Activity transition in Android

I overwrite my default activity animation. I test it in api 15 that it work smoothly. Here is the solution that I use:

<!-- Base application theme. -->
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
    <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
    <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
    <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
    <item name="colorAccent">@color/colorPrimary</item>
    <item name="android:windowAnimationStyle">@style/CustomActivityAnimation</item>

</style>

<style name="CustomActivityAnimation" parent="@android:style/Animation.Activity">
    <item name="android:activityOpenEnterAnimation">@anim/slide_in_right</item>
    <item name="android:activityOpenExitAnimation">@anim/slide_out_left</item>
    <item name="android:activityCloseEnterAnimation">@anim/slide_in_left</item>
    <item name="android:activityCloseExitAnimation">@anim/slide_out_right</item>
</style>

Create anim folder under res folder and then create this four animation files:

slide_in_right.xml

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

<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <translate android:fromXDelta="100%p" android:toXDelta="0"
        android:duration="@android:integer/config_mediumAnimTime"/>
</set>

slide_out_left.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <translate android:fromXDelta="0" android:toXDelta="-100%p"
        android:duration="@android:integer/config_mediumAnimTime"/>
</set>

slide_in_left.xml

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

<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <translate android:fromXDelta="-100%p" android:toXDelta="0"
        android:duration="@android:integer/config_mediumAnimTime"/>
</set>

slide_out_right.xml

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

<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <translate android:fromXDelta="0" android:toXDelta="100%p"
        android:duration="@android:integer/config_mediumAnimTime"/>
</set>

You can download my sample project.

That's all... :)

zoom in out animation

Intent i = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), LoginActivity.class);
 overridePendingTransition(R.anim.zoom_enter, R.anim.zoom_exit);
startActivity(i);
finish();

zoom_enter

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<alpha xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:interpolator="@android:anim/accelerate_interpolator"
    android:fromAlpha="0.0" android:toAlpha="1.0"
    android:duration="500" />

zoom_exit

<alpha xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:interpolator="@android:anim/accelerate_interpolator"
    android:fromAlpha="1.0" android:toAlpha="0.0"
    android:fillAfter="true"
    android:duration="500" />

Some versions of Android support custom Activity transitions and some don't (older devices). If you want to use custom transitions it's good practice to check whether the Activity has the overridePendingTransition() method, as on older versions it does not.

To know whether the method exists or not, reflection API can be used. Here is the simple code which will check and return the method if it exists:

Method mOverridePendingTransition;

try {
        mOverridePendingTransition = Activity.class.getMethod(
                "overridePendingTransition", new Class[] { Integer.TYPE, Integer.TYPE } );
        /* success */
    } catch (NoSuchMethodException nsme) {
        /* failure, this version of Android doesn't have this method */
    } 

And then, we can apply our own transition, i.e. use this method if it exists:

if (UIConstants.mOverridePendingTransition != null) {
               try {
                   UIConstants.mOverridePendingTransition.invoke(MainActivity.this, R.anim.activity_fade_in, R.anim.activity_fade_out);
               } catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
                   e.printStackTrace();
               } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
                   e.printStackTrace();
               }
            }

Here, as an example, simple fade-in and fade-out animations were used for transition demonstration..