# ActionBarSherlock 4.0 beta implementation details, limitations, and testing guidance

DevFeed: [ActionBarSherlock 4.0 beta implementation details, limitations, and testing guidance](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/something-beta-this-way-comes-20974.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://jakewharton.com/something-beta-this-way-comes/>)

Published: 2012-01-02T00:00:00Z

Content type: release

Language: en

Sources: [Jake Wharton](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jake-wharton.md>)

Topics: [Library](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/library.md>), [Android](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/android.md>), [Maven](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/maven.md>), [Google](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/google.md>)

Tags: [android](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android.md>), [bug](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bug.md>), [github](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/github.md>), [library](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/library.md>), [plugins](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/plugins.md>), [release](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/release.md>)

## AI overview

The article describes ActionBarSherlock 4.0 beta implementation details, including its activity classes, package changes, plugin structure, known bugs and missing features, and guidance for testing and reporting issues.

## Source excerpt

Some implementation details... There are 6 base activities, 4 of which are the core library and one in each of two plugins. Core: SherlockActivity, SherlockPreferenceActivity, SherlockListActivity, and SherlockExpandableListActivity - Former two should be obvious, latter two shouldn't really be used anymore. Try fragments. Compat-Lib: FragmentActivity - Modified version of the official library to support having an action bar by default. Maps: SherlockMapActivity - Since referencing the base class MapActivity requires compiling with the Google APIs this is in its own plugin. Remember: This does not work like FragmentMapActivity from v3.x. Everything has been moved into the com.actionbarsherlock.* package tree. Stay away from com.actionbarsherlock.internal.*. Check your imports. Again, as with v3.x, the default options menu methods have been marked final in the base activities so that you cannot use them erroneously. A majority of the supposed bugs that I receive have to do with incorrect imports. Check your imports and check the samples before filing a bug or emailing the mailing list. Don't file a bug or suggestion on anything related to the compat-lib plugin that does not directly relate to this library. As nice as it was to upstream some bugfixes I am not doing that anymore. File them on b.android.com. SherlockPreferenceActivity does not have fragment or loader support like v3.x did. No I will not enable it. Yes I'll look at porting PreferenceFragment in the future. Don't ask for an ETA. There are bugs and missing features. Check abs.io/4 before reporting anything! Check the samples. If a sample is missing, take a few minutes to write it. Pay attention for new betas. Check the website often. You can even follow the site's repository on GitHub for better notification: github.com/JakeWharton/beta.abs.io. Want fixes sooner? Check the 4.0-wip branch. You'll have to build the plugins yourself though if changes were made. Please don't ask me how. Maven, SDK deployer, and