Using selector to change TextView text color

I'm trying to use a TextView to define the style of a TabWidget on a tabhost.

I just created a selector for bgcolor and works fine, but i want to make a selector for textColor but the text color don't change:

This is my tab_text_selector.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
     <item android:state_selected="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />

</selector>

And this is the code when i'm trying to use on a textView:

TextView txtTab=new TextView(this);
		txtTab.setTextColor(R.drawable.tab_text_selector);
		txtTab.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.tab_bg_selector);
		txtTab.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER);
		txtTab.setText("Agregar Idea");

I know the text color must be white in any case but it doesn't.

1. Use tab_text_selector.xml as below and put it into res/color folder:

---

<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:state_selected="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:color="#504f4f" /> <!-- default case -->
</selector>

And set it to your textview as below..

TextView tv = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.TextView1) ;
tv.setTextColor(context.getResources().getColor(R.color.tab_text_selector));

2) The Second option is If you are using textview in xml rather than using programatically then use tab_text_selector.xml as below :

<TextView
	android:id="@+id/textView1"
	android:layout_width="wrap_content"
	android:layout_height="wrap_content"
	android:gravity="center_horizontal"
	android:text="TextView"
	android:textColor="@‌​drawable/tab_text_sel‌​ector" />

You have to use getColorStateList(). And for xml, see here.

I was also struggling with this problem. If you want to have use a state list, you need to declare it in the color resources folder, instead of the drawable folder, and use the setTextColor(getResources().getColorStateList(R.color.tab_text_selector)) method.

Use this way:

tab_text_selector.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="#FF111111"/>  
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:color="#FF222222"/>    
    <item android:state_selected="true" android:color="#FF333333"/> 
</selector>

TextView:

TextView txtTab = new TextView(this);

XmlResourceParser xrp = getResources().getXml(R.drawable.tab_text_selector);  
try {  
    ColorStateList csl = ColorStateList.createFromXml(getResources(), xrp);  
    txtTab.setTextColor(csl);  
} catch (Exception e) {  } 

txtTab.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.tab_bg_selector);
txtTab.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER);
txtTab.setText("Agregar Idea");

But it's better to put color in /res/color/yourcolor.xml

Just make Selector for textcolor

<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="@color/drawer_color" />
<item android:state_focused="false" android:color="@android:color/white" />
<item android:state_selected="true" android:color="@color/drawer_color" />

Then set textColor property of Textview an set clickable=true

<TextView
    android:clickable="true"
    android:textColor="@drawable/text_selector"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="@string/registration"
    android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
    android:layout_alignParentEnd="true" />

@ffleandro,@ρяσѕρєя K answers best variant, I think using ColorStateList best choice to older and latest versions of Android.

int[][] states = new int[][] {
	new int[] { android.R.attr.state_pressed}, // pressed
	new int[] { android.R.attr.state_focused}, // focused
	new int[] {}
};
int[] colors = new int[] {
	getResources().getColor(R.color.green_color), // green
	getResources().getColor(R.color.green_color), // green
	getResources().getColor(R.color.white)  // white
};
ColorStateList list = new ColorStateList(states, colors);
mTextView.setFocusable(true);
mTextView.setClickable(true);
mTextView.setTextColor(list);

<item android:state_selected="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
<item android:state_focused="true" android:color="@android:color/red" />
<item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="@android:color/blue" />

Here is reference on android developers http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/color-list-resource.html

Create a selector (text_color_selector.xml) and put it into res/color folder:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:color="@color/colorPrimary" android:state_pressed="true" /> <!-- pressed -->
    <item android:color="@color/colorPrimary" android:state_focused="true" /> <!-- focused -->
    <item android:color="@color/light_gray_b" /> <!-- default -->
</selector>

add this into your Textview as:

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/tvMenuName"
            style="@style/TextViewStyle"
            android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/dimen_15"
            android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/dimen_15"
            android:textColor="@color/text_color_selector"
            android:textSize="@dimen/text_size_16"
            tools:text="Home" />

programmatically you can set Textview like this:

TextView tv = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.textView) ;
tv.setTextColor(context.getResources().getColor(R.color.text_color_selector));

Hope it helps.

>You have used the white color in all cases focus , selected and pressed..

Please use and test with different color.

Also must use a default case with certain color say black along with the all case.. when no state is used default will be applied.

Easiest and effective solution:

1. create your Xml color selector into res/color/your_color.xml
2. Use ContextCompat util

Ex.: txtview.setTextColor( ContextCompat.getColorStateList(context, R.color.tab_tv_selector) );

I had a different problem. I tried with everything which is suggested in this thread including the following

• Moving the selector from the drawable folder to the color folder.
• Setting the android:clickable="true"
• Setting the android:duplicateParentState="true"

None of these seems to be working!

However, finally, I had to clean the project and got the selector working on my device. Thought putting this experience as an answer will help other developers.

Hence, the final working version had the following.

• The selector file in the /res/color folder
• And was added in the TextView with android:textColor="@color/text_selector"