Android Custom ListView With CheckBox Example. Windows & iPhone Tricks

This example will show you how to add a checkbox to each android listview item. It also demonstrates how to select all, deselect all, reverse select and remove selected listview items programmatically.

Table of Contents

1. Android ListView With CheckBox Example.

Below is this example demo video ( select all none reverse and delete selected list view items example ).

There are four Java classes, one main layout XML file, and one list view item layout XML file in the above example.

./
├── app
│   ├── build.gradle
│   ├── proguard-rules.pro
│   └── src
│       ├── main
│       │   ├── AndroidManifest.xml
│       │   ├── java
│       │   │   └── com
│       │   │       └── dev2qa
│       │   │           └── example
│       │   │               ├── view
│       │   │               │   ├── listview
│       │   │               │   │   └── checkbox
│       │   │               │   │       ├── ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter.java
│       │   │               │   │       ├── ListViewItemDTO.java
│       │   │               │   │       ├── ListViewItemViewHolder.java
│       │   │               │   │       └── ListViewWithCheckboxActivity.java
│       │   ├── res
│       │   │   ├── layout
│       │   │   │   ├── activity_list_view_with_checkbox.xml
│       │   │   │   ├── activity_list_view_with_checkbox_item.xml

1.1 Main Activity Java File.

ListViewWithCheckboxActivity.java

package com.dev2qa.example.view.listview.checkbox;

import android.app.Dialog;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v7.app.AlertDialog;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.AdapterView;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.CheckBox;
import android.widget.ListView;

import com.dev2qa.example.R;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

public class ListViewWithCheckboxActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_list_view_with_checkbox);

        setTitle("dev2qa.com - Android ListView With CheckBox");

        // Get listview checkbox.
        final ListView listViewWithCheckbox = (ListView)findViewById(R.id.list_view_with_checkbox);

        // Initiate listview data.
        final List<ListViewItemDTO> initItemList = this.getInitViewItemDtoList();

        // Create a custom list view adapter with checkbox control.
        final ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter listViewDataAdapter = new ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter(getApplicationContext(), initItemList);

        listViewDataAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();

        // Set data adapter to list view.
        listViewWithCheckbox.setAdapter(listViewDataAdapter);

        // When list view item is clicked.
        listViewWithCheckbox.setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView.OnItemClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> adapterView, View view, int itemIndex, long l) {
                // Get user selected item.
                Object itemObject = adapterView.getAdapter().getItem(itemIndex);

                // Translate the selected item to DTO object.
                ListViewItemDTO itemDto = (ListViewItemDTO)itemObject;

                // Get the checkbox.
                CheckBox itemCheckbox = (CheckBox) view.findViewById(R.id.list_view_item_checkbox);

                // Reverse the checkbox and clicked item check state.
                if(itemDto.isChecked())
                {
                    itemCheckbox.setChecked(false);
                    itemDto.setChecked(false);
                }else
                {
                    itemCheckbox.setChecked(true);
                    itemDto.setChecked(true);
                }

                //Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "select item text : " + itemDto.getItemText(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
        });

        // Click this button to select all listview items with checkbox checked.
        Button selectAllButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.list_select_all);
        selectAllButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                int size = initItemList.size();
                for(int i=0;i<size;i++)
                {
                    ListViewItemDTO dto = initItemList.get(i);
                    dto.setChecked(true);
                }

                listViewDataAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
            }
        });

        // Click this button to disselect all listview items with checkbox unchecked.
        Button selectNoneButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.list_select_none);
        selectNoneButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                int size = initItemList.size();
                for(int i=0;i<size;i++)
                {
                    ListViewItemDTO dto = initItemList.get(i);
                    dto.setChecked(false);
                }

                listViewDataAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
            }
        });

        // Click this button to reverse select listview items.
        Button selectReverseButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.list_select_reverse);
        selectReverseButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                int size = initItemList.size();
                for(int i=0;i<size;i++)
                {
                    ListViewItemDTO dto = initItemList.get(i);

                    if(dto.isChecked())
                    {
                        dto.setChecked(false);
                    }else {
                        dto.setChecked(true);
                    }
                }

                listViewDataAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
            }
        });

        // Click this button to remove selected items from listview.
        Button selectRemoveButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.list_remove_selected_rows);
        selectRemoveButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {

                AlertDialog alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(ListViewWithCheckboxActivity.this).create();
                alertDialog.setMessage("Are you sure to remove selected listview items?");

                alertDialog.setButton(Dialog.BUTTON_POSITIVE, "Confirm", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                    @Override
                    public void onClick(DialogInterface dialogInterface, int which) {
                        int size = initItemList.size();
                        for(int i=0;i<size;i++)
                        {
                            ListViewItemDTO dto = initItemList.get(i);

                            if(dto.isChecked())
                            {
                                initItemList.remove(i);
                                i--;
                                size = initItemList.size();
                            }
                        }

                        listViewDataAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
                    }
                });

                alertDialog.show();
            }
        });

    }


    // Return an initialize list of ListViewItemDTO.
    private List<ListViewItemDTO> getInitViewItemDtoList()
    {
        String itemTextArr[] = {"Android", "iOS", "Java", "JavaScript", "JDBC", "JSP", "Linux", "Python", "Servlet", "Windows"};

        List<ListViewItemDTO> ret = new ArrayList<ListViewItemDTO>();

        int length = itemTextArr.length;

        for(int i=0;i<length;i++)
        {
            String itemText = itemTextArr[i];

            ListViewItemDTO dto = new ListViewItemDTO();
            dto.setChecked(false);
            dto.setItemText(itemText);

            ret.add(dto);
        }

        return ret;
    }
}

1.2 ListView Custom Adapter Java File.

ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter.java

package com.dev2qa.example.view.listview.checkbox;

import android.content.Context;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.BaseAdapter;
import android.widget.CheckBox;
import android.widget.TextView;

import com.dev2qa.example.R;

import java.util.List;

public class ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter extends BaseAdapter {

    private List<ListViewItemDTO> listViewItemDtoList = null;

    private Context ctx = null;

    public ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter(Context ctx, List<ListViewItemDTO> listViewItemDtoList) {
        this.ctx = ctx;
        this.listViewItemDtoList = listViewItemDtoList;
    }

    @Override
    public int getCount() {
        int ret = 0;
        if(listViewItemDtoList!=null)
        {
            ret = listViewItemDtoList.size();
        }
        return ret;
    }

    @Override
    public Object getItem(int itemIndex) {
        Object ret = null;
        if(listViewItemDtoList!=null) {
            ret = listViewItemDtoList.get(itemIndex);
        }
        return ret;
    }

    @Override
    public long getItemId(int itemIndex) {
        return itemIndex;
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int itemIndex, View convertView, ViewGroup viewGroup) {

        ListViewItemViewHolder viewHolder = null;

        if(convertView!=null)
        {
            viewHolder = (ListViewItemViewHolder) convertView.getTag();
        }else
        {
            convertView = View.inflate(ctx, R.layout.activity_list_view_with_checkbox_item, null);

            CheckBox listItemCheckbox = (CheckBox) convertView.findViewById(R.id.list_view_item_checkbox);

            TextView listItemText = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.list_view_item_text);

            viewHolder = new ListViewItemViewHolder(convertView);

            viewHolder.setItemCheckbox(listItemCheckbox);

            viewHolder.setItemTextView(listItemText);

            convertView.setTag(viewHolder);
        }

        ListViewItemDTO listViewItemDto = listViewItemDtoList.get(itemIndex);
        viewHolder.getItemCheckbox().setChecked(listViewItemDto.isChecked());
        viewHolder.getItemTextView().setText(listViewItemDto.getItemText());

        return convertView;
    }
}

1.3 Custom ListView Item ViewHolder Java File.

ListViewItemViewHolder.java

package com.dev2qa.example.view.listview.checkbox;

import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.CheckBox;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class ListViewItemViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {

    private CheckBox itemCheckbox;

    private TextView itemTextView;

    public ListViewItemViewHolder(View itemView) {
        super(itemView);
    }

    public CheckBox getItemCheckbox() {
        return itemCheckbox;
    }

    public void setItemCheckbox(CheckBox itemCheckbox) {
        this.itemCheckbox = itemCheckbox;
    }

    public TextView getItemTextView() {
        return itemTextView;
    }

    public void setItemTextView(TextView itemTextView) {
        this.itemTextView = itemTextView;
    }
}

1.4 ListView Item Data DTO Java File.

ListViewItemDTO.java

package com.dev2qa.example.view.listview.checkbox;

public class ListViewItemDTO {

    private boolean checked = false;

    private String itemText = "";

    public boolean isChecked() {
        return checked;
    }

    public void setChecked(boolean checked) {
        this.checked = checked;
    }

    public String getItemText() {
        return itemText;
    }

    public void setItemText(String itemText) {
        this.itemText = itemText;
    }
}

1.5 Main Layout XML File.

activity_list_view_with_checkbox.xml

<LinearLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/list_view_with_checkbox"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />


    <Button
        android:id="@+id/list_select_all"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Select All" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/list_select_none"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Select None"/>

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/list_select_reverse"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Reverse Select"/>


    <Button
        android:id="@+id/list_remove_selected_rows"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Remove Selected Rows" />

</LinearLayout>

1.6 ListView Item Layout XML File.

activity_list_view_with_checkbox_item.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content">

    <CheckBox
        android:id="@+id/list_view_item_checkbox"
        android:width="0dp"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:clickable="false"
        android:focusable="false"/>

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/list_view_item_text"
        android:layout_weight="9"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:textSize="20dp"/>

</LinearLayout>

William

August 7, 2020 at 9:34 pm

I’m trying to build up this example and am stuck in the xml file
where it says ‘Namespace prefix Android is not defined’. (Using Visual Studio 2019)

eyie

January 15, 2020 at 3:28 pm

I am trying to get the clicked items by updating the initItemList checkbox, but when the process is entering the delete button, the initItemList checked variable is not updated to “true.”

I had to set the clickable and focusable property of the checkbox in the row.xml to “true,” otherwise the UI is not clickable.

Thanks.

paul kiing

July 10, 2019 at 2:54 pm

I tried to run and I get this error any help

Process: com.example.checkbox, PID: 28511
java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method ‘void android.widget.CheckBox.setChecked(boolean)’ on a null object reference
at com.example.checkbox.ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter.getView(ListViewItemCheckboxBaseAdapter.java:78)

jon

June 20, 2019 at 1:23 pm

How to add items to listview

jona

October 29, 2018 at 10:49 pm

filter ?

Pratibha

September 29, 2018 at 6:52 am

How to get selected items from this list

Jerry Zhao
September 29, 2018 at 12:19 pm

Please see the method

// When list view item is clicked.
listViewWithCheckbox.setOnItemClickListener(new AdapterView.OnItemClickListener() {
@Override
public void onItemClick(AdapterView adapterView, View view, int itemIndex, long l)

in ListViewWithCheckboxActivity.java

Ray

September 1, 2018 at 10:17 am

hey,

it seems I cannot resolve symbol widget.recycler, thus “extends recycler.viewholder” won’t work; I am new to all of this, could you please help me solve this?

Jerry Zhao
September 2, 2018 at 1:54 am

What error message can you get?

Sasa
September 12, 2018 at 1:27 pm

add implementation ‘com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:26.1.0’
or higher version to your build.grade 🙂

Vũ

June 22, 2018 at 9:45 am

I want to make a single choice listview. How can I do it?

Jerry Zhao
September 2, 2018 at 1:53 am

Please refer below page, https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8337180/custom-single-choice-listview

Android Custom ListView With CheckBox Example.