How to change a layer-list drawable?

Trying to learn some new things and can't figure this one out, any help is appreciated. Given this simple code which is right from Google's documentation:

layers.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:id="@+id/first_image">
      <bitmap android:src="@drawable/android_red"
        android:gravity="center" />
    </item>
    <item android:id="@+id/second_image" android:top="10dp" android:left="10dp">
      <bitmap android:src="@drawable/android_green"
        android:gravity="center" />
    </item>
    <item android:id="@+id/third_image" android:top="20dp" android:left="20dp">
      <bitmap android:src="@drawable/android_blue"
        android:gravity="center" />
    </item>
</layer-list>

And main.xml:

<ImageView
    android:id="@+myImageView"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:src="@drawable/layers" />

Question: How do I programmatically reference one of the drawables in the layer-list so I can change it to a different drawable?

Thanks.

So now I have my new drawable that I want to swap in in variable myImage correct? Now how do I get that into the layer-list? I assume I use findDrawableByLayerId and setDrawableByLayerId, but how exactly? Or I could be doing it completely wrong! Help!

What am I trying to do? Change the drawable that's displayed. For example suppose I had another drawable called "android_purple", how would I switch it in for the "android_green" drawable in the layer-list example above?

EDIT:

With my limited knowledge here is my code so far (which does not work, I get error that setDrawableByLayerId is undefined):

Resources res = getApplicationContext().getResources();
BitmapDrawable newImage = (BitmapDrawable) res.getDrawable(R.drawable.android_purple); //Get replacement image, can't use LayerDrawable or get error.   
boolean layer_drawable_changed = (setDrawableByLayerId((R.id.second_image), newImage)); //Set new drawable? Error on this line.

Question: How do I programmatically reference one of the drawables in the layer-list so I can change it to a different drawable?

Here's what I would try:

Step #1: Put android:id attributes on the <item> elements as illustrated in the documentation

Step #2: Cast the getDrawable() result to a LayerDrawable

Step #3: Call mutate() if you do not want to affect anyone else using the Drawable (may be optional)

Step #4: Call setDrawableByLayerId() to set/replace a Drawable for a given layer ID

Step 1:Retrieve the Layer-list from the drawable folder: (Mine was called digits at /res/drawable/digits.xml)

LayerDrawable ld = (LayerDrawable) getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.digits);

Step 2: Name the replacing image (not the the image already in layer-list)

Drawable replace = (Drawable) getResources().getDrawable(R.drawable.replacing_image);

Step 3: Replace the Image using the setDrawableByLayerId(int id, Drawable d) method

boolean testfactor = ld.setDrawableByLayerId(R.id.first_image, replace);

This returns a boolean value that will return false if replacing the image failed

Step 4: Load main Imageview (basically id of layer-list in the actual xml layout code)

ImageView layoutlist1 = (ImageView)findViewById(R.id.layout_list1);

Step 5: (re)-Set the Imageview with your updated LayerDrawable by saying:

layoutlist1.setImageDrawable(ld);

RESOURCES: I'm a software and mobile app developer.

I looked all over the web and alot of Stackflow.com in order to get to this point. All the answers were like the ones that were already on this page. I was trying to do the same thing. Then I thought about the idea of "updating the image" and came to this.

This should/can also work for when you want to put a Bitmap in place of one the items on your list. You just have to use the replace (setDrawableByLayerId) method. to replace on ids. ImageView has a lot of methods.

This was also helpful: LayerList drawable + conversion to a Bitmap