styling action bar use a Theme.AppCompat

Question

I am following the android training , in styling the Action bar.

I am facing error because of android:theme=@style/MyActionBar.

I want to know how to style the action bar.

 <application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/MyActionBar" >

IllegalStateException: You need to use a Theme.AppCompat theme with this activity

I thought the error from :

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
               parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
            <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
        </style>

so I modify it to

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
           parent="@android:style/Theme.AppCompat.Light ">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>

I had the following error :

error: Error retrieving parent for item: No resource found that matches the given name '@android:style/Theme.AppCompat.Light '.

I created a new file as the training explained

res/values/themes.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
    <style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
           parent="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar">
        <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
    </style>

    <!-- ActionBar styles -->

    <style name="MyActionBar"
       parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">#aaaaaa</item>
</style>
</resources>

And here is the manifest

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.helloworld"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="16"
        android:targetSdkVersion="21" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
       android:theme="@style/MyActionBar" >
        <activity
            android:name="com.example.helloworld.MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <activity
        android:name="com.example.helloworld.DisplayMessageActivity"
        android:label="@string/title_activity_display_message"
        android:parentActivityName="com.example.Helloworld.MainActivity" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"
            android:value="com.example.Helloworld.MyActivity" />
    </activity>

    </application>

</manifest>

Deven Singh Deven Singh · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-03T11:07:38

edit your style as follows:

<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
    parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>

    <!-- Support library compatibility -->
    <item name="actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
</style>

<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar"
    parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid.Inverse">
    <item name="android:background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>

    <!-- Support library compatibility -->
    <item name="background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>
</style>

for support library you have to use

name="background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>

instead of

name="android:background">@drawable/actionbar_background</item>

and then use this theme in your manifest... before use don't forget to add support:appcompact dependencies in build.gradle if you are using Android Studio... thanks...

styling action bar use a Theme.AppCompat

3 Answers