Do you want to develop an app for Android? These app development tutorial will let you know how to be a developer.
You have got an amazing idea to develop an app, however you require some help. You can learn find how to build an app for Android with this easy to understand guide for everybody from beginners to geniuses.
In this new world where smartphone usage is climbing exponentially, the chances to make a name for yourself, also a huge amount of money, by transforming your app thought into the truth are huge. So, if you are developing for Android here is a exercise to help you.
This tutorial will teach you how to build your first Android app. You will learn how to create an Android project and run a debuggable version of the app. You will also learn some fundamentals of Android application design, including how to build a simple user interface.
This tutorial is a short introduction for beginners for a guide '
How To Develop App For Android'. The tutorial is focused around API Level 17 and operating system Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Our objective is to begin starting with no outside help and develop an app which will convert mp/h to km/h.
1 - What Do You Require?
- Basic knowledge of XML.
- Basic knowledge of Java.
- Basic knowledge of Eclipse.
- 2 to 3 hours of your time.
2 - Requirements
Before you can begin you require the Android SDK and an IDE. Android offers an unique bundle for that. It is known as
Android SDK Bundle.
Download the bundle pack, unzip (extract) and run the "
SDK Manager.exe".
Start Eclipse.
3 - Create an Android Virtual Machine (Dalvik)
To create, run, test and debug your Android App, you can create and run a Virtual Android Machine on your computer or laptop. Later you can deploy your Application to this virtual machine.
- Click on 'Windows' at the route toolbar
- Open 'Android Virtual Device administrator'
- Create a new 'Android Virtual Device'.
- Make sure that 'Use Host GPU' is enabled. This permits the AVD to use the Host GPU and this helps to render the AVD much quicker.
- After that you can start the AVD
4 - Create A New Project
Open "
File"
Select "
New"
Then select "
Android Application Project"
Choose a name for your app.
Configure your project.
Setup Launcher Icon.
Here you can pick a 'Launcher Icon' that will be shown on your smartphone.
Now Create a new '
Blank Activity'.
Configure your Activity with Name and Layout Name as shown in the figure.
After finishing the above steps, Eclipse looks very similar to this screen.
5 - Implement the Look and the Feel
Navigate in the package explorer to this - '
/res/design/' and open '
activity_main.xml'
Right-click on "Hellow World" and erase it.
5.1 - Create static Attributes
- Select '/res/values/strings.xml'
- 'Add' a new entry
- Select the Color entry, press OK and set the following values :-
Name -
myColor
Value -
#eeeeee
Now include a few more String(!) Attributes :-
- Name/value: "miles" / "to Miles"
- Name/value: "kmh" / "to km/h"
- Name/value: "calc" / "Calculate"
Switch from "Resources" to "strings.xml" and verify that your code seems similar to this.
- <resources>
- <string name="app_name">TutorialApplication</string>
- <string name="action_settings">Settings</string>
- <string name="hello_world">Hello World!</string>
- <color name="myColor">#eeeeee</color>
- <string name="miles">to Miles</string>
- <string name="kmh">to km/h</string>
- <string name="calc">Calculate</string>
- </resources>
5.2 - Add Views
Select '
/res/layout/activity_main.xml'
Open Android Editor via double click.
Now you have two possibilities. You can create a new Views via drag and drop, or you can edit your XML source code. In this tutorial to develop an app we will add the Views through drag and drop.
So let us start developing our App. Firstly we have to add a 'Text Field' for the input.
Drag this Text Field to your Application.
After that select the "Form Widget" section and drag a
RadioGroup to your App and be sure that the
RadioGroup has two
RadioButtons. Now you can add a normal Button.
Switch from "
Graphical Layout" to "
activity_main.xml" and verify that your code appears to be like that
- <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
- xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
- android:layout_width="match_parent"
- android:layout_height="match_parent"
- android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
- android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
- android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
- android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
- tools:context=".MainActivity" >
-
- <EditText
- android:id="@+id/editText1"
- android:layout_width="wrap_content"
- android:layout_height="wrap_content"
- android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
- android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
- android:layout_marginLeft="24dp"
- android:layout_marginTop="31dp"
- android:ems="10"
- android:inputType="numberDecimal|numberSigned" >
-
- <requestFocus />
- </EditText>
-
- <RadioGroup
- android:id="@+id/radioGroup1"
- android:layout_width="wrap_content"
- android:layout_height="wrap_content"
- android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/editText1"
- android:layout_below="@+id/editText1"
- android:layout_marginTop="28dp" >
-
- <RadioButton
- android:id="@+id/radio0"
- android:layout_width="wrap_content"
- android:layout_height="wrap_content"
- android:checked="true"
- android:text="RadioButton" />
-
- <RadioButton
- android:id="@+id/radio1"
- android:layout_width="wrap_content"
- android:layout_height="wrap_content"
- android:text="RadioButton" />
- </RadioGroup>
-
- <Button
- android:id="@+id/button1"
- android:layout_width="wrap_content"
- android:layout_height="wrap_content"
- android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/radioGroup1"
- android:layout_centerVertical="true"
- android:text="Button" />
-
- </RelativeLayout>
5.3 - Edit View Properties
Now in this step, you can edit all properties of 'Views' via right-click on the view or via XML.
1 - Navigate to '
res/layout/' and open the Graphical Layout of your '
activity_main.xml'
2 - Right click on the first "Radio Button" and open '
Edit Text'
3 - Assign the miles property to the second Radio Button.
4 - Set the "Checked" property for the first Radio Button (Other Properties > inherited from compoundbutton > checked > True ).
5 - Set the "Input type" property for the Text Field to "
numberSigned" and "
numberDecimal".
6 - Assign "
calc" to the Button and set "
calculate" for the "
onClick" property (Other Properties > inherited from view > onClick ).
7 - Set Background Color (Right click on an the empty space on your Application > Edit Background ).
After that change the Background. It should be #eeeeee! I think it can be little bit difficult to see the difference.
6 - Implement The Logic
After we implemented the Frontend View, we have to implement the logical part of app with the help of Java.
- Switch to '
src/com.example.tutorialapplication/' and open '
MainActivity.java'
- package com.example.tutorialapplication;
-
- import android.os.Bundle;
- import android.app.Activity;
- import android.view.Menu;
- import android.view.View;
- import android.widget.EditText;
- import android.widget.RadioButton;
- import android.widget.Toast;
-
- public class MainActivity extends Activity {
-
-
- private EditText text;
-
-
- @Override
- protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
- super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
- setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
-
-
-
- text = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editText1);
- }
-
-
- @Override
- public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
-
- getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
- return true;
- }
-
-
-
-
-
- public void calculate(View view) {
-
- RadioButton mileButton = (RadioButton) findViewById(R.id.radio0);
- RadioButton kmhButton = (RadioButton) findViewById(R.id.radio1);
-
- if (text.getText().length() == 0) {
-
-
- Toast.makeText(this, "enter a valid number", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
- .show();
- } else {
-
- double inputValue = Double.parseDouble(text.getText().toString());
-
- if (mileButton.isChecked()) {
- text.setText(String.valueOf(convertToMiles(inputValue)));
-
- mileButton.setChecked(false);
-
- kmhButton.setChecked(true);
- } else {
- text.setText(String.valueOf(convertToKmh(inputValue)));
-
- kmhButton.setChecked(false);
-
- mileButton.setChecked(true);
- }
- }
- }
-
- private double convertToMiles(double inputValue) {
-
- return (inputValue * 1.609344);
- }
-
- private double convertToKmh(double inputValue) {
-
- return (inputValue * 0.621372);
- }
- }
That's all friends!
That was only a short tutorial of How To Develop Mobile App For Android! If there are any mistakes please feel free to comment.