Android - Spacing between CheckBox and text

Question

Is there an easy way to add padding between the checkbox in a CheckBox control, and the associated text?

I cannot just add leading spaces, because my label is multi-

Answer 1

In my case I solved this problem using this following CheckBox attribute in the XML:

*

android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"

*

Answer 2

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (API 17) puts the text paddingLeft from the buttonDrawable (ints right edge). It also works for RTL mode.

Before 4.2 paddingLeft was ignoring the buttonDrawable - it was taken from the left edge of the CompoundButton view.

You can solve it via XML - set paddingLeft to buttonDrawable.width + requiredSpace on older androids. Set it to requiredSpace only on API 17 up. For example use dimension resources and override in values-v17 resource folder.

The change was introduced via android.widget.CompoundButton.getCompoundPaddingLeft();

Answer 3

This behavior appears to have changed in Jelly Bean. The paddingLeft trick adds additional padding, making the text look too far right. Any one else notice that?

Answer 4

For space between the check mark and the text use:

android:paddingLeft="10dp"

But it becomes more than 10dp, because the check mark contains padding (about 5dp) around. If you want to remove padding, see How to remove padding around Android CheckBox:

android:paddingLeft="-5dp"
android:layout_marginStart="-5dp"
android:layout_marginLeft="-5dp"
// or android:translationX="-5dp" instead of layout_marginLeft

Answer 5

<CheckBox
        android:paddingRight="12dip" />

Answer 6

Use attribute android:drawableLeft instead of android:button. In order to set padding between drawable and text use android:drawablePadding. To position drawable use android:paddingLeft.

<CheckBox
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:button="@null"
        android:drawableLeft="@drawable/check_selector"
        android:drawablePadding="-50dp"
        android:paddingLeft="40dp"
        />