[huggyface]

How do you get buttons to occupy a percentage of the screen

In a LinearLayout take a look at layout_weight -- it is the key (or rather, one of the keys) to goodness. It really is an onion, and if you can get through the crying the flexibility comes in the layers.

[Dove]

Oh dear! That's really not the answer I was hoping for. That's about where I gave up last time -- somewhere around a dozen nested vertical and horizontal linear layouts with various weights, gravities and alignments that still wasn't giving me quite what I wanted.

Still, for correcting me on the button background thing alone, I suspect you've added years to my life. Dunno what the online equivalent of buying you a drink is, but . . . thank you.