clone(layout);
set.connect(view.getId(), ConstraintSet.TOP, layout.getId(), ConstraintSet.TOP, 60);
set.applyTo(layout);```

Merging this https://stackoverflow.com/q/6369062/4991437 with https://stackoverflow.com/a/40527407/4991437

I have discovered an 'easier' solution. This works best for adding multiple consistent views that uses Viewbinding and ViewModel

1. Create the fragment_home.xml
2. Add a LinearLayout to the bottom of fragment_home.xml
3. Create an dynamic_view.xml that you will inflate
4. Get elements from ViewModel/Array or whatever source of data available
5. Inflate and add elements

In this case I am creating a textview(title) with a recyclerview[there are libs for this, however, I found more control doing this]

Step 1,2

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.core.widget.NestedScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".ui.hometab.HomeFragment">

    <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout
        android:id="@+id/constraint_parent"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent">

        <!-- otherviews here -->

        <LinearLayout
            android:id="@+id/dynamic_linear_layout"
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/margin_large"
            android:orientation="vertical"
            app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
            app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
            app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/curated_recycler" />

    </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
</androidx.core.widget.NestedScrollView>

Step 3

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:id="@+id/dynamic_constraint"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto">

    <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.Guideline
        android:id="@+id/guideline"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        app:layout_constraintGuide_begin="@dimen/margin_large"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" />

    <View
        android:id="@+id/title_view"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="40dp"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/shop_name"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="@string/diary"
        android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Medium"
        android:textColor="@android:color/black"
        android:textStyle="bold"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/title_view"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@id/guideline"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/title_view" />

    <androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView
        android:id="@+id/shop_recycler"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:clipToPadding="false"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="@id/guideline"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/title_view" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Step 4,5

    binding = FragmentHomeBinding.inflate(getLayoutInflater());

    ShopViewModel shopViewModel = new ViewModelProvider(this).get(ShopViewModel.class);
    shopViewModel.getAllShops(false).observe(getViewLifecycleOwner(), shopEntities -> {
        List<ConstraintLayout> shopConstraints = new ArrayList<>();

        for (ShopEntity shopEntity : shopEntities) {
            // get an instance of the dynamic_view.xml
            DynamicViewBinding dynamicViewBinding = DynamicViewBinding.inflate(getLayoutInflater());
            // add text view content
            dynamicViewBinding.shopName.setText(shopEntity.getName());
            // initialize the recycler layout adapter
            dynamicViewBinding.shopRecycler.setLayoutManager(new ProductCardLayoutManager(getContext(), 1,
                    GridLayoutManager.HORIZONTAL, false, 80));

            // get all products and add them to recycler view
            productViewModel.getAllProductsByShop(shopEntity.getShopId(), 10).observe(getViewLifecycleOwner(), productEntities ->
                    dynamicViewBinding.shopRecycler.setAdapter(new ProductAdapter(getActivity(), productEntities)));

            // attach dynamic view to list of dynamic constraint layouts
            shopConstraints.add(dynamicViewBinding.getRoot());
        }

        // remove all previous views from the linear layout
        binding.dynamicLinearLayout.removeAllViews();

        // add the new views
        for (ConstraintLayout shopConstraint : shopConstraints) {
            binding.dynamicLinearLayout.addView(shopConstraint);
        }
    });