How to assign text size in sp value using java code

Question

If I assign an integer value to change a certain text size of a TextView using java code, the value is interpreted as pixel (px).

Now does anyone know how to assign it in sp?

score 584 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 11 '12 at 17:02

584

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/TextView.html#setTextSize%28int,%20float%29

Example:

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, 65);

edited Sep 11 '12 at 17:02

John Leehey

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answered Aug 19 '11 at 07:37

Santosh

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Since SP stands for scaled *pixels* you'll need to reduce the size by screen density. It's easily done as follows: SCREEN_DENSITY = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density; yourView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, (desiredTextHeightInSP / SCREEN_DENSITY); – PeteH Sep 13 '14 at 23:50
4

The solution didn't work for me when I tried to collect SP from resources. PeteH, you got me on the right track! The following did the trick for me: ... float textSize = getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.textsize) / getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density; myTextView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, textSize); – P Kuijpers Oct 22 '14 at 13:53
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If you get the sp size from your resources, you should use COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, like this: `textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.my_text_size_in_sp));` Getting your text size this way will already convert SP to PX, taking both screen density and text scale factor in account. – Ciske Aug 12 '15 at 09:30
The provided solution worked for me as shown. Thanks! – Martin Erlic Jan 23 '17 at 16:33
The actual answer did it for me, i dont why but suggestions from comments made my text go microscopic while trying to set sp tp 11 – MDT Jun 21 '21 at 12:47

klimat · Answer 2 · 2016-09-15T10:15:10.450

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Cleaner and more reusable approach is

define text size in dimens.xml file inside res/values/ directory:

</resources>
   <dimen name="text_medium">14sp</dimen>
</resources>

and then apply it to the TextView:

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, context.getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.text_medium));

edited Sep 15 '16 at 10:15

answered Sep 15 '16 at 09:56

klimat

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score 37 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 15 '10 at 06:42

37

You can use a DisplayMetrics object to help convert between pixels and scaled pixels with the scaledDensity attribute.

DisplayMetrics dm = new DisplayMetrics();
getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(dm);
pixelSize = (int)scaledPixelSize * dm.scaledDensity;

answered Jan 15 '10 at 06:42

Dave Webb

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This will take the screen density scaling factor into account but not the text scale factor that the user may have specified via settings. I believe @Santosh's solution will take this factor into account whereas this snippet does not. – greg7gkb May 29 '14 at 18:08
3

But sometimes you are not able to use the method of @Santosh for example when you write a Paint into a canvas. Then this method comes handy and works pretty well, therefore thumbs up for these two answers! – byemute Sep 25 '14 at 09:21
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@greg7gkb not true, documentation says ```may be adjusted in smaller increments at runtime based on a user preference for the font size``` so the font size **will** be taken into account. – Luca Vitucci Dec 14 '15 at 10:35

score 20 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 26 '13 at 06:50

Based on the the source code of setTextSize:

public void setTextSize(int unit, float size) {
    Context c = getContext();
    Resources r;

    if (c == null)
        r = Resources.getSystem();
    else
        r = c.getResources();

    setRawTextSize(TypedValue.applyDimension(
        unit, size, r.getDisplayMetrics()));
}

I build this function for calulating any demension to pixels:

int getPixels(int unit, float size) {
    DisplayMetrics metrics = Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics();
    return (int)TypedValue.applyDimension(unit, size, metrics);
}

Where unit is something like TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP.

the last method is a life saver. – Ajibola Feb 12 '14 at 17:52 — Ajibola, Feb 12 '14 at 17:52

pomber · Answer 5 · 2015-06-03T13:32:20.257

18

When the accepted answer doesn't work (for example when dealing with Paint) you can use:

float spTextSize = 12;
float textSize = spTextSize * getResources().getDisplayMetrics().scaledDensity;
textPaint.setTextSize(textSize);

edited Jun 03 '15 at 13:32

answered Feb 14 '15 at 16:23

pomber

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ok, it work , That's what I want, thanks pomber for sharing it ! – Mr. Lemon Nov 30 '18 at 06:19

score 13 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 11 '13 at 23:20

By default setTextSize, without units work in SP (scales pixel)

public void setTextSize (float size) 
Added in API level 1
Set the default text size to the given value, interpreted as "scaled pixel" units. This 
size is adjusted based on the current density and user font size preference.

macio.Jun · Answer 7 · 2015-03-30T15:07:37.880

Thanks @John Leehey and @PeterH:

desiredSp = getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.desired_sp);
density = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_SP, desiredSp / density);

The thing is if you define R.dimen.desired_sp to 25 in your dimen.xml

On non-HD Device: desiredSp is still 25, density = 1
On HD Device(like Nexus 7 2nd Generation): desiredSp becomes 50 ish, density = 2

score 9 · Answer 8 · answered Sep 20 '16 at 09:50

9

semeTextView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, 
                       context.getResources().getDimension(R.dimen.text_size_in_dp))

answered Sep 20 '16 at 09:50

William Hu

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Please explain how setting the text size as pixel value (COMPLEX_UNIT_PX) will be helpful. OP wants to "assign text size in sp value" – Bö macht Blau Sep 20 '16 at 16:28
if you use `COMPLEX_UNIT_PX` you need to divide density. – William Hu Sep 21 '16 at 00:22
I think it's because getDimension already converted 'dp' to 'px' – Ali Mousavi Kherad Oct 13 '16 at 00:28

score 4 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 14 '17 at 16:53

4

This is code for the convert PX to SP format. 100% Works

view.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_PX, 24);

answered Mar 14 '17 at 16:53

Kamran Gasimov

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score 3 · Answer 10 · answered Jul 14 '19 at 13:45

From Api level 1, you can use the public void setTextSize (float size) method.

From the documentation:

Set the default text size to the given value, interpreted as "scaled pixel" units. This size is adjusted based on the current density and user font size preference.

Parameters: size -> float: The scaled pixel size.

So you can simple do:

textView.setTextSize(12); // your size in sp

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 04 '18 at 14:35

After trying all the solutions and none giving acceptable results (maybe because I was working on a device with default very large fonts), the following worked for me (COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP = Device Independent Pixels):

textView.setTextSize(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP, 14);

How to assign text size in sp value using java code

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