Developing Mobile Applications

Transcription

1 Developing Mobile Applications Week 1 Introduction Steve Jones Department of Computer Science University of Waikato stevej@waikato.ac.nz Introduction 1

2 Welcome Me Steve Jones G.2.24 The course designing and developing mobile applications using the Android platform Introduction 2

3 The content We ll be looking at a bit of Android history the development environment components of Android applications design/implementation for different screen sizes/ orientations designing navigation for small screen apps using core UI components integrating databases Introduction 3

4 The content We ll be looking at providing search/suggestions for application data exploiting memory/disk caching for app resources (such as large sets of images) using location sensors (network + GPS) integrating maps persisting user preferences profiling and debugging publishing to the Play Store Introduction 4

5 The example We ll cover these things in the context of building a real application called PropertyFinder finding properties for sale that are listed on TradeMe In the lectures I ll cover concepts/techniques and provide code with some explanation And each week I ll publish an updated version of PropertyFinder that includes the ideas from the lecture Introduction 5

6 PropertyFinder on startup get user loca.on from GPS/ network, query TradeMe create list of proper.es with thumbnails retrieve and display details of selected property Introduction 6

7 PropertyFinder retrieve and display an image gallery when required Introduction 7

8 PropertyFinder provide app specific search with sugges.ons using a pre- populated database bundled with the applica.on Introduction 8

9 PropertyFinder provide naviga.on between sets of proper.es Introduction 9

10 PropertyFinder cope elegantly with orienta.on change Introduction 10

11 PropertyFinder provide swipeable image browser Introduction 11

12 PropertyFinder provide persistent applica.on preferences Introduction 12

13 PropertyFinder allow user to share applica.on data by method of their choice Introduction 13

14 PropertyFinder show proper.es on a Google Map with popup info boxes Introduction 14

15 Expectations You need to be proficient in Java and comfortable with XML You should spend at least hours in total on this course each week I ll suggest readings, practical exercises, videos to watch and set coursework Introduction 15

16 Resources Do NOT buy a hard copy Android book they go out of date too quickly I recommend a commonsware.com subscription regularly updated, lots of code examples, good explanations Introduction 16

17 Resources We have a number of devices for you to use in the course a mix of phones and tablets At the time of writing there are a few more students than devices (I stretched the enrolment limit of 20) most of the time you ll have a device to yourself, but may have to share at some point You are being trusted to look after them, return them promptly when required, and use them according to the Computer Use regulations Introduction 17

18 Resources Machines in R Block Linux labs have been configured to allow connection of the devices and on-device debugging etc Introduction 18

19 Coursework There will be 4 items of coursework, each worth 25% of the total course mark details will be published on Moodle Coursework 1 is now available due a week on Monday a design exercise (no coding) Introduction 19

20 Any questions? Introduction 20

21 Android : a potted history Android wasn't Google's idea Android, Inc. founded 2003 bought by Google mid-2005 Open Handset Alliance announced end-2007 (80+ businesses), plus Android as an open source project developer SDK released end-2007 first actual phone (HTC Dream/G1) available end-2008 Introduction 21

22 Android : a potted history Timeline Android Beta Nov 2007 Android 1.0 Dec 2008 Android 2.0 Oct 2009 Android 3.0 Feb 2011 Android 4.0 Oct 2011 Android 4.2 Nov 2012 this is when I started developing for Android no devices, just an emulator rela.vely small API, limited ways to do things could almost be familiar with it all hundreds of different devices very large API, different ways to do things difficult to be familiar with it all Introduction 22

23 Android : yummy but confusing Identifying versions can be confusing codename, version, API level codename = name of cake/dessert version = release identifier 1.x.y etc API level = what a developer has available Introduction 23

24 Android : yummy but confusing Code name Version API level 1.0, 1.1 1, 2 Cupcake Donut Éclair 2.0, 2.0.1, 2.1 5, 6, 7 phones Froyo 2.2.x 8 Gingerbread 2.3.x 9, 10 Honeycomb 3.0, 3.1, 3.2.x 11, 12, 13 IceCreamSandwich 4.0.x 14, 15 JellyBean 4.1.x, 4.2.x 16, 17 tablets everything(ish) Introduction 24

25 Android : popular Mobile platform market share figures vary but roughly 130 million Android devices sold in Q (vs 24 million ios) that s 70+% of smartphone market about 1 million new device activations per day (compared to 700K a year ago) 1.5 billion Play Store downloads per month Introduction 25

26 Android : open Almost everything is open source Android consists of the OS, 'middleware' and core applications anyone can grab the source code, contribute changes etc so if you want to see the underlying implementation of (say) a Bitmap in Android, you can (easiest via a web site like grepcode) But not quite everything some apps that are conventionally bundled as part of Android (eg Google Maps) are proprietary The license predominately Apache Software License 2.0 rationale Introduction 26

27 Let s get coding To develop for Android you need Eclipse Android Developer Tools (ADT) plugin for Eclipse Android Software Development Kit (SDK) tools utilities to support developer, independent of Android version Android Platform tools version specific, used during build process one or more Android platforms basically these are libraries for the Android versions one or more system (Android version) images to run on the emulator Introduction 27

28 Let s get coding : SDK These are bundled in a single download developer.android.com/sdk/index.html Introduction 28

29 Let s get coding : SDK These are bundled in a single download developer.android.com/sdk/index.html Download and unzip into your own account/ filespace Make sure that the path to the unzipped content does NOT contain any spaces Introduction 29

30 Let s get coding : SDK The unzipped folder contains tool platform-tools folders Add these to your environment PATH edit ~/.profile and append to $PATH source ~/.profile Test by running android and adb Introduction 30

31 Let s get coding : creating an app Now you re ready to create an app Follow index.html creating-project.html Demo here.. PropertyFinder first steps Introduction 31

32 Homework 1. Install the development environment 2. Create an AVD 3. Create a basic project and run it on the emulator 4. Download the Samples, import the ApiDemos project into Eclipse, build and run on emulator Introduction 32

33 Coursework 1 Background reading Download design templates uploads/2012/08/pixle_outline_tapsize.zip Android_Design_Downloads_ zip Introduction 33

34 Coursework 1 overview The topic design a mobile app for browsing Comp Sci papers equivalent to ignore web site navigation stuff, focus on the papers themselves design screens, layout, navigation explain with annotations Deliverables paper or digital designs using the design templates Introduction 34

35 Next Android application components Adding an Action Bar to PropertyFinder Understanding the activity lifecycle Coping with orientation changes Introduction 35