Setting Holo theme for Android application

Question

I have a simple login screen with username and password.

I'd like it to show the EditText fields in the same way as you see in the Holo theme on Ice Cream Sandwich and Honeycomb.

In my manifest file I have

<application
   android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
   android:label="@string/app_name" 
   android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo">

Shouldn't the text fields now look different e.g. have no top, left and right borders?

Mine seem to look the exact same. I'm sure I'm doing something very basically wrong but any suggestions welcome.

This is what I see in the emulator:

I was expecting more like this: http://developer.android.com/design/building-blocks/text-fields.html

Answer 1

The original Android Holo Theme is just for API Level 11+. But there is an open source project called HoloEverywhere.

Take a look at this. This should solve your Problems.

So if you refere it as an Library you can set your Theme like this:

android:theme=“@style/Theme.Holo
// or if you want to use the Holo light theme:
android:theme=“@style/Theme.Holo.Light

Answer 2

Try doing it on a per-activity basis. That's how I've always done it. It looks to me like the theme is not taking effect at all in your screenshot. Theme.Holo is dark. The white theme is Theme.Holo.Light.

<activity
        android:name=".login"
        android:label="@string/login"
        android:noHistory="true"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light"/>

<activity
        android:name=".Preferences"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light" >

etc rather than in the app level

Also, to correct Ahmad, Holo is available from Honeycomb and on, or 11+.

Answer 3

Actually, Holo is available since API 11; it's just Theme.Holo.Light.DarkActionBar that came in API level 14. There is no need for 15+.

For older API Levels, HoloEverywhere, ActionBarSherlock, ViewPageIndicator and such are neccessary, as mentioned by Ahmad as well.