Developing an android app, basic stamp experience gives any advantage?

CuriousOne

Hello.

I want to write a simple app for android, which will have a menu list on right, and when you click on an item from it, the picture on the left side changes. On the windows, this can be done with absolutely no need to write even a line of code, all can be done visually, choice of apps is huge, like Autoplay menu pro. I was hoping that such app should be available for android, too. But as my two day research shows, there's no such app. Either there are online, subscription services, or you have to install huge set of java runtimes, etc. etc.

So it comes that I should learn Java programming for android. Will this be hard, considering that what I know from programming languages is several dialects of BASIC and ASM for Z80 only?

bomber

How much Python do you know? There's a neat app called Qpython that allows you to run Python programs on android. It has support for Kivy (a GUI programming module), SL4A (for interfacing with the phone's features like Bluetooth and GPS, and a built in IDE (which is rather useless with touchscreen keyboards).
I'm currently working on learning Java and IMHO it's fairly difficult. For me the hardest part is learning how to structure the code, since it's not as straightforward as having all your code in a main file and separate modules having separate files. Either way best of luck!

-Roger

SRLM

I've found native Android to be the most difficult environment that I've programmed in. The challenge comes from the requirements surrounding all the ways that your program can be killed, and the state that you must maintain. Still, your goal is achievable.

CuriousOne

Yes, after more analysis I think that developing for windows phone is much much easier....

But windows phone market share is almost non-existend, compared to android, so this means less possible in-app advertising offers, which itself translates into less income

Roadster

I use basic4android, it's not free but easier
then leaning java and it has its own ide

jazzed

Hi, l'm traveling today and I only have my android tablet. looking at the play store I noticed AndroidScript. I propose that some basic stamp programming ideas are stepping stones to more widely used languages like Javascript.

AndroidScript is JavaScript really, and programs can be saved in (and run from) the AndroidScript console. Maybe stand-alone apps can be made later - who knows? Anyway, the AndroidScript has a nice set of library functions. If you know JavaScript it will all look very familiar.

Writing programs on a tab or phone is still hard without a keyboard, but it's getting better. Andy showed me the android handwriting recognition tool today, and I'm using it to write this post. So far my experience is that ease of use is a tie for normal writing.

Punctuating and abbreviating in a program on a phone or tablet are the hardest parts so far. Some other issues like undesired capitalization and undo/redo are handled by the editor.

AndroidScript has lots of demos. It also has some USB serial support for OTG, support for audio, Wifi interface, and many other android functions.

Mickster

Basic4android is the bomb unless you're one of the all too many snobs who don't regard BASIC as a serious language.

I take a standard tablet, link it to a microcontroller via Bluetooth (SPP) and use B4A to create the app. I sell the product for >$30,000 and am extremely busy.

LOVE B4A but then again I'm one of the minority that loves PropBasic :-)