Errata

After hours of trying to fix the runtime error after installing the sample MJAndroid.apk file that came with the book, I finally came up with the solution thanks to the help of a previous errata post. (Using Google API level 5) When trying to install the example .apk file that came with the book use the MJAndroid.apk file included in one of the tarballs, not the zip file. The tarball I used was: example_android.tar.gz. Otherwise the instructions in the book were accurate.

Using the downloadable example here, http://examples.oreilly.com/9780596521479/MJAndroid.zip, when I use adb to install the included apk file on my Nexus One (build FRF91), I get this error when I try to click on a job in the map and the app force-quits:

D/AndroidRuntime( 964): Shutting down VM
W/dalvikvm( 964): threadid=1: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x4001d7f0)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.microjobsinc.mjandroid/com.microjobsinc.mjandroid.MicroJobsDetail}: android.database.CursorIndexOutOfBoundsException: Index 0 requested, with a size of 0
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2663)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2679)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread.access$2300(ActivityThread.java:125)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2033)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4627)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:521)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:868)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:626)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): Caused by: android.database.CursorIndexOutOfBoundsException: Index 0 requested, with a size of 0
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.database.AbstractCursor.checkPosition(AbstractCursor.java:580)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.database.AbstractWindowedCursor.checkPosition(AbstractWindowedCursor.java:214)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.database.AbstractWindowedCursor.getString(AbstractWindowedCursor.java:41)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at com.microjobsinc.mjandroid.MicroJobsDatabase$JobDetailCursor.getColTitle(MicroJobsDatabase.java:85)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at com.microjobsinc.mjandroid.MicroJobsDetail.onCreate(MicroJobsDetail.java:71)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1047)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2627)
E/AndroidRuntime( 964): ... 11 more
W/ActivityManager( 81): Force finishing activity com.microjobsinc.mjandroid/.MicroJobsDetail
W/ActivityManager( 81): Force finishing activity com.microjobsinc.mjandroid/.MicroJobs
W/ActivityManager( 81): Activity pause timeout for HistoryRecord{44cf2e50 com.microjobsinc.mjandroid/.MicroJobsDetail}
V/RenderScript_jni( 157): surfaceCreated
V/RenderScript_jni( 157): surfaceChanged

I could be missing something here, but I cannot find the source code that accompanies this book. I registered and spend 20 minutes digging around for it.

Also - regarding environment variables on page 16, please print the PATH variable syntax exactly as it should read.

Thanks

When loading the MJAndroid project into Eclipse I get 3 errors in the R.java area once the project is loaded.
Since I am new to Android development, how would I resolve these problems? Does anyone else have these issues?

1. Description Resource Path Location Type
Project has no default.properties file! Edit the project properties to set one. MJAndroid Unknown Android Target Problem

2. Description Resource Path Location Type
The project was not built since its build path is incomplete. Cannot find the class file for java.lang.Object. Fix the build path then try building this project MJAndroid Unknown Java Problem

3. Description Resource Path Location Type
The type java.lang.Object cannot be resolved. It is indirectly referenced from required .class files R.java /MJAndroid/src/com/microjobsinc/mjandroid line 1 Java Problem

I am beginning to feel somewhat frustrated at trying to get MJAndroid to run, so I backtracked to AnroidUIDemo, which also didn't run, however that one was relatively easy to fix once I found the duplicate R.java file in src.
Now back to the main project which we need to work. I have removed and reinstalled it several times, here's where I am - without having touched anything yet and just wanting it to build/run:

[2009-08-19 16:12:36 - MJAndroid] no classfiles specified
[2009-08-19 16:12:36 - MJAndroid] Conversion to Dalvik format failed with error 1

Hopefully someone can clear that one up as the book makes no mention of issues other than the apk file when first running the project.

Thanks in advance

MicroJobs.java:134 will throw an exception on API 1.5 and higher:

Debug.startMethodTracing("x");

The Debug.StartMethodTracing() will write to the sdcard, which requires the following permission in the AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

I'm Using Vista Business sp1 eclipse 3.5 android-sdk-windows-1.5_r3

Can upzip to workspace OK
After import and build before running Get 9 errors (red cout) Only 6 red markers ?

public class MicroJobsDatabase extends SQLiteOpenHelper
SQLiteOpenHelper cannot be resolved to a type

LIKEWISE
public static class EmployersCursor extends SQLiteCursor
private static class Factory implements SQLiteDatabase.CursorFactory
public static class JobDetailCursor extends SQLiteCursor
private static class Factory implements SQLiteDatabase.CursorFactory
public static class JobsCursor extends SQLiteCursor

There's a red marker for
private void execMultipleSQL(SQLiteDatabase db, String[] sql){
for( String s : sql )
if (s.trim().length()>0)
db.execSQL(s);
}
In package explorer not in java detail


MicroJobsDatabase.java
package com.microjobsinc.mjandroid;

import android.content.Context;
import android.database.Cursor;
import android.database.SQLException;
import android.database.sqlite.SQLiteCursor;
import android.database.sqlite.SQLiteCursorDriver;
import android.database.sqlite.SQLiteDatabase;
import android.database.sqlite.SQLiteOpenHelper;
import android.database.sqlite.SQLiteQuery;
import android.util.Log;

Note source code marked EARLY_RELEASE_VERSION-20081222 Oreilly has it dated 12-Aug-2009
also some of it has SVN files with it.

I think it is a serious omission, in a book that teaches programming, to leave out necessary libraries that needs to be imported and even code.

In Example 10.4. Wiring up a button, not only is it not mentioned you need to add an import of the "import java.util.Random;" and "import android.widget.Button;"libraries, but also "Random rand = new Random();" before setting buttons to random numbers.