Android Screen Clipped at Bottom

Question

I am developing an Android app (see screenshots).

I have a layout that looks fine in the graphical editor. However, the bottom 1/4 of the screen is clipped from view when the app is run in the emulator. The app has several activities, and the problem seems to be widespread to all.

The emulator target is android 2.3, and the problem also occurred on a 2.2 phone.

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
    <ImageView android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:src="@drawable/simpsonstextblack" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/TitleImage" android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal" android:paddingBottom="20dp"></ImageView>
    <RelativeLayout android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/RelativeLayout1" android:padding="5dp">
        <Button android:text="Take the Simpsons Challenge" android:gravity="center" android:clickable="true" android:id="@+id/ChallengeButton" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="50dp" android:textSize="20dp" android:background="@drawable/buttonbackgroundblue"></Button>
        <TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_below="@+id/ChallengeButton" android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/ChallengeButton" android:id="@+id/spacer1" android:layout_height="5dp"></TextView>
        <Button android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:text="Free Play" android:clickable="true" android:id="@+id/FreePlayButton" android:layout_height="50dp" android:textSize="20dp" android:background="@drawable/buttonbackgroundblue" android:layout_below="@+id/spacer1"></Button>
        <TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/spacer2" android:layout_below="@+id/FreePlayButton" android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/FreePlayButton" android:layout_height="5dp"></TextView>
        <Button android:layout_height="50dp" android:textSize="20dp" android:id="@+id/HighScoreButton" android:background="@drawable/buttonbackgroundblue" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:text="High Scores" android:layout_below="@+id/spacer2"></Button>
        <TextView android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/spacer3" android:layout_below="@+id/HighScoreButton" android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/HighScoreButton" android:layout_height="5dp"></TextView>
        <Button android:layout_height="50dp" android:textSize="20dp" android:id="@+id/HelpButton" android:background="@drawable/buttonbackgroundblue" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:text="Help" android:layout_below="@+id/spacer3"></Button>
    </RelativeLayout>
    <RelativeLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/RelativeLayout1" android:layout_height="fill_parent">
        <TextView android:id="@+id/textView1" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="50dp"></TextView>
        <TextView android:layout_below="@+id/textView1" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" android:id="@+id/QuoteText" android:text='"A woman is a lot like a refrigerator. Six feet tall, 300 pounds…it makes ice."'></TextView>
        <TextView android:layout_below="@+id/QuoteText" android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:id="@+id/QuoteTextSpeaker" android:gravity="right" android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text=" - Homer"></TextView>
    </RelativeLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Thank You

Answer 1

I had been targeting SDK 3 when it should have been 4. Apparently targeting SDK 3 causes android to clip the screen if it overextends, rather than shrinking it to fit.

Answer 2

You should not be using so many dummy LinearLayouts inside other LinearLayouts. You need to use RelativeLayouts for these kind of views.