Android Action Button Icons are missing -

i'm new android & attempting follow tutorials. initial tutorial going hit one

https://developer.android.com/training/basics/actionbar/adding-buttons.html

where i'm finding can't action buttons display icon. if set

 android:showasaction="always" 

in attempt workaround issue started similar tutorial

http://www.androidhive.info/2013/11/android-working-with-action-bar/

but ended hitting same issue.

i'm using api 11 & not going near support bundle. can text menu items appear in drop down. can't seem icons.

i tried both sets of icons action bar icon set. res folder has following drawable structure

- drawable - drawable-hdpi - drawable-mdpi - drawable-xhdpi - drawable-xxhdpi 

with nothing in drawable & appropriate icons in other folders.

this seems such basic step i'm surprised i'm stuck.

any suggestions?

edit: adding code suggested

mainactivity.java

package com.example.gannons.actionbar;  import android.support.v7.app.actionbaractivity; import android.os.bundle; import android.view.menu; import android.view.menuitem;  public class mainactivity extends actionbaractivity {  @override protected void oncreate(bundle savedinstancestate) {     super.oncreate(savedinstancestate);     setcontentview(r.layout.activity_main); }   @override public boolean oncreateoptionsmenu(menu menu) {     // inflate menu; adds items action bar if present.     getmenuinflater().inflate(r.menu.activity_main_actions, menu);     return super.oncreateoptionsmenu(menu); }  @override public boolean onoptionsitemselected(menuitem item) {     // handle action bar item clicks here. action bar     // automatically handle clicks on home/up button, long     // specify parent activity in androidmanifest.xml.     int id = item.getitemid();      //noinspection simplifiableifstatement     if (id == r.id.action_settings) {         return true;     }      return super.onoptionsitemselected(item); } } 

activity_main_actions.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"> <!-- search / display --> <item android:id="@+id/action_search"     android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_search"     android:title="@string/action_search"     android:showasaction="always" />  <!-- location found --> <item android:id="@+id/action_location_found"     android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_location_found"     android:title="@string/action_location_found"     android:showasaction="always" /> 

also i'm using android studio in case makes difference.

because activity extends actionbaractivity, are in fact, using support library (as recommended if want looks consistent api11+ - remember default looks different on api21+). can switch activity extend activity , you'll use framework version of action bar work activity_main_actions.xml have written.

otherwise, change android:showasaction app:showasaction , , act consistently across api versions.