Database Users

Best place to start?

Trying to figure out the best place to start for writing android apps. I have experience coding php, a little c#, and html (if you really want to even call that a programming language ). Anyways, I have been looking into air for android and praying for my app inventor invite. But I really want to get a good grasp for it before I start using a cookie cutter app so I can just use it for the tedious stuff and modify and add to the code for my usage. I guess I said all that to say, I am lost and am kinda just wondering what some of the indie programmers did to get into coding for android. Any help/nudge in the right direction is greatly appreciated.

I agree, I also am looking into starting to program and have a background similar to yours. I have books like head first java that I have tried but... there is something about it that i just cant grasp. It's so much easier if you have someone near you that you can say, what does this mean or, why does this work the way it does... to help get a better understanding.
Any information greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks

found a great book called Professional Android 2 Development on amazon, good info in that book and gets you going and is very detailed so far. Its $30 of course and not so proudly, i DL'd it sorry but the author of this book is a Google biggywiggy and I'm sure my $30 lacking isn't going to kill the guy. Also I got my app inventor invite today FTW!!!

It is realy hard to learn Android without any Java knowledge. Therefore, please learn first Java! If you have the basic Java skills then you should start with Android Development. Because i know a guy that also started directly with Android and also without java knowledge. He bought a Android book but all the Android Developer books expect Java knowledge. Thats my advice.

[Q] Any tutorials for Android development for C# developers?

I've come up with an idea for a mobile app that I think people would find useful. Since I have an android phone, I'm going to start there. I'm a C# developer in mostly windows forms and ASP.Net applications. I haven't done much in Java other than what I did in college about 5 years ago. So.. Anyone have an tutorials that can bring a lowly C# developer up to speed in Java / Android development? I did a search on the googlez but I kept getting links for MonoDroid and I don't want to go that route.

http://developer.android.com/resources/tutorials/views/index.html
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Unrevoked forever
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Thanks. Not quite what I was looking for, but helpful none the less.

java syntax is so similar to c# that you really shouldn't have much problem..
As you're learning the ins and outs of android, I'm sure you'll pick up on the differences between the two languages
As for actually learning the android specific stuff... I don't know
I really prefer learning from videos as opposed to reading
I tried to find some good video tutorials but I couldn't find anyway
there were a few that had one video that was good but that was it(doesn't get you too far)
you might want to check out this site though
http://www.codinggreenrobots.com/
they're going to be broadcasting live workshops on android every other week starting today
I have no idea if they're any good but it looks promising
if you don't mind reading though, there's tons of good books
I read part of "Pro Android" because my work had a copy
it was decent

Hey thanks for that link. I'm going to check them out tonight.

I'm in the same posion as you are, working for webdevleoper for over 10 years. Just did all my stuff in C# but wanted to create an Android app.
The best way to learn is to just mess around. There is no tutorial or page wich compares java syntax to c#. Just start with the same old Hello World, create some click events etc. Start to develop small parts of you applications as practice. Don't start with the complete app design because it will be frustrating.
I've created an app and love building apps in Eclipse because it's quite similar to c#. Although there are some really strange thing happening in Java. For example, there is no Switch for a String value, only int and enum values. From c# point of view you will bump into other strange stuff like that. Accept it, search and learn.
Again, it's not that hard. I think it's harder to understand how Android really works with Intents etc. That's quite hard to learn(for me;-))
Good luck!

Hey, I'll trade you some Android stuff for some .Net stuff. I'm an unemployed programmer and all I see these days is "Wanted...ASP, PHP, .NET, C#, VB, AJAX, SOAP" etc. for jobs. (What the HELL is AJAX and SOAP? rofl )
And I'm old and broke and can't afford to go back to college for even 2 years to get schooled in the "latest and greatest"
Yeah, I know, buy some books and learn it! LOL

Yea, as others have said developer.android.com has really all you need.

to develop or not to develop?

hiya there, im a complete noob to the developing software, well android for that matter. i see post after post of people developing and i just want to learn how to do it myself. you always appreciate things more if you know how they developed and the hard work gone in to them.
so please share the developing love and share your knowledge.
also are there any books available that may help?
many thanks

If you don't know java, you need to learn that first. There's always a dozen or so threads here every week with someone wanting to know where to start. So look at one of those for suggestions on websites and java books.
If you already know java, then go to the link below and read everything and work thru the tutorials.
http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/compatibility.html
Most people use Eclipse as the development tool. You can find some information on setting up Eclipse in my blog.
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http://ron-droid.blogspot.com

thank you buddy just wanting to contribute to the android world

If eclipse isnt your cup of tea then try Intellij. I find it much better than eclipse. The code completion, generation and analysis is top notch
From something awesome

Cheers I will try that out
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I would recommend starting with Android App Inventor.
It's a relatively simple way for non devs to get started developing for Android.
I have decades of dev experience but a few months ago I was new to Android, and pretty new to Java,
AI allowed me to quickly jump into Android dev.
Unfortunately it's difficult to make a professional app using AI, so now I use the SDK and NDK, but much of what I learned in AI was transferable to the SDK/NDK environment.

Also, look at Droid Draw. It lets you drag and drop objects to create relatively simple apps. The advantage is that you can then review the java and xml files (the code behind what you created) that Droid Draw generates. There are different ways to learn...I like the "by example" way.

[Q] Suggestions for tablet app dev tools?

I'm looking for a simplified approach to tablet development for the a500. I'm currently looking into flash builder ( seems like I need the full Adobe suite to really leverage it, so too much $ ). I'm dabbling in Eclipse, but am not too psyched about learning a new IDE. I grabbed the Mono for Android trial but it's not really ready for tablets as of yet. I've been building in the Buzztouch interface, exporting and recompiling in Eclipse with some success, but it's really not tablet focused. It seems like the app Inventor isn't ready for tablets either.
Has anyone encountered a tablet-centric toolset out there? I'm looking for only very simple functionality, nothing elaborate needed. Honestly, if it even supported simple HTML iFrames I could get by with it. I'm fine with web based tools if needed, maybe something with templates for the Acer, Xoom, and so on... I can work in VS 20xx, Eclipse if I have to. any suggestions would be really appreciated. thanks!

My suggestion is to use eclipse and official SDK. Because when you use third-party tools or workarounds like flash/htlm, your apps look non-native, break when the user updates his device with a newer os and. It causes a lot of frustrations - people hate such apps and recommend all their friends not to use them. At least I always do.
So I advise you to learn java and eclipse. You may even have to use these tools from time to time not only for android because java no matter how it sucks is everywhere. Besides, you get a lot of advantages when using sdk and java api like saving settings, gettinge events like app close/hibernate and so on. The learning curve may differ from flash but java is certainly much more useful. Although given that you know C# (as you're suggesting mono) and javascript/actionscript (as you're using flash) learning Java will be easier, although Java is corporate crap built on spike solutions and rejecting progressive stuff.
Actually you should ask mods to move this thread to android development or off-topic. I am sure you more people will share their opinions on the matter there

thank you for your reply... you are right, the smart thing to do is stop whining and learn the tools C# C++, flash ... I guess the idea of having to learn something else isn't the end of the world, but I was hoping a toolset would lighten the load a bit. thanks again

angus454 said:
thank you for your reply... you are right, the smart thing to do is stop whining and learn the tools C# C++, flash ... I guess the idea of having to learn something else isn't the end of the world, but I was hoping a toolset would lighten the load a bit. thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pssst.. hit that thanks button for sp3dev.

angus454 said:
thank you for your reply... you are right, the smart thing to do is stop whining and learn the tools C# C++, flash ... I guess the idea of having to learn something else isn't the end of the world, but I was hoping a toolset would lighten the load a bit. thanks again
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I don't think his suggestion was for you to learn C / C++ or flash. Based on your OP, he figured you might know them well and that knowing them might help ease the learning curve learning Java. You will still have to learn it though.
As he rightly said, for an uninterrupted user experience, always stick to the native development tools. No easy way out unfortunately.

you know, I should just write the program myself and release it up here for others to benefit from... thanks for the thank reminder; done!

Can I learn by my self?

Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you really need to know Java basics, and then just start learning off the getting started guides on the official site

deanwray said:
Well you really need to know Java basics, and then just start learning off the getting started guides on the official site
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks

It's possible to learn on your own, but it can be good to have others to either learn from or run your ideas by also. It's difficult to notice you're stuck in a box sometimes!
It's also a good idea to play with the SDK sample apps when you're learning not only Java but Android APIs.

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES YOU CAN
The best place to start would be to download and import the source codes of very simple open source android apps, read them thoroughly and then start making little modifications to it to learn what code affects what part of the app's functionality, try adding new functions and features. This way you will learn and build up your confidence.

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although it would probably be easier if you were taught it in an educational envrionment (university maybe?) or, like driving lessons, you had an actual android developer sit down next to you when learning/developing I personally think the official android Design and Develop series can take you from novice to intermediate - low end of complicated development. You could use these in conjunction with xda dev or stackoverflow to get any information/code that's missing or you don't understand how to implement.
developer.android.com/design
developer.android.com/develop
developer.android.com/training (especially this one)

Thankyou very much, I will start download source code and test modifys.
Android Developer official Israel very difficult for me.
But thanks
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda app-developers app

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can...Headfirst Java is a good book for beginners plus there are many web Tutorials on Youtube. You just need to be patient and work hard.All The best.

voilaworks said:
Yes you can...Headfirst Java is a good book for beginners plus there are many web Tutorials on Youtube. You just need to be patient and work hard.All The best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you

You can learn the basics by reading books or doing online Tutorials Did it aswell - successfully ofc

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, the answer you are looking for is absolutely! You can learn everything you need to by yourself, granted it will take much longer than if you had someone to ask questions.
How do I know? I started programming on Android ~3 years ago, by myself. I had nobody that talked me into it, and I didn't attend any colleges. A motivational spark encouraged me. I had absolutely no programming experience, how it worked, or anything about it. Now, I have 5 apps on Google Play, and am working on my 1st game. All with the knowledge I've accumulated over the years out of pure interest. People laugh when I tell them it's my hobby, I stand serious haha.
For me, youtube (something visual) helped me get started, as you can easily follow along. After you feel you have a grasp on the basics, I started looking online further. Searching this site, and StackOverflow.com are great learning resources. Before you know it, you'll be a master! Good luck!:good:

Firstly, it might help if you describe what is your exact situation. How much experience (not job experience, but coding experience) do you have in programming? How much comfortable you are with any programming language, say C? How familiar you are with OO concepts? Are you uncomfortable just because there's something different with Java, or is it because Java is your first programming language? If you read carefully, the preface of SCJP book says that this book is not to be used to learn Java from the scratch.
Btw, unless you get all building blocks in place (e.g logic constructs - loops, basic data structures, OO concepts etc.) don't go for other stuff like threading, swing, JDBC, xml parsing etc. :good:

You can definitely learn it on your own as long as you have to drive to do so. I taught myself ( I had no computer background). I am no expert but I can get by. And I just released my first multi-player game, Word Cloud Social, on Google Play yesterday. Check it out .

auricPuneet said:
You can definitely learn it on your own as long as you have to drive to do so. I taught myself ( I had no computer background). I am no expert but I can get by. And I just released my first multi-player game, Word Cloud Social, on Google Play yesterday. Check it out .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, thanks for your words, inspired to me.
A friend teach me a little and gime me a source code of a theme pack and I know change the image and customize this, but I need learn more.
Thank youvery much

As auric stated, you have to have the motivation and determination to learn by yourself, but it is definitely possible.
Don't rush it, take your time and try to understand it. Analyze everything, and if you have questions search the web, or ask on sites like here right away.
You have to believe in yourself
Noted to self thrice via tapatalk

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes you CAN, i did it my self one year back, now i have my own app in playstore
useful links:
http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/android.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/android
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/
http://omapzoom.org/
http://grepcode.com/project/repository.grepcode.com/java/ext/com.google.android/android/

angelgavipo said:
Hi, I dont know java but I know a little about Eclipse and make apps.
But I nedd know if is possible learn by my self.
And How??
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course you can, read a lot of tutorials or watch a lot of video tutorials depending on what you prefer and how you learn best, but most importantly: practice.
I think the best way is to find a simple idea you like for an app, and learn just what you need to create this app along the way, start off with a basic "how to setup an android app project" tutorial and work your up from there.
The android framework is quite wide, you can't learn all at once, I think this method allows you to stay on a defined path and actually achieve something.
And by learning the APIs you need for your app idea, it'll open more doors for you to learn other APIs to improve upon your project, or start a new one being more comfortable with the environment.
If you're more the type of learner which learns best by watching, I recommend you watch the 200 videos series for beginners by TheNewBoston, it's a good start:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2F07DBCDCC01493A
The official training courses and docs can be a bit overwhelming for beginners I think.
If it's something you really want to do, then just practice a lot and stick with it, you'll get there.
Just 3 or 4 years ago I didn't know anything about programming except some very basic HTML, I learned by myself and now I work full-time as a front-end Web & Android engineer at a french startup (IZIPass), on projects for clients such as McDonalds and Subway.
If you're looking for some inspiration, the series about Hacker Schools by former XDA TV producer Jayce Broda is an awesome one.
It shows how Mark Rossetti evolved from a total beginner to being hired by SalesForce in the SF bay area in 12 weeks.
You really get to see his progression as these are weekly interviews, it's great, I know it inspired me a lot. And still inspires me to try and go live in San Francisco, but that's another subject^^
Just make your own "Hacker School" for yourself

You certainly can. I'm still in highschool and I'm self taught. I educational book I've enjoyed reading was Java Notes 6. Its free of charge on his website!
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app

gh0stslayer said:
YES YOU CAN
The best place to start would be to download and import the source codes of very simple open source android apps, read them thoroughly and then start making little modifications to it to learn what code affects what part of the app's functionality, try adding new functions and features. This way you will learn and build up your confidence.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Love this idea.

ricky310711 said:
Love this idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you
To get interesting app's source codes one could use F-Droid (it's an app store which only hosts open source apps).
And also people with somewhat limited coding knowledge could use APIs to further reduce their efforts.
I found this app very helpful and inspiring in this regard.