Android xml merge layout error on inflate

you can't use <merge> as a root element in your final layout without container element. "Using this as the root element is useful when you know that this layout will be placed into a layout that already contains the appropriate parent View to contain the children of the element. This is particularly useful when you plan to include this layout in another layout file using and this layout doesn't require a different ViewGroup container" -- from "developer.android.com"

This example show that how to work with <merge>: http://www.coderzheaven.com/2011/06/26/merge-two-layout-xml-in-android/

Updated:

You should try with Constructor(Context, AttributeSet) from this example. I think it will solve your problem.

file test.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<merge
 xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

     <CheckBox
        android:id="@+id/layers_list_item_switch"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_alignRight="@id/layers_list_item_root"    
        android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
        android:layout_marginLeft="15dp"        
        android:button="@drawable/ic_launcher" />

     <TextView
        android:id="@+id/layers_list_item_text"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="left|center_vertical"
        android:layout_toLeftOf="@id/layers_list_item_switch"
        android:selectAllOnFocus="true"
        android:text="tret"
        android:ellipsize="marquee"
        android:focusable="true"
        android:focusableInTouchMode="true"
        android:marqueeRepeatLimit="marquee_forever"
        android:singleLine="true"
        android:scrollHorizontally="true"
        android:textColor="@android:color/black"
        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:textStyle="bold"
        android:typeface="serif"
        android:clickable="true" />

</merge>

Test class which extend from RelativeLayout:

public class Test extends RelativeLayout
{       
    public Test(Context context, AttributeSet attrs) {
        super(context, attrs);      
        LayoutInflater.from(context).inflate(R.layout.test, this, true);    
    }
}

Main activity:

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    }    
}

Main layout:

<com.example.testlayout.Test
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"           
    android:id="@+id/layers_list_item_root"
    android:layout_height = "fill_parent"
    android:layout_width = "fill_parent"      
    />