Android LinearLayout Gradient Background

It is also possible to have the third color (center). And different kinds of shapes.

For example in drawable/gradient.xml:

<shape
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">
    <gradient
        android:startColor="#000000"
        android:centerColor="#5b5b5b"
        android:endColor="#000000"
        android:angle="0" />
</shape>

This gives you black - gray - black (left to right) which is my favorite dark background atm.

Remember to add gradient.xml as background in your layout xml:

android:background="@drawable/gradient"

It is also possible to rotate, with:

angle="0"

gives you a vertical line

and with

angle="90"

gives you a horizontal line

Possible angles are:

0, 90, 180, 270.

Also there are few different kind of shapes:

android:shape="rectangle"

Rounded shape:

android:shape="oval"

and problably a few more.

Hope it helps, cheers!

Ok I have managed to solve this using a selector. See code below:

main_header.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="50dip"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:background="@drawable/main_header_selector">
</LinearLayout>

main_header_selector.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<item>
    <shape>
        <gradient
            android:angle="90"
            android:startColor="#FFFF0000"
            android:endColor="#FF00FF00"
            android:type="linear" />
    </shape>
</item>
</selector>

Hopefully this helps someone who has the same problem.