ViewBinding - how to get binding for included layouts?

In case of:

1. Include with generic layout (not merge node), we need to assign ID to included part, this way in binding we will have access to included sub part

<include
    android:id="@+id/your_id"
    layout="@layout/some_layout" />

This way in your activity code:

private lateinit var exampleBinding: ActivityExampleBinding  //activity_example.xml layout

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    exampleBinding = ActivityExampleBinding.inflate(layoutInflater)
    setContentView(exampleBinding.root)
    //we will be able to access included layouts view like this
    val includedView: View = exampleBinding.yourId.idOfIncludedView
//[...]
}

2. Include with merge block in external layout. We can't add ID to it because merge block is not a view. Let's say we have such eternal merge layout (merge_layout.xm):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    tools:showIn="@layout/activity_example">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/some_view"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Hello World" />
</merge>

To properly bind such merge layout we need to:

In your activity code:

private lateinit var exampleBinding: ActivityExampleBinding  //activity_example.xml layout
private lateinit var mergeBinding: MergeLayoutBinding  //merge_layout.xml layout

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    exampleBinding = ActivityExampleBinding.inflate(layoutInflater)
    //we need to bind the root layout with our binder for external layout
    mergeBinding = MergeLayoutBinding.bind(exampleBinding.root)
    setContentView(exampleBinding.root)
    //we will be able to access included in merge layout views like this
    val mergedView: View = mergeBinding.someView
//[...]
}

Your first question, that is working with an included layout using ViewBinding can be solved so easily.

Here is a sample main_fragment.xml file

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

    <androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView
        android:id="@+id/recycler_view_main"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_weight="1" />

    <include
        android:id="@+id/toolbar"
        layout="@layout/toolbar" />

</LinearLayout>

And MainFragment.java can be like this

public class MeaningFragment extends Fragment {

    private MainFragmentBinding binding;
    private ToolbarBinding toolbarBinding;

    @Nullable
    @Override
    public View onCreateView(@NonNull LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                         Bundle savedInstanceState) {

        binding = MainFragmentBinding.inflate(inflater, container, false);
        toolbarBinding = binding.toolbar;

        return binding.getRoot();
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();

        toolbarBinding = null;
        binding = null;
    }
}

Now, you have two bindings. one of them is the default and the next one is from the included layout.