Step by Step Guide to create option Menu in Android

Option menu is very important part of any app. If you are creating your app using Android Studio then it will add the option menu by default to your activity. But, if you would like to create the option menu by yourself, to use with any other activity then you have to add it manually by code.

Step 1. Create the activity for option menu

If you are going to create option menu for one activity then, same menu can be used for others activities as well.

So if you want to add the menu to existing activity then its okay, alternatively you can create the new activity as well. Just Right click on the folder of Android Studio and select the new activity.

Step 2. Create the resource file for Option Menu

Now, you have to check if Menu folder exists inside res folder in android studio. If it is not their then right click on res folder and click on New->Directory and enter the folder name as menu.

Further, right Click on menu folder and select new-> Menu Resource File and put the name of your menu resource file, for example here we put default_menu.xml

Step 3. Add menu item to resource File and add menu item

Now, it's time to open the default_menu.xml file and edit as given below. Here in the below code item tag represent the single item.

In case you need to create more item then add the similar item tag change the required filed.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"> 
 <item android:id="@+id/debug_android"
  android:title="Visit DebugAndroid" 
  android:orderInCategory="100"
  app:showAsAction="withText" 
  android:icon="@android:drawable/ic_menu_agenda"/> 
</menu>

Step 4. Inflate the default_menu xml in activity

Now, open the your main activity file and override the onCreateOptionMenu method.

 @Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater(); 
inflater.inflate(R.menu.default_menu, menu); 
return true; }

Step 5. Response to User Click event

Next, override the onOptionItemSelected method of your activity and modify it as given below.

 @Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
int id = item.getItemId();
switch (item.getItemId()) {
case R.id.debug_android:
Intent mysiteIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("http://www.debugandroid.com"));
startActivity(mysiteIntent);
return true;
}
return true;
}

We are done with the Configuration now you can test your app, we have done this tutorial on previous tutorial of creating VideoGallery app in android.

Download  VideoGallery App from Google PlayStore.

Download the Source Code from Github, Here https://github.com/debugandroid/NativeAd