android - How to make Activity, not covering full screen

Question

I want my activity to take smaller area of the screen e.g. toast doesn't cover all of the screen, it is just shown over other things and rest of the contents can be seen behind the toast. But it's a dialog, and I want my screen to be shown above other things e.g. above Home Screen. Below is the idea that is in my mind.

Kindly, guide me if it is even possible. If possible then show me the right path.
Thanks.

Answer 1

make your activity theme as translucent. add the following line in your manifest against that activity:

android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Translucent"

so that you can see the background things add the view to a LinearLayout with android:alignParentBottom=true.