Android Programming
Overview
What is Android?
Why teach Android?
What do you need in order to teach Android?
Hello, Android
Links for android beginners: https://www.udacity.com/courses/android
Andriod Basics: (1) User Interface, (2) Multicscreen Apps, (3) User Input, (4)
Data Storage, (5) Networking
What is Android?
Android
Includes a Java API for developing applications
It is not a device or product
The Android Open Source Project
(AOSP)
An open source Linux-based operating system intended for
mobile computing platforms
An initiative led by Google
– Makes the source code of the Android OS available for all
Read, review, and modify the code to your liking
The main goals of the AOSP
– Provide a set of compatibility guidelines—for OEMs (Original
Equipment Manufacturers) and device manufacturers—for
porting Android to custom devices
– Build accessories that comply with Android’s open accessory
standard Allows OEMs and manufacturers to deliver a
standard experience
Making radical changes to that experience introduces
fragmentation in the marketplace and in competing Android
distributions.
The Open Handset Alliance
Android, Inc
Created by Andy Rubin, Acquired by Google in 2005.
Open Handset Alliance (OHA)
– Formed in November 2007
– Business alliance composed of mobile players
• Chip makers
• Handset manufacturers
• Software developers
• Service providers
OHA began developing open standards based on Android,
Inc. technologies. The result is the Android project.
Google provided the initial code, online documentation, tools,
forums, and SDK.
Manufacturers: Designing Android
Devices
Samsung
Motorola
Dell
Sony Ericsson
HTC
LG
Amazon
Intel
Texas Instruments
ARM
NVIDIA
Qualcomm
Why teach Android?
Engaging Students with Android
Android has a lot of “buzz” now
– Newness
– Coolness
– Googleness
UI and graphics made simple(r)
Advanced Java skills
What Skills Will Students Learn?
Reinforce the basics: OOP, decomposition, etc.
Separation of UI design and functionality
XML and resource files
Events and Listeners
Callback methods
Threads
Android vs. iPhone
Java vs. Objective-C
Direct install vs. Marketplace vs. App Store
Open source?
What do you need in order
to teach Android?
What Should Students Already Know?
Java!
– inheritance, method overriding
– interfaces, casting
– exceptions
– debugging
– reading API documentation
Eclipse
– easy to pick up quickly, though
Do I Need Phones?
The emulator that is part of the Android toolset for
Eclipse is quite good (though a bit slow)
You may be able to get free “developer phones”
from Google
Online Resources
developer.android.com
code.google.com/p/apps-for-android/
stackoverflow.com
videos from Google I/O conferences
“Hello, Android”
Creating Your First(?) Android App
1. Set up your development environment
2. Create a new Android project in Eclipse
3. Run it in the emulator
4. Hilarity ensues
1. Set Up Your Android Environment
http://developer.android.com/sdk
Install Android Studio with Android SDK
(Android libraries)
Install JDK if it is not in your computer
Create AVD (Android virtual device)
2. Create an Android Project
File → New → Project
Select “Android Project”
Fill in Project details...
Directory
name
Android
version
Java package
Name that appears
on device
Class to
automatically
create
Source
code
Auto-generated
code
String
constants
UI
layout
Configuration
3. Run the Android Application
Run → Run (or click the “Run” button)
Select “Android Application”
The emulator may take a few minutes to start, so
be patient!
You don't need to restart the emulator when you
have a new version of your application
HelloAndroid.java
1 public class HelloAndroid extends Activity {
2 /** Called when the activity is first created. */
3 @Override
4 public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
5 {
6 super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
7 setContentView(R.layout.main);
8 }
9 }
main.xml
1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
2 <LinearLayout
3 xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
4 android:orientation="vertical"
5 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
6 android:layout_height="fill_parent"
7 >
8 <TextView
9 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
10 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
11 android:text="@string/hello "
12 />
13 </LinearLayout>
strings.xml
1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
2 <resources>
3 <string name="hello">Hello World, HelloAndroid!
4 </string>
5 <string name="app_name">Hello, Android</string>
6 </resources>
AndroidManifest.xml
1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
2 <manifest
3 xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
4 package="edu.upenn.cis542"
5 android:versionCode="1"
6 android:versionName="1.0">
7 <application android:icon="@drawable/icon"
8 android:label="@string/app_name">
9 <activity android:name=".HelloAndroid"
10 android:label="@string/app_name">
11 <intent-filter>
12 <action
13 android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
14 <category
15 android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/>
16 </intent-filter>
17 </activity>
18 </application>
19 </manifest>
