title: Android Studio 3.1.3, design view is always empty - why isn't it working properly out of the box
body: <p>I am still a beginner in the android development world, so forgive me if I ask illogical or ignorant questions.</p>
  
  <p>I work with Android Studio under Linux Mint. Before I downloaded 3.1.3, I had no problems during and after installing earlier versions of the software. Everything always worked, apart from the required standard updates, out of the box. Now that I have installed 3.1.3, my design view always appears to be empty by default. After a search, I finally found the answer here at stackoverflow (<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/50929640/android-studio-3-1-3-design-view-is-always-empty">Android Studio 3.1.3, design view is always empty</a>).</p>
  
  <p>I had to change the res/values/styles.xml file from this:</p>
  
  <p>style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar"</p>
  
  <p>to this:</p>
  
  <p>style name="AppTheme" parent="Base.Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar"</p>
  
  <p>I am verry happy that I found the solution, but my real issue is that I like to understand why I need to add "Base." after a fresh install of Android Studio? For a beginner who starts Android Studio the first time and then immediately has the problem of not showing the Hello World tekst in the design view, while the code was auto generated, is not good advertising. </p>
  
  <p>So why is this not working out of the box? And why is the "base." required?</p>
  
  <p>Thank you in advance.</p>