How do I make a dotted/dashed line in Android?

the path effect is set on the paint object

Paint fgPaintSel = new Paint();
fgPaintSel.setARGB(255, 0, 0,0);
fgPaintSel.setStyle(Style.STROKE);
fgPaintSel.setPathEffect(new DashPathEffect(new float[] {10f,20f}, 0f));

you can create all sorts of dotted patterns by supplying more numbers in the int[] array it specifies the ratios of dash and gap. This is a simple, equally dashed, line.

Without java code:

drawable/dotted.xml:

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

    <stroke
       android:color="#FF00FF"
       android:dashWidth="10px"
       android:dashGap="10px"
       android:width="1dp"/>
</shape>

view.xml:

<ImageView
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="5dp"
    android:src="@drawable/dotted"
    android:layerType="software" />

Effect: