Seriously, this is how I made a multi-column list item populated by strings!!

1) The item layout:

<LinearLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:id="@+id/LinearLayout01"
android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent">
<TextView
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/TextView_Title"
android:text="Title"
android:textSize="15px"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"></TextView>

<LinearLayout
android:id="@+id/LinearLayout02"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content">
<TextView
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/TextView_Item1"
android:text="Item1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:textSize="10px" android:layout_weight="1"/>
    <TextView
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/TextView_Item2"
android:text="Item2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:textSize="10px" android:layout_weight="1"/>
<TextView
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/TextView_Item3"
android:text="Item3"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:textSize="10px" android:layout_weight="1"/>
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>



2) Build the custom adapter:

// CUSTOM TWO ROW LIST ADAPTER
static class EfficientAdapter extends BaseAdapter {
private LayoutInflater mInflater;

public EfficientAdapter(Context context) {
mInflater = LayoutInflater.from(context);
}

public int getCount() {
return title.size();
}

public Object getItem(int position) {
return position;
}

public long getItemId(int position) {
return position;
}

public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
ViewHolder holder;
if (convertView == null) {
convertView = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.listitem_addrx, null);
holder = new ViewHolder();
holder.txtTitle = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.TextView_Title);
holder.txtItem1 = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.TextView_Item1);
holder.txtItem2 = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.TextView_Item2);
holder.txtItem3 = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.TextView_Item3);

convertView.setTag(holder);
holder = (ViewHolder) convertView.getTag();
}

holder.txtTitle.setText(title.get(position));
holder.txtItem1.setText(one.get(position));
holder.txtItem2.setText(two.get(position));
holder.txtItem3.setText(three.get(position));

return convertView;
}

static class ViewHolder {
TextView txtTitle;
TextView txtItem1;
TextView txtItem2;
TextView txtItem3;
}
} // end custom adapter

3) Call the following items:

static ListView lv;
public static ListAdapter adapter;
String selected;
static final ArrayList<String> title = new ArrayList<String>();
static final ArrayList<String> one = new ArrayList<String>();
static final ArrayList<String> two = new ArrayList<String>();
static final ArrayList<String> three = new ArrayList<String>();

4) Set the list adapter:

lv = (ListView) getListView();
        lv.setAdapter(new EfficientAdapter(this));

5) Add entries to list:

Either define a string array when you call the variables in step 3 or add items dynamically:

title.add(selected);
route.add(selected);
strength.add(selected);
form.add(selected);

lv.setAdapter(new EfficientAdapter(getBaseContext()));


References (& many, many thanks to):

Custom list row & adapter: http://www.androidpeople.com/android-custom-dynamic-listview/

Custom spinner row & adapter: http://android-er.blogspot.com/2010/12/custom-arrayadapter-for-spinner-with.html


Update with my version later...