Android Wear Watch Face: onDraw() alternative in WatchFaceService?

Question

as explained here (https://developer.android.com/training/wearables/watch-faces/service.html) to draw a watch face I have to use the method OnDraw, is that right? there are no alternatives?

is this a joke? no layout from xml management? no dpi management? no screen format management? etc etc?

really?

Please tell me I'm wrong!

PS this page (http://www.binpress.com/tutorial/how-to-create-a-custom-android-wear-watch-face/120) make a watch face using a normal activity, it's correct or not?

Answer 1

In onCreateEngine() of your WatchFaceService, get the inflater:

mInflater = (LayoutInflater) this.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);

then in onCreate() of your Engine, inflate your layout:

mFrameLayout = (FrameLayout) mInflater.inflate(R.layout.main, null);

then in onDraw(), measure, layout and draw the view:

        //Measure the view at the exact dimensions (otherwise the text won't center correctly)
        int widthSpec = View.MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(bounds.width(), View.MeasureSpec.EXACTLY);
        int heightSpec = View.MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(bounds.height(), View.MeasureSpec.EXACTLY);
        mFrameLayout.measure(widthSpec, heightSpec);

        //Lay the view out at the rect width and height
        mFrameLayout.layout(0, 0, bounds.width(), bounds.height());

        mFrameLayout.draw(canvas);

Just don't expect to do this with a TextClock. It doesn't exist on Android Wear. Apparently, Google didn't anticipate developers would want to display a clock on the watchface!

Answer 2

You're right, you have to use a Canvas or OpenGL. The link you gave explained an old workaround working for pre 5.0 version. Now, you have to use the new API.