Creating alias resources

When you have a resource that you'd like to use for more than one device configuration (but do not want to provide as a default resource), you do not need to put the same resource in more than one alternative resource directory. Instead, you can (in some cases) create an alternative resource that acts as an alias for a resource saved in your default resource directory.

Reference: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/providing-resources.html#AliasResources

Refer to the last exercise of Alternative Resources. Both /res/layout-land/activity_main.xml and /res/layout-large/activity_main.xml have the same layout. We can create alias resources refer to a common xml file.

Create: /res/values-land/refs.xml and /res/values-large/refs.xml.
Both define resource of type="layout" with name="activity_item_list", refer to the same layout file /res/layout/activity_main_horizontal.xml

<resources>
    <item type="layout" name="activity_main">@layout/activity_main_horizontal</item>
</resources>

Create the common layout /res/layout/activity_main_horizontal.xml. Actually it's the original /res/layout-land/activity_main.xml and /res/layout-large/activity_main.xml.

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent" >

    <LinearLayout 
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="horizontal">
    <ImageView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
        android:src="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        tools:context=".MainActivity" />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:padding="@dimen/padding_medium"
        android:text="@string/myqualifier"
        tools:context=".MainActivity" />
    </LinearLayout>

</RelativeLayout>

Delete the original duplicated layout, /res/layout-land/activity_main.xml and /res/layout-large/activity_main.xml.

It have the same result of the last exercise, Providing Alternative Resources.