Android AlertDialog Tutorial
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Android AlertDialog is a dialog that displays a message, and support 1, 2 or 3 buttons. It makes it easy to create a dialog with just a few lines of code.

AlertDialog includes 3 areas:
- Title area
- Content area
- Button area

Landscape screen

Portrait screen
Title area
Use the setTitle(), setIcon() methods to set title and icon for the dialog box, which will be viewed in the Title area. Otherwise, use the setCustomTitle(View) method if you would like to have a customized Title area.
Content area
The Content area can display a message, a list of options and so on.
Buttons area
This area has a maximum of 3 buttons: Positive button, Negative button, and Neutral button, in which the first 2 buttons support Text & Icon, while the Neutral button only supports Text, however, you can have the icon displayed with a little trick (See more in the example).
Example preview:

AlertButtonExample0.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.content.Context; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; public class AlertDialogExample0 { public static void showAlertDialog(final Context context) { final Drawable positiveIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_positive); final Drawable negativeIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_negative); final Drawable neutralIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_neutral); AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context); // Set Title and Message: builder.setTitle("Title").setMessage("This is a message"); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "Positive" button with OnClickListener. builder.setPositiveButton("Positive", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(context,"You choose positive button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } }); builder.setPositiveButtonIcon(positiveIcon); // Create "Negative" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNegativeButton("Negative", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(context,"You choose positive button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // Cancel dialog.cancel(); } }); builder.setNegativeButtonIcon(negativeIcon); // Create "Neutral" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNeutralButton("Neutral", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { // Action for 'NO' Button Toast.makeText(context,"You choose neutral button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } }); builder.setNeutralButtonIcon(neutralIcon); // Not working!!! // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }

AlertDialogExample2.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.app.Activity; import android.content.Context; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; public class AlertDialogExample2 { public static void showAlertDialog(final Context context) { final Drawable positiveIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_positive); final Drawable negativeIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_negative); AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context); // Set Title and Message: builder.setTitle("Confirmation").setMessage("Do you want to close this app?"); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "Yes" button with OnClickListener. builder.setPositiveButton("Yes", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(context,"You choose Yes button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); Activity activity = (Activity) context; activity.finish(); } }); builder.setPositiveButtonIcon(positiveIcon); // Create "No" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNegativeButton("No", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(context,"You choose No button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // Cancel dialog.cancel(); } }); builder.setNegativeButtonIcon(negativeIcon); // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }
This is an example of the AlertDialog with a list of different options for the user to select:

AlertDialogListExample.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.app.Activity; import android.content.Context; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; public class AlertDialogListExample { public static void showAlertDialog(final Activity activity) { final Drawable negativeIcon = activity.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_negative); AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(activity); // Set Title. builder.setTitle("Select an Animal"); // Add a list final String[] animals = {"Horse", "Cow", "Camel", "Sheep", "Goat"}; builder.setItems(animals, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { String animal = animals[which]; dialog.dismiss(); // Close Dialog // Do some thing.... // For example: Call method of MainActivity. Toast.makeText(activity,"You select: " + animal, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // activity.someMethod(animal); } }); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "Cancel" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(activity,"You choose No button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // Cancel dialog.cancel(); } }); builder.setNegativeButtonIcon(negativeIcon); // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }

AlertDialogSingleChoiceExample.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.app.Activity; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; import java.util.HashSet; import java.util.Set; public class AlertDialogSingleChoiceExample { public static void showAlertDialog(final Activity activity) { AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(activity); // Set Title. builder.setTitle("Select an Animal"); // Add a list final String[] animals = {"Horse", "Cow", "Camel", "Sheep", "Goat"}; int checkedItem = 3; // Sheep final Set<String> selectedItems = new HashSet<String>(); selectedItems.add(animals[checkedItem]); builder.setSingleChoiceItems(animals, checkedItem, new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { // Do Something... selectedItems.clear(); selectedItems.add(animals[which]); } }); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "Yes" button with OnClickListener. builder.setPositiveButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { if(selectedItems.isEmpty()) { return; } String animal = selectedItems.iterator().next(); // Close Dialog dialog.dismiss(); // Do something, for example: Call a method of Activity... Toast.makeText(activity,"You select " + animal, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } }); // Create "Cancel" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(activity,"You choose Cancel button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // Cancel dialog.cancel(); } }); // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }

AlertDialogMultiChoiceExample.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.app.Activity; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; import java.util.HashSet; import java.util.Set; public class AlertDialogMultiChoiceExample { public static void showAlertDialog(final Activity activity) { AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(activity); // Set Title. builder.setTitle("Select an Animal"); // Add a list final String[] animals = {"Horse", "Cow", "Camel", "Sheep", "Goat"}; final boolean[] checkedInfos = new boolean[]{false, false, false, true, false}; // Sheep builder.setMultiChoiceItems(animals, checkedInfos, new DialogInterface.OnMultiChoiceClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which, boolean isChecked) { checkedInfos[which] = isChecked; } }); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "Yes" button with OnClickListener. builder.setPositiveButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { // Close Dialog dialog.dismiss(); String s= null; for(int i=0; i< animals.length;i++) { if(checkedInfos[i]) { if(s == null) { s = animals[i]; } else { s+= ", " + animals[i]; } } } s = s == null? "":s; // Do something, for example: Call a method of Activity... Toast.makeText(activity,"You select " + s, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } }); // Create "Cancel" button with OnClickListener. builder.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { Toast.makeText(activity,"You choose Cancel button", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); // Cancel dialog.cancel(); } }); // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }
By applying the setCustomTitle(View) method, you can customize the Title area of AlertDialog:

And probably use Android Resource File in order to create the interface of the Title area.
AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context); // Custom Title Area. LayoutInflater inflater = context.getLayoutInflater(); View view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.layout_custom_title, null); builder.setCustomTitle(view); ... // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show();
Alright, now let's create a Layout Resource File:
- File > New > Android Resource File
- File Name: layout_custom_title.xml
- Resource type: Layout
- Directory name: layout

Then design the interface of the Title area:

layout_custom_title.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent"> <ImageView android:id="@+id/imageView" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginTop="16dp" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" app:srcCompat="@drawable/icon_title" /> <TextView android:id="@+id/textView" android:layout_width="0dp" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_marginStart="16dp" android:layout_marginLeft="16dp" android:layout_marginTop="8dp" android:layout_marginEnd="16dp" android:layout_marginRight="16dp" android:background="#E3DCC4" android:gravity="center" android:text="This is the Title" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/imageView" /> </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
AlertDialogCustomTitleExample.java
package org.o7planning.alertdialogexample; import android.app.Activity; import android.content.Context; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable; import android.view.LayoutInflater; import android.view.View; import android.widget.Toast; import androidx.appcompat.app.AlertDialog; public class AlertDialogCustomTitleExample { public static void showAlertDialog(final Activity context) { final Drawable positiveIcon = context.getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.icon_positive); AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(context); // Custom Title Area. LayoutInflater inflater = context.getLayoutInflater(); View view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.layout_custom_title, null); builder.setCustomTitle(view); // Message. builder.setMessage("This is AlertDialog with Custom Title Area"); // builder.setCancelable(true); builder.setIcon(R.drawable.icon_title); // Create "OK" button with OnClickListener. builder.setPositiveButton("OK", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) { } }); builder.setPositiveButtonIcon(positiveIcon); // Create AlertDialog: AlertDialog alert = builder.create(); alert.show(); } }