Steps to create Menu on Activity Android (Navigation Drawer)

 Adding Menu on your Activity in Android can be a simple three step process:

Step 1: Create your Menu Resource Files

Step 2: Create your android activity’s layout resource file. drawerlayout.widget should be your parent element for your menu resources to be rendered on the app.

Step 3: Create your Java Class file and activate your menu widget programmatically,

 Here is the code:

Step 1: Start out by creating two menu resource file under menu tab:

First File:  menu_main.xml

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

    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    tools:context="com.example.epbr.Second_Activity">
    <item
        android:id="@+id/action_settings"
        android:orderInCategory="100"
        android:title="@string/action_settings"
        app:showAsAction="never" />
</menu>

 

SeSecond File: navigation_menu

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    tools:ignore="HardcodedText">
    <item
        android:id="@+id/nav_account"
        android:title="My Account" />
    <item
        android:id="@+id/nav_custom"
        android:title="My Contribution"
        />
    <item
       android:id="@+id/nav_settings"
       android:title="Settings" />
    <item
        android:id="@+id/nav_logout"
        android:title="Logout" />
</menu>

String Resources: Set Open/Close navigation drawer in String Resource File. 

Add the following code to string.xml:

<!--to toggle the open close button of the navigation drawer-->
<string name="nav_open">Open</string>
<string name="nav_close">Close</string>

Step 2: Adding menu on your android activity

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--the root view must be the DrawerLayout-->
<androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/my_drawer_layout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".Second_Activity"
    tools:ignore="HardcodedText">


    <com.google.android.material.navigation.NavigationView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_gravity="start"
       app:menu="@menu/navigation_menu" />


    <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
       xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
       android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        tools:context=".YOUR_Activity">

        //YOUR LAYOUT ELEMENTS WILL GO HERE

    </LinearLayout>
</androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayout>

Step 3: Activate the Menu elements on Java Class file.

public class YOUR_Activity extends AppCompatActivity {
    public DrawerLayout drawerLayout;
    public ActionBarDrawerToggle actionBarDrawerToggle;

     @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.your_activity);
        if(savedInstanceState == null) {

               // If you are using fragments you can call them here

         }


        // drawer layout instance to toggle the menu icon to open

         drawerLayout = findViewById(R.id.my_drawer_layout);
        actionBarDrawerToggle = new ActionBarDrawerToggle(this, drawerLayout,

                                          R.string.nav_open, R.string.nav_close);
        // pass the Open and Close toggle for the drawer layout listener

        drawerLayout.addDrawerListener(actionBarDrawerToggle);
        actionBarDrawerToggle.syncState();
        // to make the Navigation drawer icon always appear on the action bar
        getSupportActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);

}

// drawer when the icon is clicked

@Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(@NonNull MenuItem item) {
    if (actionBarDrawerToggle.onOptionsItemSelected(item)) {
        return true;
    }
    return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}

}