1. Android Development Tools and
Installation
Prof. Erwin M. Globio, MSIT
Managing Director of eglobiotraining.com
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2. Installation of the Android development tools
Google provides tools to develop Android applications. You have
to choice to use either Eclipse or IntelliJ based tools.
This guide describes both approaches but the focus is on the
Eclipse based tooling.
Standalone Eclipse ADT installation
Download
Google provides a pre-packaged and configured Eclipse based
Android development environment. Under the following URL
you find an archive file which includes all required tools for
Android development: Getting the Android SDK .
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3. Pre-requisites for using a 64bit Linux
The Android SDK is 32bit, therefore on a 64bit Linux system you
need to have the package ia32-libs installed. For Ubuntu you can
do this via the following command.
apt-get install ia32-libs
Please check your distribution documentation, if you are using a
different flavor of Linux.
Standalone ADT installation
Extract the zip file and start Eclipse from the eclipse folder via the
eclipse native launcher, e.g. eclipse.exe under Windows.
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4. Install Android SDK version
Using the Android SDK manager
The Android SDK Manager allows you to install specific versions
of the Android API. Select Window → Android SDK Manager
from the Eclipse menu.
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5. The dialog allows you to install and delete packages.
Select Available packages and open the Third Party Add-ons. Select the latest Google
API (highest number) of the SDK and press the Install button. The following
screenshot shows the API 16 but if there is a never version available install this
version.
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6. Press the Install button and confirm the license for all packages. After the installation
completes, restart Eclipse.
Install support library
In the Android SDK Manager select Extras and install the Android support library.
Updating an existing Eclipse IDE installation
Install ADT Plug-ins and Android SDK
The following description assumes that you have already a flavor of the Eclipse IDE
installed which you want to update to develop Android applications. Use the Eclipse
update manager via Help → Install new software to install all available components for
the Android Development Tools (ADT) from the following URL:
https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/
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7. After the new Android development components are installed, you will be
prompted to install the Android SDK. You can use the following wizard or go to the
next section to learn how to do it manually.
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10. Manual installation of the Android SDK
After the installation of the ADT the Eclipse tooling allows to
download the Android SDK automatically. Alternatively you can
also manually download the Android SDK from the Android
SDK download page.
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
The download contains a zip file, which you can extract to any
place in your file system, e.g. on my Linux system I placed it
into the /home/vogella/android-sdks folder. Avoid using spaces
in the path name, otherwise you may experience problems
with the usage of the Android SDK.
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11. You also have to define the location of the Android SDK in the Eclipse
Preferences. In Eclipse open the Preferences dialog via the
menu Window → Preferences. Select Android and enter the installation path of
the Android SDK.
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12. Android installation verification
The best way to verify that your installation did work
correctly is to create an Android Virtual device. Please
follow the instructions below and make sure that the
device actually can start otherwise you will face issues
during the training.
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13. Exercise: Create and run Android Virtual Device
Create AVD
Define a new Android Virtual Device (ADV) with open the AVD Manager via
Window → Android Virtual Device Manager and press the New button.
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15. Tip
Ensure that the Use Host GPU option is selected. This makes
the AVD use the graphical processing unit of your computer
and this makes rendering much faster.
Afterwards press the OK button. This will create the AVD
configuration and display it under the list of available virtual
devices.
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16. Start your AVD
To test if your setup is correct, select your new AVD entry and press
the Start button
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17. Warning
Do not interrupt this startup process, as this might corrupt the AVD.
The first startup may take on an older machine up to 10 minutes.
On a modern machine is typically takes 1-3 minutes for a new AVD
to finish its starting process.
After the AVD started, you can use the AVD via the mouse. If you selected
the option and via the virtual keyboard of the emulator.
Warning
The initial startup of the emulator is relatively long, starting the emulator is
similar to starting an Android device. During development you don't stop
the AVD, you just re-deploy your application.
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