Clueless Noob

Hi Nicola,

For question 1, I would use an intent to open their browser with the link you want. Instead of lots of code to try to make your app display the webpage it's self, just use an intent to bring the browser up. Here's some sample code:

Uri uri = Uri.parse( "http://www.mywebsite.com" );
startActivity( new Intent( Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri ) );

Pretty simple, eh? You could put this code in your main activity, then let the activity close.

For question 2, you need to start with creating a project in eclipse. Then after coding the app, you build the project. There's two ways to build it, as a debug build or a release build. The debug build does the signing with a debug certificate for you, and is used to make a quick build for testing. You can do a debug build and then run it in the emulator. To make the actual release that you would upload to the market, you need to make your own certificate and build your project as a release. I'm sorry I can't be more specific on the in's and out's of eclipse, I don't use it really. Here's some helpful links:

Managing projects in eclipse: http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/projects/projects-eclipse.html
Compiling and signing / release build; with eclipse: http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/app-signing.html#ExportWizard
Creating your certificate/private key: http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/app-signing.html#cert
Signing your app with your key: http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/app-signing.html
Publishing your app on the google market: http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/publishing.html
Web apps (although this is different from just displaying a webpage I think): http://developer.android.com/guide/webapps/index.html
Google developer guide fundamentals: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/fundamentals.html

— modified on Jun 28, 2011, 12:16:27 AM

Yep, that couple lines of code should open their browser with your webpage. Probably next important thing you want your app to do is close cleanly. Or maybe not, you could experiment with programming here, maybe try to get it to ask them if they'd like to share your app in an email or facebook post. Here's some info on that subject: http://labs.emich.be/2010/01/23/how-to-send-to-twitter-or-facebook-from-your-android-application/ It's done with Intents as well.

I see now how to "build for release" with eclipse. It under the export options...
http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/app-signing.html#ExportWizard
Read the part on "Compile and sign with Eclipse ADT"

I don't use eclipse myself, but for the new/beginning android developer I would suggest using eclipse. Here's an article on how I develop without eclipse if your interested: https://www.nextpit.com/en/android/wiki/view/Developing_Android_Apps_without_Eclipse

— modified on Jun 28, 2011, 1:40:08 AM

Look at this info on the android life cycle... http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/fundamentals/activities.html#Lifecycle
Android is different than most os's your used to, it's designed so that apps dont really close when their finished, but when memory is needed. Some say this is a good thing, some a bad thing. In certain apps you may wont it to close completely, it's up to you. I would not really worry about closing your app for now, since it's small, just let the android os take care of it.

I think it's a good idea to build a simple version first. I'd even release it to the market as soon as possible. You can update your app at anytime, and the updates usually bring a new infusion of downloads; because the market will put your app at the top of the "just in" section with each update. You don't wanna update it every day and annoy your users with frequent re-downloads, but an update now and then with useful content is good.

You need a complete activity, those lines alone will not compile. I'd use a template for now till you get a better understanding. Here is a real easy to follow tutorial / template: http://www.anddev.org/novice-tutorials-f8/hello-android-your-first-application-t31.html


In the OnCreate section of the tutorials code, replace this code:

// We want to view some very simple text, so we need a TextView
TextView tv = new TextView(this);
// Put some text to the newly created TextVIew
tv.setText("Hello Android - by: anddev.org n" +
"This is soooo simple =D ");
// Tell our App to display the textView
this.setContentView(tv);

With the code to open your webpage:

Uri uri = Uri.parse( "http://www.mywebsite.com" );
startActivity( new Intent( Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri ) );

Don't be embarressed, gotta start some where ;)

— modified on Jun 29, 2011, 10:53:31 PM

Your welcome ;)

Importing those missing classes was the right way to do it, good catch there. As far as the emulator commng up with only "Android", it's most likely just taking a while. The android emulator has some speed issues, I've heard it take as long as 15mins to start up on slower computers. Try running the app again with the emulator and give it at least a good 10 mins to start up. Here are some tips on what you can do to speed up the emulator some: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1554099/slow-android-emulator

It may be easier to run/debug the app on an actual device if you have one. Here's some info on running on an actual device: http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/device.html

What exactly is shown on your emulator screen? On the emulator I use, when it starts up, it doesn't just open the app itself. I have to unlock it (slide the unlock button over like on a phone that has gone into lock mode). Then I open the apps list and click the app in there to run it. Have you tried this?

If you have an actual android phone you could test it on you could do a release build (export) and copy it to the phone with the usb cable. Or I think you can do a debug build and run it on the phone instead of the emulator. http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/building/building-eclipse.html#RunningOnDeviceEclipse look at the info on "Running on a device". And this info for installing the usb driver for your phone on windows: http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/device.html

Hi Nicola,

Looks like you got it to run on the emulator but there is some error somewhere. The emulator actually can pull up webpages; if the computer running it is connected to the internet. You can test and see by opening the emulator and clicking the web app (globe icon) and it should pull up some webpages if it's able.

Most likely there is some mix up somewhere. Make sure the package name, and activity name you specified when you created the project match your code. The package name is declared on the first line of your code:

package org.anddev.firstapp;

Every code file you create for this app should have the package declared on the first line. BTW, I would not use org.anddev as the prefix to your packages, you can make it anything such as com.weaver.firstapp. Just make sure it matches the eclipse project properties and the code. Also make sure the activity name you provided when you created the project matches the activity on this line of your code:
public class First_app extends Activity {
It is case sensitive and I would try it without the _ underscore too. Each code file/class does not neccessarily have to have an activity line, but you need it in at least your main activity code/class.

Make sure you rebuild the project before you run it in the emulator after you check these things.

Also you can try debugging the error message your getting....
I'm not exactly sure how you do it with eclipse, what I do is open the command prompt and type: adb debug
while the emulator is running.

This brings up a command line window of the emulator debug output. When the emulator hits your code error, it will tell you which lines your getting the error on. You need to include the android/tools folder in your path, to use the adb. If you need more help with debugging let me know. If you could post the line number and error message your getting from the debug command window, I may be able to help more.

I'm glad you got it worked out. Does it bring up your webpage? To answer your questions:

1. The RSA public key your talking about is something else, for copy protection I think. You need to create your own private key to sign your apps with. To do this, you use keytool and jarsigner, Keytool and jarsigner are part of the java jdk, which you installed for eclipse. To create a key with keytool:

You'll need to open the windows command prompt if your using windows: Go to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt. On the command prompt type (replacing the parts in <> with your own stuff).

C:\ keytool -genkey -v -keystore <my-release-key.keystore>-

alias <alias_name> -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

all on one line. Keytool prompts you to provide passwords for the keystore and key, and to provide the Distinguished Name fields for your key. It then generates the keystore as a file called my-release-key.keystore.

Eclipse may do all this for you: Read the part about Compile and Sign with Eclipse ADT on this page:
http://developer.android.com/guide/publishing/app-signing.html#ExportWizard

Select the project in the Package Explorer and select File > Export.
Open the Android folder, select Export Android Application, and click Next.

The Export Android Application wizard now starts, which will guide you through the process of signing your application, including steps for selecting the private key with which to sign the .apk (or creating a new keystore and private key).
Complete the Export Wizard and your application will be compiled, signed, aligned, and ready for distribution.

— modified on Jul 9, 2011, 2:01:14 AM

Glad I could help, and glad you got it working

Please Solve this error:
The method startActivity(Intent) in the type Activity is not applicable for the arguments (Intent)

package com.example.rishabhsintent;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.SharedPreferences;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class Intent extends Activity {
Button b;
EditText e;
TextView t;
SharedPreferences.Editor spe;
SharedPreferences sp;

public Intent(Intent intent, Class<MainActivity> class1) {
// TODO Auto-generated constructor stub
}

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_intent);
spe = sp.edit();
b = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button1);
b.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {

@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
// TODO Auto-generated method stub
spe.putString("Message", e.getText().toString());
spe.commit();
startActivity(new Intent(Intent.this, MainActivity.class));

}

});
}

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
// Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
return true;
}
}

What happened to me is that I fiddled for an hour or so and eventually got it to work by renaming different things. I am not sure how at this point, so I will try to build from scratch to prove to myself that I can.