Difference between res/color and res/values/colors.xml in Android resources folder

Question

Is there any reason, why in the resources folder we have two folders in which we can define colors? (according to android developer page http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/providing-resources.html#ResourceTypes).

This is the quote from android developer page:

values/
XML files that contain simple values, such as strings, integers, and colors.

color/
XML files that define a state list of colors. See Color State List Resource

Is there any difference between Colors stored in res/colors and res/values? Which one is more preferable?

Solution 1

See Color State List Resource

Did you follow that link? http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/color-list-resource.html

I think it answers your question.

Solution 2

By location,

res/color/

Is for the resource that is compiled to datatype Resource pointer to a ColorStateList.

• A ColorStateList is an object you can define in XML that you can apply as a color, but will actually change colors, depending on the state of the View object to which it is applied.

• syntax:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
     <item
      android:color="hex_color"
      android:state_pressed=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_focused=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_selected=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_checkable=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_checked=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_enabled=["true" | "false"]
      android:state_window_focused=["true" | "false"] />
    </selector>
  

res/values/

If you want to provide a static color resource, use a simple Color value.

• That is a color value defined in XML, specified with an RGB value and alpha channel.
• You can use a color resource any place that accepts a hexadecimal color value.
• You can also use a color resource when a drawable resource is expected in XML (for example, android:drawable="@color/green").

Comments

[Chor Wai Chun]

In very general form, you can refer /values as a fix color, eg: black = #000000, so you can call "black" in layout instead of writing "#000000". While /color gives you the option to have different color on different view stat, eg: different color on disabled and enabled button.