Implement drag and drop with views

You can implement your drag-and-drop process in views by responding to events that might trigger a drag start and responding and consuming drop events.

Start a drag

The user starts a drag with a gesture, usually by touching or clicking and holding on an item they want to drag.

To handle this in a View, create a ClipData object and ClipData.Item object for the data being moved. As part of the ClipData, supply metadata that is stored in a ClipDescription object within the ClipData. For a drag-and-drop operation that doesn't represent data movement, you might want to use null instead of an actual object.

For example, this code snippet shows how to respond to a touch & hold gesture on an ImageView by creating a ClipData object that contains the tag (or label) of an ImageView:

Kotlin

// Create a string for the ImageView label.
val IMAGEVIEW_TAG = "icon bitmap"
...
val imageView = ImageView(context).apply {
    // Set the bitmap for the ImageView from an icon bitmap defined elsewhere.
    setImageBitmap(iconBitmap)
    tag = IMAGEVIEW_TAG
    setOnLongClickListener { v ->
        // Create a new ClipData. This is done in two steps to provide
        // clarity. The convenience method ClipData.newPlainText() can
        // create a plain text ClipData in one step.

        // Create a new ClipData.Item from the ImageView object's tag.
        val item = ClipData.Item(v.tag as? CharSequence)

        // Create a new ClipData using the tag as a label, the plain text
        // MIME type, and the already-created item. This creates a new
        // ClipDescription object within the ClipData and sets its MIME type
        // to "text/plain".
        val dragData = ClipData(
            v.tag as? CharSequence,
            arrayOf(ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_PLAIN),
            item)

        // Instantiate the drag shadow builder. We use this imageView object
        // to create the default builder.
        val myShadow = View.DragShadowBuilder(view: this)

        // Start the drag.
        v.startDragAndDrop(dragData,  // The data to be dragged.
                            myShadow,  // The drag shadow builder.
                            null,      // No need to use local data.
                            0          // Flags. Not currently used, set to 0.
        )

        // Indicate that the long-click is handled.
        true
    }
}

Java

// Create a string for the ImageView label.
private static final String IMAGEVIEW_TAG = "icon bitmap";
...
// Create a new ImageView.
ImageView imageView = new ImageView(context);

// Set the bitmap for the ImageView from an icon bitmap defined elsewhere.
imageView.setImageBitmap(iconBitmap);

// Set the tag.
imageView.setTag(IMAGEVIEW_TAG);

// Set a long-click listener for the ImageView using an anonymous listener
// object that implements the OnLongClickListener interface.
imageView.setOnLongClickListener( v -> {

    // Create a new ClipData. This is done in two steps to provide clarity. The
    // convenience method ClipData.newPlainText() can create a plain text
    // ClipData in one step.

    // Create a new ClipData.Item from the ImageView object's tag.
    ClipData.Item item = new ClipData.Item((CharSequence) v.getTag());

    // Create a new ClipData using the tag as a label, the plain text MIME type,
    // and the already-created item. This creates a new ClipDescription object
    // within the ClipData and sets its MIME type to "text/plain".
    ClipData dragData = new ClipData(
            (CharSequence) v.getTag(),
            new String[] { ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_PLAIN },
            item);

    // Instantiate the drag shadow builder. We use this imageView object
    // to create the default builder.
    View.DragShadowBuilder myShadow = new View.DragShadowBuilder(imageView);

    // Start the drag.
    v.startDragAndDrop(dragData,  // The data to be dragged.
                            myShadow,  // The drag shadow builder.
                            null,      // No need to use local data.
                            0          // Flags. Not currently used, set to 0.
    );

    // Indicate that the long-click is handled.
    return true;
});

Respond to a drag start

During the drag operation, the system dispatches drag events to the drag event listeners of the View objects in the current layout. The listeners react by calling DragEvent.getAction() to get the action type. At the start of a drag, this method returns ACTION_DRAG_STARTED.

In response to an event with the action type ACTION_DRAG_STARTED, a drag event listener must do the following:

Call DragEvent.getClipDescription() and use the MIME type methods in the returned ClipDescription to see whether the listener can accept the data being dragged.

If the drag-and-drop operation doesn't represent data movement, this might be unnecessary.
If the drag event listener can accept a drop, it must return true to tell the system to continue to send drag events to the listener. If the listener can't accept a drop, the listener must return false, and the system stops sending drag events to the listener until the system sends ACTION_DRAG_ENDED to conclude the drag-and-drop operation.

For an ACTION_DRAG_STARTED event, the following DragEvent methods aren't valid: getClipData(), getX(), getY(), and getResult().

Handle events during the drag

During the drag action, drag event listeners that return true in response to the ACTION_DRAG_STARTED drag event continue to receive drag events. The types of drag events a listener receives during the drag depend on the location of the drag shadow and the visibility of the listener's View. Listeners use the drag events primarily to decide if they must change the appearance of their View.

During the drag action, DragEvent.getAction() returns one of three values:

ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED: the listener receives this event action type when the touch point—the point on the screen underneath the user's finger or mouse—enters the bounding box of the listener's View.
ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION: once the listener receives an ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED event, it receives a new ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION event every time the touch point moves until it receives an ACTION_DRAG_EXITED event. The getX() and getY() methods return the X and Y coordinates of the touch point.
ACTION_DRAG_EXITED: this event action type is sent to a listener that previously receives ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED. The event is sent when the drag shadow touch point moves from within the bounding box of the listener's View to outside the bounding box.

The drag event listener doesn't need to react to any of these action types. If the listener returns a value to the system, it is ignored.

Here are some guidelines for responding to each of these action types:

In response to ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED or ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION, the listener can change the appearance of the View to indicate that the view is a potential drop target.
An event with the action type ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION contains valid data for getX() and getY() corresponding to the location of the touch point. The listener can use this information to alter the View appearance at the touch point or to determine the exact position where the user can drop the content.
In response to ACTION_DRAG_EXITED, the listener must reset any appearance changes it applies in response to ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED or ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION. This indicates to the user that the View is no longer an imminent drop target.

Respond to a drop

When the user releases the drag shadow over a View, and the View previously reports that it can accept the content being dragged, the system dispatches a drag event to the View with the action type ACTION_DROP.

The drag event listener must do the following:

Call getClipData() to get the ClipData object that is originally supplied in the call to startDragAndDrop() and process the data. If the drag-and-drop operation doesn't represent data movement, this is unnecessary.
Return boolean true to indicate that the drop is processed successfully, or false if it isn't. The returned value becomes the value returned by getResult() for the eventual ACTION_DRAG_ENDED event. If the system doesn't send out an ACTION_DROP event, the value returned by getResult() for an ACTION_DRAG_ENDED event is false.

For an ACTION_DROP event, getX() and getY() use the coordinate system of the View that receives the drop to return the X and Y position of the touch point at the moment of the drop.

While the user is able to release the drag shadow over a View whose drag event listener isn't receiving drag events, empty regions of your app's UI or even over areas outside of your application, Android won't send an event with action type ACTION_DROP and will only send an ACTION_DRAG_ENDED event.

Respond to a drag end

Immediately after the user releases the drag shadow, the system sends a drag event with an action type of ACTION_DRAG_ENDED to all the drag event listeners in your application. This indicates that the drag operation is finished.

Each drag event listener must do the following:

If the listener changes its appearance during the operation, it should reset back to its default appearance as a visual indication to the user that the operation is finished.
The listener can optionally call getResult() to find out more about the operation. If a listener returns true in response to an event of action type ACTION_DROP, then getResult() returns boolean true. In all other cases, getResult() returns boolean false, including when the system doesn't send an ACTION_DROP event.
To indicate the successful completion of the drop operation, the listener should return boolean true to the system. By not returning false, a visual cue showing the drop shadow returning to its source may suggest to the user that the operation was unsuccessful.

Respond to drag events: An example

All drag events are received by your drag event method or listener. The following code snippet is an example of responding to drag events:

Kotlin

val imageView = ImageView(this)

// Set the drag event listener for the View.
imageView.setOnDragListener { v, e ->

    // Handle each of the expected events.
    when (e.action) {
        DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_STARTED -> {
            // Determine whether this View can accept the dragged data.
            if (e.clipDescription.hasMimeType(ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_PLAIN)) {
                // As an example, apply a blue color tint to the View to
                // indicate that it can accept data.
                (v as? ImageView)?.setColorFilter(Color.BLUE)

                // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
                v.invalidate()

                // Return true to indicate that the View can accept the dragged
                // data.
                true
            } else {
                // Return false to indicate that, during the current drag and
                // drop operation, this View doesn't receive events again until
                // ACTION_DRAG_ENDED is sent.
                false
            }
        }
        DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED -> {
            // Apply a green tint to the View.
            (v as? ImageView)?.setColorFilter(Color.GREEN)

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
            v.invalidate()

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            true
        }

        DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION ->
            // Ignore the event.
            true
        DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_EXITED -> {
            // Reset the color tint to blue.
            (v as? ImageView)?.setColorFilter(Color.BLUE)

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
            v.invalidate()

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            true
        }
        DragEvent.ACTION_DROP -> {
            // Get the item containing the dragged data.
            val item: ClipData.Item = e.clipData.getItemAt(0)

            // Get the text data from the item.
            val dragData = item.text

            // Display a message containing the dragged data.
            Toast.makeText(this, "Dragged data is $dragData", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show()

            // Turn off color tints.
            (v as? ImageView)?.clearColorFilter()

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw.
            v.invalidate()

            // Return true. DragEvent.getResult() returns true.
            true
        }

        DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_ENDED -> {
            // Turn off color tinting.
            (v as? ImageView)?.clearColorFilter()

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw.
            v.invalidate()

            // Do a getResult() and display what happens.
            when(e.result) {
                true ->
                    Toast.makeText(this, "The drop was handled.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
                else ->
                    Toast.makeText(this, "The drop didn't work.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
            }.show()

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            true
        }
        else -> {
            // An unknown action type is received.
            Log.e("DragDrop Example", "Unknown action type received by View.OnDragListener.")
            false
        }
    }
}

Java

View imageView = new ImageView(this);

// Set the drag event listener for the View.
imageView.setOnDragListener( (v, e) -> {

    // Handle each of the expected events.
    switch(e.getAction()) {

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_STARTED:

            // Determine whether this View can accept the dragged data.
            if (e.getClipDescription().hasMimeType(ClipDescription.MIMETYPE_TEXT_PLAIN)) {

                // As an example, apply a blue color tint to the View to
                // indicate that it can accept data.
                ((ImageView)v).setColorFilter(Color.BLUE);

                // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
                v.invalidate();

                // Return true to indicate that the View can accept the dragged
                // data.
                return true;

            }

            // Return false to indicate that, during the current drag-and-drop
            // operation, this View doesn't receive events again until
            // ACTION_DRAG_ENDED is sent.
            return false;

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_ENTERED:

            // Apply a green tint to the View.
            ((ImageView)v).setColorFilter(Color.GREEN);

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
            v.invalidate();

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            return true;

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_LOCATION:

            // Ignore the event.
            return true;

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_EXITED:

            // Reset the color tint to blue.
            ((ImageView)v).setColorFilter(Color.BLUE);

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw in the new tint.
            v.invalidate();

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            return true;

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DROP:

            // Get the item containing the dragged data.
            ClipData.Item item = e.getClipData().getItemAt(0);

            // Get the text data from the item.
            CharSequence dragData = item.getText();

            // Display a message containing the dragged data.
            Toast.makeText(this, "Dragged data is " + dragData, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

            // Turn off color tints.
            ((ImageView)v).clearColorFilter();

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw.
            v.invalidate();

            // Return true. DragEvent.getResult() returns true.
            return true;

        case DragEvent.ACTION_DRAG_ENDED:

            // Turn off color tinting.
            ((ImageView)v).clearColorFilter();

            // Invalidate the view to force a redraw.
            v.invalidate();

            // Do a getResult() and displays what happens.
            if (e.getResult()) {
                Toast.makeText(this, "The drop was handled.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            } else {
                Toast.makeText(this, "The drop didn't work.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            }

            // Return true. The value is ignored.
            return true;

        // An unknown action type is received.
        default:
            Log.e("DragDrop Example","Unknown action type received by View.OnDragListener.");
            break;
    }

    return false;

});

Customize a drag shadow

You can define a customized myDragShadowBuilder by overriding the methods in View.DragShadowBuilder. The following code snippet creates a small, rectangular, gray drag shadow for a TextView:

Kotlin

private class MyDragShadowBuilder(view: View) : View.DragShadowBuilder(view) {

    private val shadow = ColorDrawable(Color.LTGRAY)

    // Define a callback that sends the drag shadow dimensions and touch point
    // back to the system.
    override fun onProvideShadowMetrics(size: Point, touch: Point) {

            // Set the width of the shadow to half the width of the original
            // View.
            val width: Int = view.width / 2

            // Set the height of the shadow to half the height of the original
            // View.
            val height: Int = view.height / 2

            // The drag shadow is a ColorDrawable. Set its dimensions to
            // be the same as the Canvas that the system provides. As a result,
            // the drag shadow fills the Canvas.
            shadow.setBounds(0, 0, width, height)

            // Set the size parameter's width and height values. These get back
            // to the system through the size parameter.
            size.set(width, height)

            // Set the touch point's position to be in the middle of the drag
            // shadow.
            touch.set(width / 2, height / 2)
    }

    // Define a callback that draws the drag shadow in a Canvas that the system
    // constructs from the dimensions passed to onProvideShadowMetrics().
    override fun onDrawShadow(canvas: Canvas) {

            // Draw the ColorDrawable on the Canvas passed in from the system.
            shadow.draw(canvas)
    }
}

Java

private static class MyDragShadowBuilder extends View.DragShadowBuilder {

    // The drag shadow image, defined as a drawable object.
    private static Drawable shadow;

    // Constructor.
    public MyDragShadowBuilder(View view) {

            // Store the View parameter.
            super(view);

            // Create a draggable image that fills the Canvas provided by the
            // system.
            shadow = new ColorDrawable(Color.LTGRAY);
    }

    // Define a callback that sends the drag shadow dimensions and touch point
    // back to the system.
    @Override
    public void onProvideShadowMetrics (Point size, Point touch) {

            // Define local variables.
            int width, height;

            // Set the width of the shadow to half the width of the original
            // View.
            width = getView().getWidth() / 2;

            // Set the height of the shadow to half the height of the original
            // View.
            height = getView().getHeight() / 2;

            // The drag shadow is a ColorDrawable. Set its dimensions to
            // be the same as the Canvas that the system provides. As a result,
            // the drag shadow fills the Canvas.
            shadow.setBounds(0, 0, width, height);

            // Set the size parameter's width and height values. These get back
            // to the system through the size parameter.
            size.set(width, height);

            // Set the touch point's position to be in the middle of the drag
            // shadow.
            touch.set(width / 2, height / 2);
    }

    // Define a callback that draws the drag shadow in a Canvas that the system
    // constructs from the dimensions passed to onProvideShadowMetrics().
    @Override
    public void onDrawShadow(Canvas canvas) {

            // Draw the ColorDrawable on the Canvas passed in from the system.
            shadow.draw(canvas);
    }
}