Google TV Units not respecting layout qualifiers

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When developing an Android Application that works on multiple devices, 
including the GTV, layout qualifiers are very important so you may target 
specific devices.

Google TV units are using /layout-sw360dp-land as the layout selected @ 320dpi 
@ 1080p, which is shared with phones and other devices.

Tested units include the Revue, Sony GS7, Vizio Co-Star, and HiSense Pulse.

Attempting to use qualifiers such as:
 /layout-television
 /layout-tvdpi
 /layout-xhdpi 

are ignored as well as many other variations of those including -land etc.

In addition, suggestions from your own Google TV Developer Advocates are not 
even valid (and will result in compiler error) - such as:

  /layout-tvdpi-notouch-land-large
  /layout-xhdpi-notouch-land-large
  /layout-television-notouch-land-large

as well as various combinations of the above 3.

Expected behavior:
 Google TV devices should check and use layout-television which I believe is what it is there for - specifically.

Workaround that we implemented:
if 
(getActivity().getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature("com.google.android.tv")) {
  // GTV specific layout implementation, doesn't help TV-sticks, etc...

} else {
  // use the auto-selected layout resource structure...

}

The problem with the above workaround is that it is tedious and needs to be 
added anywhere you have nested layouts.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by DustinBr...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2013 at 4:14

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Project you may test on Google TV devices to see here: 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d3gnc4k5bvkxnxc/GTVLayoutError.zip

Original comment by DustinBr...@gmail.com on 17 Mar 2013 at 4:27

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For multi device apk's that include Google TV the qualifier that works under 
most cases is layout-sw470dp-land - documentation to be updated. 

Original comment by kri...@google.com on 18 Mar 2013 at 2:45

• Changed state: Acknowledged

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I suspect the main reason you are experiencing issues with the 
layout-television qualifier not being picked up as you'd expect is because GTV 
will actually be in landscape mode, which means -sw360p and -land override the 
-television specifier.

Give layout-land-television a go.

Original comment by mattga...@google.com on 18 Mar 2013 at 3:18

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[deleted comment]

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Hmmm, I seem to have spoken too soon.  It is still picking sw360dp-land FIRST 
over land-television.  It is second defaulting to land-television however if 
the layout isn't in sw360dp-land.  I will do some more research on the 
suggestion from Krispy and see how many devices it might share with as I don't 
want any overlap with phones, etc.  I may just go with the workaround as I know 
it works.

Original comment by DustinBr...@gmail.com on 19 Mar 2013 at 1:17

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Adding layout-sw-470dp-land will work, but if you don't want any mobile or 
tablet devices, you can just add layout-sw470dp-land-television and then it 
will opt for these styles.

NOTE: This is what happens in your sample if you switch over my suggestion 
layout-land-television to layout-sw360dp-land-television.

Try and think of each specifier having a certain importance and the more 
specific thing a device can match it, it will. In this case a smallest width of 
360dp is more important that it be a television device.

Original comment by mattga...@google.com on 19 Mar 2013 at 11:24

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p.s. More info here: 
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/providing-resources.html

Original comment by mattga...@google.com on 19 Mar 2013 at 11:28

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p.s. More info here: 
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/providing-resources.html

Original comment by mattga...@google.com on 19 Mar 2013 at 11:28

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Ok I tested layout-sw360dp-land-television on the GTV and layout-sw360dp-land 
on phones/tablets and it appears to be selecting the correct layout structure 
on both.

Thank you Matt & Krispy.  Please update your documentation to reflect this.

Original comment by DustinBr...@gmail.com on 19 Mar 2013 at 10:23