android - EditText Selection Anchors Missing -

i've noticed edittext fields in app not show selection anchors correctly. example:

however, expect correct anchors appear such as:

a typical example of affected edittext in app:

<edittext     android:id="@+id/text_message"     android:layout_width="match_parent"     android:layout_height="wrap_content"     android:layout_toleftof="@id/button_send"     android:layout_marginleft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"     android:paddingtop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"     android:paddingbottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"     android:inputtype="text|textshortmessage"     android:layout_marginright="4dp"     android:hint="@string/hint_chat_send" /> 

also notice "paste" hover view has strange white border around in app, in other apps transparent.

i suspect kind of theme issue, since affects multiple screens in app, cannot find info on attributes may cause this.

update

so, i've spent a few way many hours debugging edittext, textview, , editor framework classes no avail. appears functioning expected.

i created new blank activity in same application following layout:

<relativelayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"     android:layout_width="match_parent"     android:layout_height="match_parent"     android:paddingbottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"     android:paddingleft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"     android:paddingright="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"     android:paddingtop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin">      <edittext         android:layout_width="300dp"         android:layout_height="wrap_content"         android:hint="test" />  </relativelayout> 

in other screens, using appcompat library , it's related themes, in activity overrode theme , activity stock android activity built-in material theme:

public class testactivity extends activity {  @override protected void oncreate(bundle savedinstancestate) {      settheme(android.r.style.theme_material_light_noactionbar);     super.oncreate(savedinstancestate);      setcontentview(r.layout.activity_test); } ... 

it's understanding calling settheme in manner should override possible customizations app styles.xml. still, see this:

kind of @ loss here still...

the solution remove android:popupbackground had set in theme:

<!-- break text selection popup --> <item name="android:popupbackground">@color/not_quite_white</item> 

i had set try , theme spinner dropdown backgrounds same color. whatever reason, interferes text selection popup. furthermore, calling activity.settheme apparently did not override property, leading confusion.