Android Application Development - Steps To The Building Blocks

By Author: Alan Smith
Total Articles: 1285
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With the Android market on the rise, the demand for Android application is on the rise. This is mainly because the websites need to be compatible with the smart phones with Android operating system and platform. On the other hand no business would like to give the competitors a chance to forge ahead by ignoring the users of Android phones. Developing an Android application is one way easy but very difficult the other way. If you have a software programming background the task of building an Android application becomes quite easy.

Some of the vital building blocks needed to prepare the Android application are as follows:

The first prerequisite is the installation of Java Development Kit (Version 5 or 6) on the computer. The Java Development Kit is usually mentioned as JDK. The JDK is already installed if you have a Mac with Snow Leopard or Leopard.

If you have a Linux or Windows machine you will have to download and install the JDK from the Java website. For this you have to browse: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html then click on “Download JDK” followed by clicking “Continue”. ...
... You will come across the JDK installation file link. Click on this link. This is serving the purpose of installing the JDK.

Eclipse:
To build an Android application, the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is Eclipse. For this browse: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/. The next step is selection of the operating system. You will come across different versions of “Eclipse IDE for Java Developers”. Click the one that is applicable.

Android SDK:
The next step is downloading the “Starter kit” from the Google web site. This “Starter kit” has the Software Development Kit (SDK) which is the main element for building the Android application.

Android Plug in:
The installation of the Android Plug in follows. This has to be installed in the Eclipse. The Android Plug-in has to be instructed about the whereabouts of the SDK.

Restart the Eclipse:
The Android Plug-in now needs to be configured.
The Eclipse needs to be again instructed about the downloaded Android SDK.
Verify if everything is done correctly. For the sake of verification, the menu should display “Android SDK and AVD...” You are not supposed to click this until you are very sure about it.

Following are the steps to setup/configure the Android Plug-in:
First click Window, then preference in Eclipse, then Android (left pane), the location of the unzipped Android SDK needs to be entered in the right pane, then click “Apply” and finally “OK”. Now click on Window, then Android SDK and AVD manager. This will result in opening of the SDK tools dialog. The left pane features “Available Package”. Click this. The right pane will display a URL.

A click on this URL will lead to downloading of the 19 packages that are available.

Finally you have to verify the installation of the packages. For this the Android Entries and Google APIs should be seen when you return to the main Eclipse window and click window, click preferences, and select Android mentioned in the left pane.

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