Correct use of setEmtpyView in AdapterView

You need to add this same view in the layout in which you have added the AdapterView.

AdapterView only changes its visibility based on the contents in the adapter.

EDITED :
Following layout and code works fine :

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">
    <ListView
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="300dip"
        android:id="@+id/list_view" />
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/empty_list_view"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="List view is empty"
        android:visibility="gone" />
</LinearLayout>

Code :

ListView listView = (ListView) findViewById( R.id.list_view );
listView.setEmptyView( findViewById( R.id.empty_list_view ) );
listView.setAdapter( new ArrayAdapter( this, R.layout.selected_spinner_view, new ArrayList() ) );