book

Unlocking Android

Name: Unlocking Android
ISBN: 9781933988672

by Frank Ableson, Robi Sen, Charlie Collins

April 2009

Intermediate to advanced

416 pages

11h 13m

English

Manning Publications

Read now

Unlock full access

Copyright
Dedication
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Frank AblesonCharlie CollinsRobi Sen
About This Book
The AudienceRoadmapPart 1: The EssentialsPart 2: The Programming EnvironmentPart 3: Bringing it All TogetherThe AppendicesCode ConventionsSoftware RequirementsAuthor Online
About the Cover Illustration
1. What is Android?—The Big Picture
1. Targeting Android
1.1. Introducing Android1.1.1. The Android platform1.1.2. In the market for an Android?Mobile OperatorsAndroid vs. The Feature PhonesAndroid vs. The SmartphonesAndroid Vs. Itself1.1.3. Licensing Android1.2. Stacking up Android1.2.1. Probing Android’s foundationBuilding on the Linux KernelRunning in the Dalvik Virtual Machine1.3. Booting Android development1.3.1. Android’s good Intent-ions1.3.2. Activating AndroidActivityServiceBroadcastreceiverContent Provider1.3.3. AndroidManifest.xml1.3.4. Mapping applications to processes1.4. An Android application1.5. Summary
2. Development environment
2.1. The Android SDK2.1.1. The application programming interface2.1.2. Core Android packages2.1.3. Optional packages2.2. Fitting the pieces together2.2.1. Java Perspective2.2.2. DDMS Perspective2.2.3. Command-Line toolsAndroid Asset Packaging ToolAndroid Debug Bridge2.3. Building an Android application in Eclipse2.3.1. Android Project Wizard2.3.2. Android sample application code2.3.3. Building the application2.4. The Android Emulator2.4.1. Skins2.4.2. Network speed2.4.3. Emulator profiles2.5. Debugging2.6. Summary
2. Exercising the Android SDK

3. User interfaces
3.1. Creating the Activity3.1.1. Creating an Activity class3.1.2. Exploring Activity lifecycleUnderstanding How Processes and Activities RelateActivity Lifecycle3.2. Working with views3.2.1. Exploring common views3.2.2. Using a ListView3.2.3. Multitasking with Handler and Message3.2.4. Creating custom views3.2.5. Understanding layout3.2.6. Handling focus3.2.7. Grasping events3.3. Using resources3.3.1. Supported resource types3.3.2. Referencing resources in Java3.3.3. Defining views and layouts through XML resources3.3.4. Externalizing values3.3.5. Providing animations3.4. Understanding the AndroidManifest file3.5. Summary
4. Intents and services
4.1. Working with Intent classes4.1.1. Defining intents4.1.2. Intent resolutionAction and CategoriesData4.1.3. Matching a custom URI4.1.4. Using Android-provided activities4.2. Listening in with broadcast receivers4.2.1. Overloading the Intent concept4.2.2. Creating a receiver4.3. Building a Service4.3.1. Dual-purpose nature of a Service4.3.2. Creating a background task Service4.4. Performing Inter-Process Communication4.4.1. Android Interface Definition Language4.4.2. Exposing a remote interface4.4.3. Binding to a Service4.4.4. Starting versus binding4.4.5. Service lifecycleService-Started LifecycleService-Bound LifecycleService-Started and -Bound LifecycleCleaning Up When a Service Stops4.4.6. Binder and Parcelable4.5. Summary
5. Storing and retrieving data
5.1. Using preferences5.1.1. Working with SharedPreferences5.1.2. Preference access permissions5.2. Using the filesystem5.2.1. Creating files5.2.2. Accessing files5.2.3. Files as raw resources5.2.4. XML file resources5.2.5. External storage via an SD card5.3. Persisting data to a database5.3.1. Building and accessing a database5.3.2. Using the sqlite3 tool5.4. Working with ContentProvider classes5.4.1. Understanding URI representations and manipulating recordsQuerying DataInserting DataUpdating DataDeleting Data5.4.2. Creating a ContentProviderDefining a Content_Uri and Mime_TypeExtending ContentproviderProvider Manifests5.5. Summary
6. Networking and web services
6.1. An overview of networking6.1.1. Networking basicsNodesLayers and ProtocolsIPTCP and UDPApplication Protocols6.1.2. Clients and servers6.2. Checking the network status6.3. Communicating with a server socket6.4. Working with HTTP6.4.1. Simple HTTP and java.net6.4.2. Robust HTTP with HttpClient6.4.3. Creating an HTTP and HTTPS helper6.5. Web services6.5.1. POX—Putting it together with HTTP and XML6.5.2. REST6.5.3. To SOAP or not to SOAP, that is the question6.6. Summary
7. Telephony
7.1. Telephony background and terms7.2. Accessing telephony information7.2.1. Retrieving telephony properties7.2.2. Obtaining phone state information7.3. Interacting with the phone7.3.1. Using intents to make calls7.3.2. Helpful phone number–related utilities7.3.3. Intercepting calls7.4. Working with messaging: SMS7.4.1. Sending SMS messages7.4.2. Receiving SMS messages7.5. Summary
8. Notifications and alarms
8.1. Introducing Toast8.2. Introducing notifications8.3. Alarms8.3.1. Alarm example8.4. Summary
9. Graphics and animation
9.1. Drawing graphics in Android9.1.1. Drawing with XML9.2. Animations9.2.1. Programmatically creating an animationAnimating Resources9.2.2. Introducing OpenGL for embedded systemsDrawing Shapes in OpenGL ESThree-Dimensional Shapes and Surfaces with OpenGL ES9.3. Summary
10. Multimedia
10.1. Introduction to multimedia and OpenCORE10.2. Playing audio10.3. Playing video10.4. Capturing media10.4.1. Understanding the camera10.4.2. Capturing audio10.5. Summary
11. Location, location, location
11.1. Simulating your location within the emulator11.1.1. Sending in your coordinates with the DDMS tool11.1.2. The GPS Exchange Format11.1.3. The Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language11.2. Using LocationManager and LocationProvider11.2.1. Accessing location data with LocationManager11.2.2. Using a LocationProvider11.2.3. Receiving location updates with LocationListener11.3. Working with maps11.3.1. Extending MapActivity11.3.2. Using a MapView11.3.3. Placing data on a map with an Overlay11.4. Converting places and addresses with Geocoder11.5. Summary
3. Android applications
12. Putting it all together–the Field Service Application
12.1. Field Service Application requirements12.1.1. Basic requirements12.1.2. Data model12.1.3. Application architecture and integration12.2. Android application tour12.2.1. Application flow12.2.2. Code road map12.2.3. AndroidManifest.xml12.3. Android code12.3.1. Splash Activity12.3.2. FieldService Activity, part 1Prefs Class12.3.3. FieldService Activity, part 212.3.4. Settings12.3.5. Data structuresJob XML DescriptionJobentryJoblistJoblisthandler12.4. Digging deeper into the code12.4.1. RefreshJobs12.4.2. ManageJobs12.4.3. ShowJob12.4.4. CloseJob12.5. Server code12.5.1. Dispatcher user interface12.5.2. Database12.5.3. PHP dispatcher code12.5.4. PHP mobile integration code12.6. Summary
13. Hacking Android
13.1. The Android/Linux:junction13.1.1. Tool chain13.1.2. Building an application13.1.3. Installing and running the application13.1.4. Build script13.2. A better way13.2.1. The static flag, revisited13.2.2. Linking13.2.3. Exit, not return13.2.4. Startup code13.3. What time is it?13.3.1. Daytime Server application13.3.2. daytime.c13.3.3. The SQLite database13.3.4. Building and running Daytime Server13.4. Daytime Client13.4.1. Activity13.4.2. Socket client13.4.3. Testing Daytime Client13.5. Summary
A. Installing the Android SDK
A.1. Development environment requirementsA.2. Obtaining and installing EclipseA.3. Obtaining and installing the Android SDKA.4. Obtaining and installing the Eclipse plug-inA.5. Configuring the Eclipse plug-in
B. Signing and installing applications on an Android device
B.1. Recapping the Android Debug BridgeB.2. Digital signaturesB.2.1. KeytoolB.2.2. JarsignerB.3. Cleaning up for distributionB.3.1. Important manifest elements: label, logo, version, SDK levelB.3.2. Test, test, then test againB.3.3. An End User License AgreementB.3.4. Nice extra: data import and exportB.4. Publishing to the MarketB.4.1. The Market rulesB.4.2. Getting your application in the MarketB.4.3. Automatic Market updatesB.4.4. Why the Market mattersB.5. Other distribution means

Overview

Unlocking Android: A Developer's Guide provides concise, hands-on instruction for the Android operating system and development tools. This book teaches important architectural concepts in a straightforward writing style and builds on this with practical and useful examples throughout. Based on his mobile development experience and his deep knowledge of the arcane Android technical documentation, the author conveys the know-how you need to develop practical applications that build upon or replace any of Androids features, however small.

About the Technology

Android is an open source mobile phone platform based on the Linux operating system and developed by the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of over 30 hardware, software and telecom companies that focus on open standards for mobile devices. Led by search giant, Google, Android is designed to deliver a better and more open and cost effective mobile experience.

About the Book

What's Inside

Android's place in the market
Using the Eclipse environment for Android development
The Intents - how and why they are used
Application classes:
- Activity
- Service
- IntentReceiver
User interface design
Using the ContentProvider to manage data
Persisting data with the SQLite database
Networking examples
Telephony applications
Notification methods
OpenGL, animation & multimedia
Sample Applications

About the Reader

Unlocking Android: A Developer's Guide prepares the reader to embrace the platform in easy-to-understand language and builds on this foundation with re-usable Java code examples. It is ideal for corporate and hobbyists alike who have an interest, or a mandate, to deliver software functionality for cell phones.

About the Authors

Frank Ableson is a prolific software entrepreneur with a focus on mobile and embedded technology. Frank is very active in the mobile software marketplace as he works with leading mobile companies including Handango, Airtime Management, and UnwiredTools.

Charlie Collins is a software developer and author. Charlie has over 12 years of experience with Java and is interested in many areas of Java development including: SE, EE, mobile and embedded, and alternative languages on the JVM. Charlie is the co-author of GWT in Practice and has written various online articles. Charlie has also been an ardent open source supporter for many years and has contributed documentation and patches for several open source projects. Charlie is the co-creator and maintainer of GWT-Maven, and is also currently a Maven Mojo committer.

Robi Sen is a Managing Partner at Twin Technologies, LLC where he spends most of his time helping deliver next generation Rich Internet Applications to Twin Technologies customers. Robi also has experience in the wireless space and has recently worked on projects focusing on electronic warfare and electronic counter measures.

Quotes
Valuable, useful.
- Dick Wall, Senior Engineer, Former Android Advocate for Google, and Java Posse Co-Host

For newbies and experts alike, this book is like a lighthouse.
- Kevin Galligan, CTO, Medical Research Forum

Chock-full of valuable code and tips.
- Scott Webster, AndroidGuys Editor

Take your app from zero to running in no time flat.
- Charles Hudson, Aduci

Highly recommended!
- Horaci Macias, Avaya

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.

Read now

Unlock full access

More than 5,000 organizations count on O’Reilly

O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.

Julian F.

Head of Cybersecurity

I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.

Addison B.

Field Engineer

I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.

Amir M.

Data Platform Tech Lead

I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.

Mark W.

Embedded Software Engineer

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781933988672Publisher Support Publisher Website

Cloud Computing

Data Engineering

Data Science

AI & ML

Programming Languages

Software Architecture

IT/Ops

Security

Design

Business

Soft Skills