This document provides an overview of Android development for starters. It defines Android as an open mobile platform maintained by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. It lists the main Android versions and tools needed for development, including Eclipse. It describes the key application components in Android like Activities, Services, Broadcast Receivers and Content Providers. It explains how to set up a project in Eclipse with XML layouts, Java code, and run the app in an emulator or on a real device. Resources for installation and additional documentation are also provided.
2. Objectives
Define Android
Enumerate Android Versions
Identify tools in Android Development
State components in Eclipse
Run Android Application in Emulator
4. What is Android?
o Open mobile platform by Google
o Defined as Software Stack for mobiles
o Start of Open Handset Alliance
o Maintained by Android Open Source Project
o Brought from Danger Inc. by Google
10. Application Components
Activity
- java class that extends Activity
Services
- runs in background for period of time
Broadcast Receivers
- receives and react to broadcast announcement
Content Providers
- store and retrieve data for all applications
Intents
- the intention of an action
12. Services
• Run in the background
• Can be bound to an application
• Needs to be declared in manifest file
• Like Activities, has a structured life cycle
14. XML
• Used to define some of the resources
o Layouts (UI)
o Strings
• Manifest file
• Shouldn’t usually have to edit it directly,
Eclipse can do that for you
• Preferred way of creating UIs
o Separates the description of the layout from any
actual code that controls it
o Can easily take a UI from one platform to another
15. R Class
• Auto-generated: you shouldn’t edit it
• Contains IDs of the project resources
• Enforces good software engineering
• Use findViewById object to access the
resources
16. Layouts
• Eclipse has a great UI creator
o Generates the XML for you
• Composed of View objects
• Can be specified for portrait and landscape
mode
o Use same file name, so can make completely
different UIs for the orientations without modifying
any code
17. Running in Eclipse
• Similar to launching a regular Java app,
use the launch configurations
• Specify an Android Application and create
a new one
• Specify activity to be run
• Can select a manual option, so each time
program is run, you are asked whether you
want to use the actual phone or the
emulator
o Otherwise, it should be smart and use whichever
one is available