How do I change the color used to indicate a tab has been selected on a TabHost?

Question

On the android TabHost layout, when the user selects a tab the color of the tab changes temporarily. How do I either disable this color change, or specify the color that the tab changes to?

Answer 1

UPDATED

Instead of making an own example and taking credit for it, I found my old bookmarked tutorial.

How to change background on Android Tabs

Answer 2

I'll suggest you to implement your own tab_indicator_selector.xml.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <!-- Non focused states ... -->
    <!-- Focused states ... -->
    <!-- Pressed -->
    <item android:state_selected="true" android:state_pressed="true"    android:drawable="@drawable/tab_pressed" />
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:drawable="@drawable/tab_pressed" />
</selector>

And this is the tab_pressed.xml state selector:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:top="53dp">
        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <solid android:color="@color/white" />
        </shape>
    </item>
    <item android:top="53dp" android:bottom="1dp">
        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <solid android:color="@color/white" />
        </shape>
    </item>
    <item android:left="2dp" android:right="2dp"> 
        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <gradient android:angle="90" 
                android:startColor="@color/black"
                android:endColor="@color/white" />
            <stroke android:width="2dp" android:color="@color/red" />
        </shape>
    </item>
</layer-list>

The other states can be achieved by creating tab_focused.xml, tab_selected.xml and tab_unseleceted.xml and setting the right android:state_XXX combinations and the color of the whole tab background is given by the element, but you can use a solid color on a rectangle shape.

A custom tab_indicator (without an image) goes like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="0dip" 
    android:layout_height="52dip" 
    android:layout_weight="1"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:background="@drawable/tab_indicator_selector" 
    android:layout_marginTop="2dp"
    android:padding="2dp">

    <TextView android:id="@+id/tab_title"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
        android:textSize="11dp" 
        android:textStyle="bold" 
        android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        style="?android:attr/tabWidgetStyle"
    />    
</RelativeLayout>