How to Integrate Snap Time Picker in Your Android Application

May 18, 2023 | Programming

Are you tired of the default Material Time Picker? Fear not! The Snap Time Picker is here to rescue your users from confusing time selection! This nifty library creates a user-friendly time picker interface that integrates beautifully with Material Design. In this post, we’ll walk you through the steps to integrate the Snap Time Picker into your Android application.

Getting Started: Installation

To start using the Snap Time Picker, you need to add it to your project. Since version 1.0.3, the library has transitioned from JCenter to MavenCentral. Here’s how to do it:

  • Open your build.gradle file in the project’s root directory
  • Ensure you have the Maven Central repository included:
  • allprojects {
            repositories {
                mavenCentral()
                // ... other repositories
            }
        }
  • Add the Snap Time Picker dependency to your app’s build.gradle file:
  • implementation 'com.akexorcist:snap-time-picker:1.0.3'

Using Snap Time Picker

Now that you have the Snap Time Picker integrated, let’s look at how to use it. Think of creating a SnapTimePicker like setting up a puzzle box where each piece needs to fit perfectly to form a beautiful picture. Here’s how to unlock its potential:

1. Create the SnapTimePickerDialog

To display the time picker, you need to create an instance of SnapTimePickerDialog. Here’s how you can do it:

val dialog = SnapTimePickerDialog.Builder().build()
dialog.show(supportFragmentManager, "timePickerTag")

Consider this as opening the lid of your puzzle box; now you’re ready to pick your pieces (or select a time in this case)!

2. Customizing Your Time Picker

Customization is key to making your app standout! You can customize various properties like title, prefix, suffix, theme colors, and even button texts. Here’s an example:

SnapTimePickerDialog.Builder().apply {
    setTitle(R.string.title)
    setPrefix(R.string.time_suffix)
    setSuffix(R.string.time_prefix)
    setThemeColor(R.color.colorAccent)
    setTitleColor(R.color.colorWhite)
}.build().show(supportFragmentManager, "timePickerTag")

This code is akin to painting each puzzle piece a different color to match the overall theme of your artwork!

3. Handling Time Selections

Want to know when a user has selected a time? Use the listener feature!

SnapTimePickerDialog.Builder().apply {
    .build().apply {
        setListener { hour, minute ->
            // Do something with the selected time
        }
    }
    .show(supportFragmentManager, "timePickerTag")
}

Just like finding the final piece of your puzzle that reveals the whole image, this code captures user interaction seamlessly!

4. Support for Configuration Changes

Android devices can change orientation, which may disrupt your time selection. To manage this, leverage ViewModel and LiveData:

SnapTimePickerDialog.Builder().apply {
    useViewModel()
    .build().show(supportFragmentManager, SnapTimePickerDialog.TAG)
}
SnapTimePickerUtil.observe(this) { selectedHour, selectedMinute ->
    onTimePicked(selectedHour, selectedMinute)
}

This approach acts like a sturdy puzzle board; it helps you keep everything together despite the twists and turns of device usage.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you encounter issues while integrating the Snap Time Picker, here are a few tips:

  • Ensure you have the correct version of the Snap Time Picker added to your dependencies.
  • Make sure to use SupportFragmentManager correctly when showing the dialog.
  • If the dialog doesn’t appear, verify that your context is valid.
  • For pre-selected times, check that the TimeValue and time range are defined correctly.
  • To make the dialog responsive to configuration changes, remember to implement the ViewModel pattern.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

Integrating the Snap Time Picker can enhance user experience significantly by providing a sleek, modern solution to time selection in your app. With its customizable features and orientation support, you can ensure your app is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

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