Transparent white button looks bad in Android Material Design

Question

Consider these 2 screenshots. I defined the elements on the left, top, and bottom-right:

The left/top screenshot has all my elements using a solid white (#FFFFFF) while the bottom/right one adds a bit of transparency (#D0FFFFFF). My issue is that my elements look hideous with transparency. For example the FAB (bottom-right) contains a smaller opaque circle for no reason.

All my elements have elevation 6 (as that is the FAB default elevation). Anything greater-than elevation 2 has this issue clearly visible, and anything below 2 does not cast enough shadow for me to look acceptable.

The Maps-defined element (top-right) seems completely unaffected by this however! What is it doing differently? It's clearly using transparency like me and also casting a shadow corresponding to elevation 2 or more.

Code used is basically this:

fab = FloatingActionButton(this.context!!)
fab.backgroundTintList = ColorStateList.valueOf(Color.parseColor("#d0ffffff"))
fab.compatElevation = 6F

rtsketo · Accepted Answer · 2020-07-04 16:38:15Z

1

For example the FAB (bottom-right) contains a smaller opaque circle for no reason.

later on... fab.compatElevation = 6F

The circle you are seeing it's FAB's shadow, which is generated by the elevation. If you want to remove the shadow but keep the elevation, do:

fab.outlineProvider = null

If you want to keep both elevation and shadow, you have to make a custom outlineProvider (probably a banana shaped one).

answered Jul 4, 2020 at 16:38

rtsketo

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2 Comments

xjcl Over a year ago

Ah, I had a hunch it was the FAB's shadow on the ground/map! I do want the black shadow around the object though (isn't this the reason why you would use an elevation?), so sadly fab.outlineProvider = null does not make me happy. Thanks anyway.

rtsketo Over a year ago

If you don't want to make a custom outline, you can make the shadow yourself with multiple layers of shades of grey as GradientDrawable and add it as the background of FAB. I don't think there's any out-of-the-box solution to your issue.

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