How do I make a view float above other views in an IME?

Question

I am trying to make a ListView in my IME "float" in the middle of the screen, just like the Swype keyboard:

I've read how to do it in an Activity by using a FrameLayout, but it isn't working in my IME, which is a Service not an Activity. My input view consists of a FrameLayout as the root view, a child RelativeLayout containing several controls, and the ListView which is also a child of the FrameLayout. Here is my layout code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
              android:layout_height="wrap_content"
              android:layout_gravity="bottom" 
              android:gravity="center_horizontal" >

    <!-- Most of the controls are children of this RelativeLayout -->
    <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
                  android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
                  android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                  android:gravity="center" >

        <Button android:id="@+id/btnOption1"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginRight="10dp" 
                android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
                android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/imgArrow"
                android:layout_marginTop="10dp" 
                android:textSize="18dp"
                android:textColor="#ffffff"
                android:background="@drawable/button"
                android:padding="4dp"
                android:text="Option 1" />

        <ImageView android:id="@id/imgArrow"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_marginRight="10dp" 
                android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
            android:layout_alignBottom="@id/btnOption1"
                android:layout_marginTop="10dp" 
                android:padding="4dp"
                android:src="@drawable/arrow_right" />

        <Button android:id="@+id/btnOption2"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
                android:layout_toRightOf="@id/imgArrow"
                android:layout_marginTop="10dp" 
                android:textSize="18dp"
                android:textColor="#ffffff"
                android:background="@drawable/button"
                android:padding="4dp"
                android:text="Option 2" />

    <!-- Translate button -->
    <Button android:id="@+id/btnContinue"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
            android:layout_below="@id/imgArrow"
            android:layout_marginTop="10dp" 
            android:layout_marginBottom="10dp" 
            android:textSize="22dp"
            android:textColor="#ffffff"
            android:background="@drawable/button"
            android:text="Translate!" />

        <!-- Keyboard button -->
        <ImageButton android:id="@+id/btnKeyboard"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
                android:layout_below="@id/btnContinue"
                android:layout_marginRight="4dp" 
                android:textColor="#ffffff"
                android:background="@drawable/button"
                android:src="@drawable/sym_keyboard_kb" />

        <!-- Undo button -->
        <ImageButton android:id="@+id/btnUndo"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
                android:layout_below="@id/btnContinue"
                android:textColor="#ffffff"
                android:background="@drawable/button"
                android:src="@drawable/sym_keyboard_undo" />

    </RelativeLayout>

<ListView android:id="@+id/menuOptions"
          style="@style/optionsMenu" />

</FrameLayout>

The ListView and IME look like this (inside the SMS app):

But I want it to look like this:

In other words I want it to appear outside the IME input view. If Swype can do it, I know I can (with a little help). Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance! Barry

Answer 1

I found the solution to my problem, and posted the answer in another thread: Android IME: showing a custom pop-up dialog (like Swype keyboard) which can enter text into the TextView

Barry