How to create bottom navigation bar.

i124Q

I am looking to create Navigation the same as this application for my project:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.osds.rtpi&feature=search_result

I was looking into a couple of different ways but looking for the best practise to use.
1. Bring the ActionBar to the bottom
2. Create the 4-5 buttons in their own XML file (bottomBar.xml) and include that file in each XML layout to be displayed near the bottom?

Or what is the best way to implement this so that I am not having to write the navigation in each layout, I want just to write it once and it be used throughout.

Thanks

Atomic Pineapple

You can just use a tab bar and place it at the bottom but don't unless absolutely necessary it breaches Android design guidelines, tabs belong at the top on Android.

http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/pure-android.html

Draco

No, no and thrice NO!

That's replicating the UI of the tab bar from iOS. When you see it, you can be guarantee the client hasn't a clue about Android and said "make it look like iOS" with no consideration for the Android UI guidelines and best practice.

i124Q

Draco wrote: »

No, no and thrice NO!

That's replicating the UI of the tab bar from iOS. When you see it, you can be guarantee the client hasn't a clue about Android and said "make it look like iOS" with no consideration for the Android UI guidelines and best practice.

Then why did Transport for Ireland go with an iOS navigation scheme? I like it as you don't have to stretch your thumb up to the top, especially on the larger screen phones these days.

Fluffy88

They did it because they are lazy and aren't very good at user experience design.

If you follow Android design principles and use tabs provided by the Android SDK as has been suggested you won't need to worry about stretching your finger to the top of the screen as you can swipe left and right to change tabs :-)

Atomic Pineapple

i124Q wrote: »

Then why did Transport for Ireland go with an iOS navigation scheme? I like it as you don't have to stretch your thumb up to the top, especially on the larger screen phones these days.

Because they failed to do their homework and instead of following Android design guidelines just ported over an iOS design, a sure fire way to annoy Android users, tab buttons on the bottom just don't work on Android, they look ugly, are bad to use and just won't do any good for your application.

As Fluffy88 has stated the correct way to do this is to have tabs at the top and allow a user to swipe left and right.

i124Q

Thank you both for clearing this up. Great help. I'm going with a Swipe UI along with Action Bar Functions.

Fluffy88

You'll be glad you did :-)

If you take a look at a few of the better Android apps to see how things are done properly.
Most of the stock apps fit into this category,
Gmail, Hangouts, People, Calendar, YouTube, Keep, Play Store, Drive

And there is plenty of other apps available that have very good Android UI's. Too many too list but a few I have on my phone are,
AntTek Explorer, AIDE, Light flow, Timely

Or if your up for some light reading take a read of the Android docs linked to above.