android:layout_with="",java - Android Layout with ListView and Buttons - Stack Overflow

I was just searching for an answer to this question and this was one of the first results. I feel as if all of the answers, including the one that is currently chosen as the "best answer" is not addressing the issue being asked about. The problem that is being stated is that there is an overlap of the two components Button and ListView in that the ListView is taking up the entire screen, and the Button is visually floating above (in front of) the ListView (blocking view/access of the last item in the ListView)

Based on the answers I've seen here and on other forums, I finally came to a conclusion on how to resolve this.

Originally, I had:

xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

android:orientation="vertical"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="fill_parent"

android:background="#FF394952">

android:id="@+id/game_list"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_alignParentTop="true"

/>

android:orientation="horizontal"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"

style="@android:style/ButtonBar">

android:id="@+id/new_game"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:text="@string/new_game"

android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"

android:background="@drawable/button_background" />

Note the use of RelativeLayout as the root node.

This is the final, working version in which the Button does not overlap the ListView:

xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

android:orientation="vertical"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="fill_parent"

android:background="#FF394952">

android:id="@+id/game_list"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_alignParentTop="true"

android:layout_weight="1.0" />

android:orientation="horizontal"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"

style="@android:style/ButtonBar">

android:id="@+id/new_game"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:text="@string/new_game"

android:textColor="#FFFFFFFF"

android:background="@drawable/button_background" />

There are only two differences. First, I've switched to using a LinearLayout. This will help with the next bit, which was adding android:layout_weight to my ListView

I hope this helps.