How to change background color in Android application?

Why android:background doesn't work for me?

• my layout file as bellow <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"    android:orientation="vertical"    android:layout_width="fill_parent"    android:layout_height="fill_parent"    tools:context=".LimeText" >        <TextView        android:id="@+id/file_title"        android:layout_width="fill_parent"        android:layout_height="wrap_content"        ***android:background="@color/red"***         android:text="@string/untitled" />    <ScrollView  xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"            android:id="@+id/scroll"            android:orientation="vertical"            android:layout_width="fill_parent"            android:layout_height="fill_parent"            android:fadingEdge="none">            <EditText        xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"        android:id="@+id/file_content"        ***android:background="@android:color/white"***                 android:layout_width="fill_parent"                android:layout_height="fill_parent"                android:padding="5dip"                android:fadingEdge="none"                android:scrollbars="vertical|horizontal"                android:gravity="top"                android:autoText="false"                android:capitalize="none"             />    </ScrollView></LinearLayout> but no matter how do I change the background, the EditText's background always stay on black and the 'TextView's background always be grey. the grey TextView is set before, #CCCCCC, but now I want to change it to another color, it cannot.

• Answer:

  If you are using this format to set color, make sure that you add relevant values to strings.xml file also.  But I'll suggest using the below mentioned format as you dont need to do anything else then: android:background="@android:color/red" The color resource is offered by android framework itself and this is the best way to use android provided resources in the layouts of your apps.