In this tutorial, you will learn how to delete multiple selected items in your listview using a contextual action bar (CAB). A contextual action bar appears at the top of the screen to present actions the user can perform on the currently selected items. The user can select multiple items, deselect items, and continue to navigate within the listview. We will create a listview to show texts and images and on listview long item click will allow the users to select multiple items and on delete button click will remove the selected items. So lets begin…

Create a new project in Eclipse File > New > Android Application Project. Fill in the details and name your project MultipleDeleteListView.

Application Name : MultipleDeleteListView

Project Name : MultipleDeleteListView

Package Name : com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview

Open your MainActivity.java and paste the following code.

MainActivity.java

package com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview;

import android.os.Bundle;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.util.SparseBooleanArray;
import android.view.ActionMode;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.MenuItem;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import android.widget.AbsListView.MultiChoiceModeListener;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

	// Declare Variables
	ListView list;
	ListViewAdapter listviewadapter;
	List<WorldPopulation> worldpopulationlist = new ArrayList<WorldPopulation>();
	String[] rank;
	String[] country;
	String[] population;
	int[] flag;

	@Override
	protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
		super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
		// Get the view from listview_main.xml
		setContentView(R.layout.listview_main);

		// Generate sample data into string arrays
		rank = new String[] { "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "10" };

		country = new String[] { "China", "India", "United States",
				"Indonesia", "Brazil", "Pakistan", "Nigeria", "Bangladesh",
				"Russia", "Japan" };

		population = new String[] { "1,354,040,000", "1,210,193,422",
				"315,761,000", "237,641,326", "193,946,886", "182,912,000",
				"170,901,000", "152,518,015", "143,369,806", "127,360,000" };

		flag = new int[] { R.drawable.china, R.drawable.india,
				R.drawable.unitedstates, R.drawable.indonesia,
				R.drawable.brazil, R.drawable.pakistan, R.drawable.nigeria,
				R.drawable.bangladesh, R.drawable.russia, R.drawable.japan };

		for (int i = 0; i < rank.length; i++) {
			WorldPopulation worldpopulation = new WorldPopulation(flag[i],
					rank[i], country[i], population[i]);
			worldpopulationlist.add(worldpopulation);
		}

		// Locate the ListView in listview_main.xml
		list = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.listview);

		// Pass results to ListViewAdapter Class
		listviewadapter = new ListViewAdapter(this, R.layout.listview_item,
				worldpopulationlist);

		// Binds the Adapter to the ListView
		list.setAdapter(listviewadapter);
		list.setChoiceMode(ListView.CHOICE_MODE_MULTIPLE_MODAL);
		// Capture ListView item click
		list.setMultiChoiceModeListener(new MultiChoiceModeListener() {

			@Override
			public void onItemCheckedStateChanged(ActionMode mode,
					int position, long id, boolean checked) {
				// Capture total checked items
				final int checkedCount = list.getCheckedItemCount();
				// Set the CAB title according to total checked items
				mode.setTitle(checkedCount + " Selected");
				// Calls toggleSelection method from ListViewAdapter Class
				listviewadapter.toggleSelection(position);
			}

			@Override
			public boolean onActionItemClicked(ActionMode mode, MenuItem item) {
				switch (item.getItemId()) {
				case R.id.delete:
					// Calls getSelectedIds method from ListViewAdapter Class
					SparseBooleanArray selected = listviewadapter
							.getSelectedIds();
					// Captures all selected ids with a loop
					for (int i = (selected.size() - 1); i >= 0; i--) {
						if (selected.valueAt(i)) {
							WorldPopulation selecteditem = listviewadapter
									.getItem(selected.keyAt(i));
							// Remove selected items following the ids
							listviewadapter.remove(selecteditem);
						}
					}
					// Close CAB
					mode.finish();
					return true;
				default:
					return false;
				}
			}

			@Override
			public boolean onCreateActionMode(ActionMode mode, Menu menu) {
				mode.getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
				return true;
			}

			@Override
			public void onDestroyActionMode(ActionMode mode) {
				// TODO Auto-generated method stub
				listviewadapter.removeSelection();
			}

			@Override
			public boolean onPrepareActionMode(ActionMode mode, Menu menu) {
				// TODO Auto-generated method stub
				return false;
			}
		});
	}
}

In this activity, we have created string arrays with sample data and pass it into the ListViewAdapter class. On listview long item click will allow the user to select multiple items.

We have prepared some sample images for this tutorial. Insert your downloaded sample images into your res > drawable-hdpi.

Sample Images

[wpfilebase tag=file id=35 tpl=download-button /]

Next, create an XML graphical layout for your MainActivity. Go to res > layout > Right Click on layout > New > Android XML File

Name your new XML file listview_main.xml and paste the following code.

listview_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" >

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/listview"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent" />

</RelativeLayout>

Next, create an XML graphical layout for your contextual action bar (CAB). Go to res > menu > Right Click on menu > New > Android XML File

Name your new XML file activity_main.xml and paste the following code.

activity_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >

    <item
        android:id="@+id/delete"
        android:title="@string/delete"/>

</menu>

Next, create an array class. Go to File > New > Class and name it WorldPopulation.java. Select your package named com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview and click Finish.

Open your WorldPopulation.java and paste the following code.

WorldPopulation.java

package com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview;

public class WorldPopulation {
	private String rank;
	private String country;
	private String population;
	private int flag;

	public WorldPopulation(int flag, String rank, String country,
			String population) {
		this.rank = rank;
		this.country = country;
		this.population = population;
		this.flag = flag;
	}

	public String getRank() {
		return rank;
	}

	public void setRank(String rank) {
		this.rank = rank;
	}

	public String getCountry() {
		return country;
	}

	public void setCountry(String country) {
		this.country = country;
	}

	public String getPopulation() {
		return population;
	}

	public void setPopulation(String population) {
		this.population = population;
	}

	public int getFlag() {
		return flag;
	}

	public void setFlag(int flag) {
		this.flag = flag;
	}

}

Next, create a custom listview adapter. Go to File > New > Class and name it ListViewAdapter.java. Select your package named com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview and click Finish.

Open your ListViewAdapter.java and paste the following code.

ListViewAdapter.java

package com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview;

import android.util.SparseBooleanArray;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.TextView;
import java.util.List;

import android.content.Context;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.ImageView;

public class ListViewAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<WorldPopulation> {
	// Declare Variables
	Context context;
	LayoutInflater inflater;
	List<WorldPopulation> worldpopulationlist;
	private SparseBooleanArray mSelectedItemsIds;

	public ListViewAdapter(Context context, int resourceId,
			List<WorldPopulation> worldpopulationlist) {
		super(context, resourceId, worldpopulationlist);
		mSelectedItemsIds = new SparseBooleanArray();
		this.context = context;
		this.worldpopulationlist = worldpopulationlist;
		inflater = LayoutInflater.from(context);
	}

	private class ViewHolder {
		TextView rank;
		TextView country;
		TextView population;
		ImageView flag;
	}

	public View getView(int position, View view, ViewGroup parent) {
		final ViewHolder holder;
		if (view == null) {
			holder = new ViewHolder();
			view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.listview_item, null);
			// Locate the TextViews in listview_item.xml
			holder.rank = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.rank);
			holder.country = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.country);
			holder.population = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.population);
			// Locate the ImageView in listview_item.xml
			holder.flag = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.flag);
			view.setTag(holder);
		} else {
			holder = (ViewHolder) view.getTag();
		}
		// Capture position and set to the TextViews
		holder.rank.setText(worldpopulationlist.get(position).getRank());
		holder.country.setText(worldpopulationlist.get(position).getCountry());
		holder.population.setText(worldpopulationlist.get(position)
				.getPopulation());
		// Capture position and set to the ImageView
		holder.flag.setImageResource(worldpopulationlist.get(position)
				.getFlag());
		return view;
	}

	@Override
	public void remove(WorldPopulation object) {
		worldpopulationlist.remove(object);
		notifyDataSetChanged();
	}

	public List<WorldPopulation> getWorldPopulation() {
		return worldpopulationlist;
	}

	public void toggleSelection(int position) {
		selectView(position, !mSelectedItemsIds.get(position));
	}

	public void removeSelection() {
		mSelectedItemsIds = new SparseBooleanArray();
		notifyDataSetChanged();
	}

	public void selectView(int position, boolean value) {
		if (value)
			mSelectedItemsIds.put(position, value);
		else
			mSelectedItemsIds.delete(position);
		notifyDataSetChanged();
	}

	public int getSelectedCount() {
		return mSelectedItemsIds.size();
	}

	public SparseBooleanArray getSelectedIds() {
		return mSelectedItemsIds;
	}
}

In this custom listview adapter class, string arrays are passed into the ListViewAdapter and set into the TextViews  and ImageViews followed by the positions.

Next, create an XML graphical layout for your listview item. Go to res > layout > Right Click on layout > New > Android XML File

Name your new XML file listview_item.xml and paste the following code.

listview_item.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:background="?android:attr/activatedBackgroundIndicator" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/ranklabel"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="@string/ranklabel" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/rank"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/ranklabel" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/countrylabel"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@+id/ranklabel"
        android:text="@string/countrylabel" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/country"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@+id/rank"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/countrylabel" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/populationlabel"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@+id/countrylabel"
        android:text="@string/populationlabel" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/population"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@+id/country"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/populationlabel" />

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/flag"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
        android:background="#000000"
        android:padding="1dp" />

</RelativeLayout>

Next, change the application name and texts. Open your strings.xml in your res > values folder and paste the following code.

strings.xml

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

    <string name="app_name">Multiple Selection ListView</string>
    <string name="hello_world">Hello world!</string>
    <string name="ranklabel">"Rank : "</string>
    <string name="countrylabel">"Country : "</string>
    <string name="populationlabel">"Population : "</string>
    <string name="delete">Delete</string>

</resources>

In your AndroidManifest.xml, set the minimum SDK version to 11. Refer to this link for more info regarding minimum SDK requirements. Open your AndroidManifest.xml and paste the following code.

AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.androidbegin.multipledeletelistview"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="11"
        android:targetSdkVersion="15" />

    <application
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Output:

Source Code  

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