How can I handle ''e/spannablestringbuilder: span_exclusive_exclusive spans cannot have a zero length'' error?

Question

I am new to java and searching the “e/spannablestringbuilder: span_exclusive_exclusive spans cannot have a zero length” to understand it better. It seems it doesn't work as expected when I used some suggestions before. Here is the command line I use:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  android:id="@+id/set_layout"
  android:layout_width="fill_parent"
  android:layout_height="fill_parent"
  android:contentDescription="content desc"
  android:orientation="vertical" >
 
  <TextView android:id="@+id/text"
  android:layout_width="wrap_content"
  android:layout_height="wrap_content"
  android:text="Hello, I am a TextView" />
 </LinearLayout>

public class TestActivity extends Activity {
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
  setContentView(R.layout.activity_test); 
  }
 }

The error I'm getting is below:

SpannableStringBuilder
 SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE spans cannot have a zero length

Please give me the solution to this issue.

lyytutoria · Accepted Answer

The cause: After I research your problem, I find that you are testing on a Samsung mobile with TouchWiz, but it's invalid. And you are giving an empty String to your layout. When you do not download your app from the output of console, the android keyboard causes it. These are the reasons of the error: ''e/spannablestringbuilder: span_exclusive_exclusive spans cannot have a zero length''. Solution: You can solve this error by testing on a Nexus S instead of a Samsung mobile. Nexus S is also manufactured by Samsung, but there is not TouchWiz in its Android OS. Or you can try using Android keyboard, the error will disappear. Another way is using android:inputType="textNoSuggestions" (or android:inputType="textEmailAddress|textNoSuggestions" instead of android:inputType="text".

Léa Tran · Answer

LogCat has given me the exact same error messages. It's my 3rd-party keyboard that is causing it. The error message disappears when I switch it to Android keyboard.

Annalise Morton · Answer

Your code is not clear to me. However, this error was also seen in my code with EditText fields.

I was able to fix it by changing android:inputType="text" (or any other inputType text variations), to android:inputType="textNoSuggestions" (or android:inputType="textEmailAddress|textNoSuggestions").

This can be set in Code with the following:

mInputField.setInputType(InputType.TYPE_CLASS_TEXT | InputType.TYPE_TEXT_FLAG_NO_SUGGESTIONS);

Android assumes that EditText fields have suggestions by default. It errors if they don't. I am not 100% certain about that explanation but the changes mentioned above fixed it for me.

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/text/Spanned.html#SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE

We hope this helps!

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How can I handle ”e/spannablestringbuilder: span_exclusive_exclusive spans cannot have a zero length” error?