Android: How do I set the textsize for a layout?

Question

I am trying to set the textsize at a global level and cannot figure or find a way to do it.

For example I have something like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<ScrollView xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

<TableLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
         android:id = "@+id/Table"
         android:layout_width="fill_parent"
         android:layout_height="fill_parent"
         android:shrinkColumns="*"  
         android:stretchColumns="*">
</TableLayout>
</ScrollView>

The TableRows and TextViews themselves are generated dynamically depending on user input.

The problem is I would like to set the base textSize globally based on a resource file without having to go and touch a bunch of code. Is there a way to tell the app, "hey app, use this as your base textSize for all the textViews?"

Or phrased another way, in HTML I can set the font size at the body, div, and table levels. Is there something analogous I can do at one the layout (LinearLayout, TableLayout, ScrollView, etc.) levels?

Solution

To set the global styling for all TextViews, set the android:textViewStyle attribute in a custom theme and apply the theme to your application or individual activities.

Pseudocode:

<style name="MyTheme" parent="android:Theme">
  <item name="android:textViewStyle">@style/MyTextView</item>
</style>

<style name="MyTextView" parent="android:Widget.TextView">
  <item name="android:textSize">14sp</item>
</style>

...

<activity android:theme="@style/MyTheme">
  ...

Comments

[k_man]

thanks that did the trick. I googled for hours and could not find it. Thanks again.

[Petr Prazak]

Also worth a mention that "you should prefer the sp (scale-independent pixel) to define text sizes. The sp scale factor depends on a user setting and the system scales the size the same as it does for dp." developer.android.com/guide/practices/…

[Walt Armour]

Finally! We've had text style pain for ages because textAppearance would not inherit/cascade properly (groups.google.com/d/msg/android-developers/KJfM0IhFRrk/…). Using this attribute instead does the trick.

[Walt Armour]

And hours later I realize this answer was not the one I wanted. Using textViewStyle will set the properties but will also prevent local override of those values (by setting textAppearance directly on a TextView). The real solution: do not set android:textAppearance on your theme, set android:textAppearanceSmall! The internals use that latter attribute to setup the styles for default child textviews. This also then allows for local override of the style using android:textAppearance.