12 replies to this topic

[BlackRabbit]

If you are just wondering about Android, you just have a small set of questions in mind, this small tutorial is just what you need to answer that silly and yet important questions you are wondering about.


What is Android ?

Its a linux-based operating system for mobile devices such as mobile phones/tablet pcs/etc.


What do i need to install in my PC to make it work?

The Android SDKS, you can follow the instructions from here


Which language should i learn to program android ?

More than a language its the SDK what you need to learn the most, and then use it in JAVA.


Which IDE ?

There is the widely used ECLIPSE IDE, Eclipse has the advantage of being the IDE referred in 90% of any android example, ideal for beginners, but if you ask me i like the IntelliJ Idea better.
What are the differences in between Eclipse and IntelliJ ? mainly two :

- Intellij provides natural android development support while Eclipse needs a plug-in to work with android.
- Intellij performs better, is faster and uses less memory.

Still Intellij might sometimes be not as easy to use as eclipse, but in my opinion it works a lot better.


What is different in mobile programming ?

The wide variety of mobile hardware your application needs to support and of course the mobile market.
Be ready to submit your applications to large testing sessions, a simple screen will not look the same in a small screen cellphone and in a tablet, you will need to program thinking in whatever you put in a screen needs to look good in both vertical and landscape, in high density screens and in low density, get ready to write many versions of the same screen layout, and we are not talking about multi-lang yet but have also in mind that other languages such as German has longer words and sentences and what you stylishly displays in English might not feet in the German's lang screen layout.

I hope you find this small article useful. stay tunned for the next one, there is a long road from starter to application publisher and i intend to cover it.

[Rakso]

Realy nice thread, Good way to get introduced to Android development!

[BlackRabbit]

thank you compboy !
i just thought about the general getting started questions all of us had when we started reading about it

and those are the quick answers i would have looooved to had when i started wondering about android

[gaconga1105]

Thanks Rabbit,
I ve scrolled all app screens, but I could not find the icon of my app. Thats why i posted my question. I really could not locate it

[VNFox]

very good ... thanks

[neil]

BR:
i have a question. How would i connect an android device to a linux based platform for file transfer (Mass data storage) ?
We don't really have an mtp client.

[lintwurm]

To answer your question neil, I am currently working on a small app that incorporates a C++ backend... Written in QT-Creator so it'll just be a recompile to work on Windows. I use a normal TCP connection with buffers etc... It should actually not be too hard to try something like you suggested! Lets see how things go, it might hit the market soon


But do yourself a favour and try something similar. I actually enjoy programming for Android...

[neil]

To answer your question neil, I am currently working on a small app that incorporates a C++ backend... Written in QT-Creator so it'll just be a recompile to work on Windows. I use a normal TCP connection with buffers etc... It should actually not be too hard to try something like you suggested! Lets see how things go, it might hit the market soon


But do yourself a favour and try something similar. I actually enjoy programming for Android...

I've got a full time job and studies, so i don't have much time on my hands
i just wifi my stuff over haha. ssh isn't a solution but it works ^^

[lintwurm]

scp is even easier IMHO...

I wonder if there is a rsync like program for Android?

[neil]

scp is even easier IMHO...

I wonder if there is a rsync like program for Android?

Sorry, i meant scp haha :/
there's no rsync that worked for me.

[BlackRabbit]

Neil, i am a bit confused, if it is just about file transfer, most of android can connect just like a pendrive via USB. Then there is ftp on wi-fi, then there is connecting the sdcard to the pc sdcard port.

if none of that apply, which is probable since you are not one who cries with no reason, plus i haven't used linux/unix/*ix lately. Another solution i see is mounting a windows virtual machine on your linux.
you mount your filesystem on the VM and use windows software for the android transfer.

[neil]

Neil, i am a bit confused, if it is just about file transfer, most of android can connect just like a pendrive via USB.

Nope, android ruled that out sometime back.

Then there is ftp on wi-fi, then there is connecting the sdcard to the pc sdcard port.

I use wifi as i mentioned, but it isn't as fast and/or convenient as a mass file transfer via usb. Also i don't have an sd card/port thing.

if none of that apply, which is probable since you are not one who cries with no reason, plus i haven't used linux/unix/*ix lately. Another solution i see is mounting a windows virtual machine on your linux.
you mount your filesystem on the VM and use windows software for the android transfer.

I've seen the transfer crash.

Don't sweat it though
i just find it odd for a linux based os to not be able to communicate with linux haha