Android action bar not showing overflow

If you want to show the three dots, irrespective of device menu button! then you can call this method in your application class' onCreate method-

private void makeActionOverflowMenuShown() {    //devices with hardware menu button (e.g. Samsung Note) don't show action overflow menu    try {        ViewConfiguration config = ViewConfiguration.get(this);        Field menuKeyField = ViewConfiguration.class.getDeclaredField("sHasPermanentMenuKey");        if (menuKeyField != null) {            menuKeyField.setAccessible(true);            menuKeyField.setBoolean(config, false);        }    } catch (Exception e) {        Log.d(TAG, e.getLocalizedMessage());    }}

Output

res/menu/menu.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >    <!-- Search / will display always -->    <item        android:id="@+id/action_search"        android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_search"        android:showAsAction="always"        android:title="@string/action_search"/>    <!-- Location Found -->    <item        android:id="@+id/action_location_found"        android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_location_found"        android:showAsAction="always"        android:title="@string/action_location_found"/>    <!-- More -->    <item        android:id="@+id/a_More"        android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_overflow"        android:showAsAction="always"        android:title="More">        <menu>            <!-- Refresh -->            <item                android:id="@+id/action_refresh"                android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_refresh"                android:showAsAction="never"                android:title="@string/action_refresh"/>            <!-- Help -->            <item                android:id="@+id/action_help"                android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_help"                android:showAsAction="never"                android:title="@string/action_help"/>            <!-- Check updates -->            <item                android:id="@+id/action_check_updates"                android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_refresh"                android:showAsAction="never"                android:title="@string/action_check_updates"/>        </menu>    </item></menu>

MainActivity.java

public class MainActivity extends Activity {    @Override    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);    }      @Override    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.        MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();        inflater.inflate(R.menu.menu, menu);         return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);    }}

Download the Action Bar Icon Set

I realize this is not an overflow menu, but it is similar.Okay, this is simple but was hard to figure out.

You first need a menu item you want to use as the overflow inflater. Example

<item        android:id="@+id/a_More"        android:icon="@drawable/more"        android:showAsAction="always"        android:title="More">        </item>

Once you have your item, add a sub-menu containing your items you want in the overflow menu. Example:

<item    android:id="@+id/a_More"    android:icon="@drawable/more"    android:showAsAction="always"    android:title="More">    <menu>        <item            android:id="@+id/aM_Home"            android:icon="@drawable/home"            android:title="Home"/>    </menu></item>

On click this will inflate other items within. My application is using ActionBarSherlock 4.0 so before this will work for you, you will need to access the "SplitActionBar". (Will still work on default android Actionbar)

Here's how:In your AndroidManifest.xml file, you need to add this code under the activity you need the overflow menu in.

android:uiOptions="splitActionBarWhenNarrow"

NOTE: Your item that inflates your overflow menu MUST showAsAction="always"

Vwola! you have an overflow menu! Hope I helped you out. :)