NavigationView and custom Layout

I'm using the Designs Support Libraries NavigationView like this:

<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/drawer_layout"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true">

    <!-- put your main layout here -->
    <include layout="@layout/drawer_main_layout"/>

    <android.support.design.widget.NavigationView
        android:id="@+id/nav_view"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="start"
        android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
        app:headerLayout="@layout/nav_header"
        app:menu="@menu/drawer_view"/>

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

And I have set this menu:

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <group android:checkableBehavior="single">
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_home"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_dashboard"
            android:title="Home" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_messages"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_event"
            android:title="Messages" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_friends"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_headset"
            android:title="Friends" />
        <item
            android:id="@+id/nav_discussion"
            android:icon="@drawable/ic_forum"
            android:title="Discussion" />
    </group>

    <item android:title="Sub items">
        <menu>
            <item
                android:icon="@drawable/ic_dashboard"
                android:title="Sub item 1" />
            <item
                android:icon="@drawable/ic_forum"
                android:title="Sub item 2" />
        </menu>
    </item>

</menu>

Is there any way to use the NavigationView with a layout rather than a menu?

Here's how I solved it, and worked perfectly:

<android.support.design.widget.NavigationView
    android:id="@+id/navigation"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_gravity="start"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <include layout="@layout/nav_header" />

        <ListView
            android:id="@+id/lst_menu_items"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="0dp"
            android:layout_weight="1" />
    </LinearLayout>
</android.support.design.widget.NavigationView>

Yes You can .... As I have done ... Just take your custom layout inside the NavigationView

<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout
    android:id="@+id/drawer"
    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"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true">

    <android.support.design.widget.NavigationView
        android:id="@+id/navView"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="start">

        <ListView
            android:entries="@array/test"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"/>

    </android.support.design.widget.NavigationView>

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

The above code work for me... But don't forget to remove app:menu from NavigationView . Otherwise it will overlap your custom view on the menu items.