Setting the Selected Value of AutoCompleteTextView while Showing All Options in Android

Описание: Discover how to allow users to edit their AutoCompleteTextView selections in Android while still displaying all dropdown options.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/63119197/ asked by the user 'smose' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13878776/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/63119407/ provided by the user 'Gabriele Mariotti' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2016562/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Setting the Selected Value of AutoCompleteTextView while Showing All Options in Android

When developing Android applications, user interaction with forms is a crucial element of the user experience. One common scenario arises when using an AutoCompleteTextView, especially when populated with values from a database, such as Firebase. In this guide, we will address a specific issue: how to display the current value of an AutoCompleteTextView while still showing the full dropdown list of options for users to select from.

The Problem

Imagine you have built an application that allows users to add information to a Firebase database via an AutoCompleteTextView. Everything works well, and the correct information is saved. However, when a user returns to edit their entry, you might encounter a frustrating issue. The dropdown list only shows the previously stored value, not allowing users to select from the list of valid options available.

You might have code that looks something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

And for populating the dropdown list:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, with this approach, including the first line unintentionally filters the dropdown to just the current value. Let’s explore how you can solve this.

The Solution

To resolve the issue of displaying the full list of options while keeping the selected current value visible, you can utilize the following code snippet:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Steps Explained:

Get the AutoCompleteTextView Instance:
Ensure you're properly assigning your AutoCompleteTextView instance using the method getEditText() from your TextInputLayout.

Set the Adapter:
Use setAdapter() to link the adapter containing your list of options. This binds your dropdown options to the AutoCompleteTextView.

Set the Selected Value:
Utilize setText() to set the previous value. The key here is to set the second parameter to false. This specific parameter tells the AutoCompleteTextView not to filter the dropdown. Instead, it retains all the options while displaying the selected value.

Why This Works

By setting the filter to false, you allow the dropdown to display all available options in your list, providing a seamless experience for users who want to edit their entries. This prevents the dropdown from defaulting to one single value, thereby empowering users to make their selections freely.

Conclusion

This simple adjustment to your AutoCompleteTextView usage allows for a much better user experience. It not only simplifies the editing process but also maintains the integrity of your form's functionality. Now your users can easily change their previous selections without being restricted to a single value.

By following the steps outlined in this post, you can successfully implement a robust editing feature for your users within your Android application, especially when utilizing Firebase for data storage.

Happy coding!