How to add a dynamic view to a ListView item at runtime?

Question

My problem is that I don\'t know whether I should use multiple list view or a custom listview item adapter which can grows dynamically. For example, for a particular user, t

Answer 1

Here's an idea that'll probably enable you to introduce as many item types as you like without having to modify adapter every time you do:

@Override
public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
    AbstractItem abstractItem = ((AbstractItem)getItem(position));
    // if null or new item type is different than the one already there
    if (convertView == null || (convertView.getTag() != null
            && ((AbstractItem)convertView.getTag()).getType().equals(abstractItem.getType())) {
          convertView = abstractItem.inflateSelf(getContext());
    }

    abstractItem.fillViewWithData(convertView);
    convertView.setTag(abstractItem);
    return convertView;
}

public class AbstractItem {
    public abstract View inflateSelf(Context context);
    public abstract String getType();
    public abstract void fillViewWithData(View view);
}

public class PictureSnapItem extends AbstractItem {
    // data fields
    WeakReference wBitmap;
    String pictureComment;
    ...

    public abstract View inflateSelf(Context context) {
        // get layout inflater, inflate a layout resource, return
        return ((Activity)context).getLayoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.picture_snap_item);
    }
    public abstract String getType() {
        // return something class-specific, like this
        return getClass().getCanonicalName();
    }
    public abstract void fillViewWithData(View view) {
        // fill the view with data from fields, assuming view has been
        // inflated by this very class's inflateSelf(), maybe throw exception if
        // required views can't be found
        ImageView img = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.picture);
        TextView comment = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.picture_comment)
    }
}

... and then extend AbstractItem and add instances to adapter, no need to add any if clauses to getView() any more.