Android Wireless Application Development has earned a reputation as the most useful real-world guide to building robust, commercial-grade Android apps. Now, authors Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder have systematically revised and updated this guide for the latest Android SDK 4.0. To accommodate their extensive new coverage, they’ve split the book into two volumes. Volume I focuses on Android essentials, including setting up your development environment, understanding the application lifecycle, designing effective user interfaces, developing for diverse devices, and optimizing your mobile app development process--from design through publishing. Every chapter has been thoroughly updated for the newest APIs, tools, utilities, and hardware. All sample code has been overhauled and tested on leading devices from multiple companies, and many new examples have been added. Drawing on decades of in-the-trenches experience as professional mobile developers, Darcey and Conder provide valuable new best practices--including powerful techniques for constructing more portable apps. This new edition contains full chapters on Android manifest files, content providers, effective app design, and testing; an all-new chapter on tackling compatibility issues; coverage of today’s most valuable new Android tools and utilities; and even more exclusive tips and tricks. An indispensable resource for every Android development team member.  

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1 Who Should Read This Book     1 Key Questions Answered in This Volume     2 How These Books Are Structured     2 An Overview of Changes in This Edition     4 Development Environment Used in This Book     5 Supplementary Materials Available     6 Where to Find More Information     6 Conventions Used in This Book     7 Contacting the Authors     8   PART I:  AN OVERVIEW OF THE ANDROID PLATFORM Chapter 1  Introducing Android     11 A Brief History of Mobile Software Development     11     Way Back When     11     “The Brick”     13     Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)     15     Proprietary Mobile Platforms     17 The Open Handset Alliance     19     Google Goes Wireless     19     Forming the Open Handset Alliance     19     Manufacturers: Designing Android Devices     20     Mobile Operators: Delivering the Android Experience     21     Apps Drive Device Sales: Developing Android Applications     22     Taking Advantage of All Android Has to Offer     22     The Android Marketplace: Where We’re at Now     22 Android Platform Differences     23     Android: A Next-Generation Platform     24     Free and Open Source     25     Familiar and Inexpensive Development Tools     25     Reasonable Learning Curve for Developers     26     Enabling Development of Powerful Applications     26     Rich, Secure Application Integration     26     No Costly Obstacles to Publication     27     A “Free Market” for Applications     27     A Growing Platform     28 The Android Platform     29     Android’s Underlying Architecture     29     Security and Permissions     31     Developing Android Applications     32 Summary     35     References and More Information     35   Chapter 2  Setting Up Your Android Development Environment     37 Configuring Your Development Environment     37     Configuring Your Operating System for Device Debugging     39     Configuring Your Android Hardware for Debugging     39     Upgrading the Android SDK     41     Problems with the Android Software Development Kit     41 Exploring the Android SDK     42     Understanding the Android SDK License Agreement     42     Reading the Android SDK Documentation     43     Exploring the Core Android Application Framework     43     Exploring the Core Android Tools     46     Exploring the Android Sample Applications     50 Summary     52     References and More Information     52   Chapter 3  Writing Your First Android Application     53 Testing Your Development Environment     53     Adding the Snake Project to Your Eclipse Workspace      54     Creating an Android Virtual Device (AVD) for Your Snake Project     56     Creating a Launch Configuration for Your Snake Project     58     Running the Snake Application in the Android Emulator     59 Building Your First Android Application     62     Creating and Configuring a New Android Project     62     Core Files and Directories of the Android Application     65     Creating an AVD for Your Project     65     Creating a Launch Configuration for Your Project     66     Running Your Android Application in the Emulator     67     Debugging Your Android Application in the Emulator     69     Adding Logging Support to Your Android Application     73     Adding Some Media Support to Your Application     74     Debugging Your Application on the Hardware     78 Summary     80     References and More Information     81   Chapter 4  Mastering the Android Development Tools     83 Using the Android Documentation     83 Leveraging the Android Emulator     85 Viewing Application Log Data with LogCat     86 Debugging Applications with DDMS     87 Using Android Debug Bridge (ADB)     87 Using the Resource Editors and UI Designer     88 Using the Android Hierarchy Viewer     91     Launching the Hierarchy Viewer     92     Working in Layout View Mode     92     Optimizing Your User Interface     94     Working in Pixel Perfect Mode     94 Working with Nine-Patch Stretchable Graphics     95 Working with Other Android Tools     98 Summary     99     References and More Information     100   PART II:  ANDROID APPLICATION BASICS Chapter 5  Understanding the Anatomy of an Android Application     103 Mastering Important Android Terminology     103 Using the Application Context     104     Retrieving the Application Context     104     Using the Application Context     104 Performing Application Tasks with Activities     106     The Lifecycle of an Android Activity     106 Organizing Activity Components with Fragments     111 Managing Activity Transitions with Intents     113     Transitioning Between Activities with Intents     113     Organizing Application Navigation with Activities and Intents     115 Working with Services     116 Receiving and Broadcasting Intents     117 Summary     117     References and More Information     118   Chapter 6  Defining Your Application Using the Android Manifest File     119 Configuring Android Applications Using the Android Manifest File     119     Editing the Android Manifest File     120 Managing Your Application’s Identity     124     Versioning Your Application     125     Setting the Application Name and Icon     125 Enforcing Application System Requirements     125     Targeting Specific SDK Versions     126     Enforcing Application Platform Requirements     129     Working with External Libraries     130     Other Application Configuration Settings and Filters     131 Registering Activities in the Android Manifest     131     Designating a Primary Entry Point Activity for Your Application Using an Intent Filter     132     Configuring Other Intent Filters     132     Registering Other Application Components     133 Working with Permissions     133     Registering Permissions Your Application Requires     133     Registering Permissions Your Application Enforces     134 Exploring Other Manifest File Settings     135 Summary     136     References and More Information     136   Chapter 7  Managing Application Resources     137 What Are Resources?     137     Storing Application Resources     137     Resource Value Types     138     Accessing Resources Programmatically     142 Setting Simple Resource Values Using Eclipse     143     Working with Different Types of Resources     146     Working with String Resources     146     Using String Resources as Format Strings     147     Working with String Arrays     149     Working with Boolean Resources     149     Working with Integer Resources     150     Working with Colors     151     Working with Dimensions     152     Working with Simple Drawables     153     Working with Images     154     Working with Animation     156     Working with Menus     158     Working with XML Files     159     Working with Raw Files     160     References to Resources     161 Working with Layouts     162 Referencing System Resources     167 Summary     168     References and More Information     168   PART III:  ANDROID USER INTERFACE DESIGN ESSENTIALS Chapter 8  Exploring User Interface Screen Elements     171 Introducing Android Views and Layouts     171     Introducing the Android View     171     Introducing the Android Controls     171     Introducing the Android Layout     172 Displaying Text to Users with TextView     173     Configuring Layout and Sizing     173     Creating Contextual Links in Text     174 Retrieving Data from Users with EditText     176     Retrieving Text Input Using EditText Controls     176     Constraining User Input with Input Filters     178 Helping the User with Autocompletion     179 Giving Users Choices Using Spinner Controls     181 Allowing Simple User Selections with Buttons, Check Boxes, Switches, and Radio Groups     183     Using Basic Buttons     184     Using CheckBox and ToggleButton Controls     186     Using RadioGroup and RadioButton     187 Retrieving Dates and Times from Users     190 Using Indicators to Display Data to Users     191     Indicating Progress with ProgressBar     192     Adjusting Progress with SeekBar     194     Displaying Rating Data with RatingBar     194     Showing Time Passage with the Chronometer     195     Displaying the Time     196 Summary     197     References and More Information     198   Chapter 9  Designing User Interfaces with Layouts     199 Creating User Interfaces in Android     199     Creating Layouts Using XML Resources     199     Creating Layouts Programmatically     201 Organizing Your User Interface     203     Using ViewGroup Subclasses for Layout Design     204     Using ViewGroup Subclasses as View Containers     204 Using Built-in Layout Classes     205     Using FrameLayout     207     Using LinearLayout     209     Using RelativeLayout     211     Using TableLayout     214     Using GridLayout     216     Using Multiple Layouts on a Screen     220 Using Container Control Classes     220     Using Data-Driven Containers     221     Organizing Screens with Tabs     226     Adding Scrolling Support     229     Exploring Other View Containers     230 Summary     231     References and More Information     231   Chapter 10  Working with Fragments     233 Understanding Fragments     233     Understanding the Fragment Lifecycle     234     Working with Special Types of Fragments     237     Designing Fragment-Based Applications     238 Using the Android Support Package     247     Adding Fragment Support to Legacy Applications     247     Using Fragments in New Applications Targeting Older Platforms     248     Linking the Android Support Package to Your Project     248 Summary     249     References and More Information     250   Chapter 11  Working with Dialogs     251 Choosing Your Dialog Implementation     251 Exploring the Different Types of Dialogs     252 Working with Dialogs: The Legacy Method     253     Tracing the Lifecycle of a Dialog     254     Working with Custom Dialogs     256 Working with Dialogs: The Fragment Method     257 Summary     260     References and More Information     260   PART IV:  ANDROID APPLICATION DESIGN ESSENTIALS Chapter 12  Using Android Preferences     263 Working with Application Preferences     263     Determining When Preferences Are Appropriate     263     Storing Different Types of Preference Values     264     Creating Private Preferences for Use by a Single Activity     264     Creating Shared Preferences for Use by Multiple Activities     265     Searching and Reading Preferences     265     Adding, Updating, and Deleting Preferences     266     Reacting to Preference Changes     267     Finding Preferences Data on the Android File System     267 Creating Manageable User Preferences     268     Creating a Preference Resource File     269     Using the PreferenceActivity Class     270 Summary     273     References and More Information     273   Chapter 13  Working with Files and Directories     275 Working with Application Data on the Device     275 Practicing Good File Management     276 Understanding Android File Permissions     277 Working with Files and Directories     277     Exploring with the Android Application Directories     278     Working with Other Directories and Files on the Android File System     282 Summary     284     References and More Information     284   Chapter 14  Using Content Providers     285 Exploring Android’s Content Providers     285     Using the MediaStore Content Provider     286     Using the CallLog Content Provider     288     Using the Browser Content Provider     289     Using the CalendarContract Content Provider     291     Using the UserDictionary Content Provider     291     Using the VoicemailContract Content Provider     291     Using the Settings Content Provider     292     Using the Contacts Content Providers     292 Modifying Content Providers Data     297     Adding Records     297     Updating Records     298     Deleting Records     298 Using Third-Party Content Providers     299 Summary     300     References and More Information     300   Chapter 15  Designing Compatible Applications     301 Maximizing Application Compatibility     301 Designing User Interfaces for Compatibility     303     Working with Fragments     305     Leveraging the Android Support Package     305     Supporting Specific Screen Types     305     Working with Nine-Patch Stretchable Graphics     306     Using the Working Square Principle     306 Providing Alternative Application Resources     308     Understanding How Resources Are Resolved     308     Organizing Alternative Resources with Qualifiers     309     Providing Resources for Different Orientations     316     Using Alternative Resources Programmatically     316     Organizing Application Resources Efficiently     316 Targeting Tablets, TVs, and Other New Devices     318     Targeting Tablet Devices     318     Targeting Google TV Devices     319 Summary     321     References and More Information     321   PART V:  PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING ANDROID APPLICATIONS Chapter 16  The Android Software Development Process     325 An Overview of the Mobile Development Process     325 Choosing a Software Methodology     326     Understanding the Dangers of Waterfall Approaches     326     Understanding the Value of Iteration     327 Gathering Application Requirements     327     Determining Project Requirements     327     Developing Use Cases for Mobile Applications     329     Incorporating Third-Party Requirements     330     Managing a Device Database     330 Assessing Project Risks     333     Identifying Target Devices     333     Acquiring Target Devices     335     Determining the Feasibility of Application Requirements     336     Understanding Quality Assurance Risks     336 Writing Essential Project Documentation     337     Developing Test Plans for Quality Assurance Purposes     338     Providing Documentation Required by Third Parties     338     Providing Documentation for Maintenance and Porting     338 Leveraging Configuration Management Systems     339     Choosing a Source Control System     339     Implementing an Application Version System That Works     339 Designing Mobile Applications     340     Understanding Mobile Device Limitations     340     Exploring Common Mobile Application Architectures     340     Designing for Extensibility and Maintenance     341     Designing for Application Interoperability     342 Developing Mobile Applications     342 Testing Mobile Applications     343 Deploying Mobile Applications     343     Determining Target Markets     344 Supporting and Maintaining Mobile Applications     344     Track and Address Crashes Reported by Users     345     Testing Firmware Upgrades     345     Maintaining Adequate Application Documentation     345     Managing Live Server Changes     345     Identifying Low-Risk Porting Opportunities     345 Summary     346     References and More Information     346   Chapter 17  Designing and Developing Bulletproof Android Applications     347 Best Practices in Designing Bulletproof Mobile Applications     347     Meeting Mobile Users’ Demands     348     Designing User Interfaces for Mobile Devices     348     Designing Stable and Responsive Mobile Applications     349     Designing Secure Mobile Applications     351     Designing Mobile Applications for Maximum Profit     351     Leveraging Third-Party Quality Standards     352     Designing Mobile Applications for Ease of Maintenance and Upgrades     353     Leveraging Android Tools for Application Design     354 Avoiding Silly Mistakes in Android Application Design     355 Best Practices in Developing Bulletproof Mobile Applications     355     Designing a Development Process That Works for Mobile Development     356     Testing the Feasibility of Your Application Early and Often     356     Using Coding Standards, Reviews, and Unit Tests to Improve Code Quality     357     Handling Defects Occurring on a Single Device     359     Leveraging Android Tools for Development     360     Avoiding Silly Mistakes in Android Application Development     360 Summary     361     References and More Information     361   Chapter 18  Testing Android Applications     363 Best Practices in Testing Mobile Applications     363     Designing a Mobile Application Defect Tracking System     363     Managing the Testing Environment     365     Maximizing Testing Coverage     367     Leveraging Android Tools for Android Application Testing     374     Avoiding Silly Mistakes in Android Application Testing     375 Summary     376     References and More Information     376   Chapter 19  Publishing Your Android Application     377 Choosing the Right Distribution Model     377     Protecting Your Intellectual Property     378     Billing the User     379 Packaging Your Application for Publication     380     Preparing Your Code for Packaging     380     Packing and Signing Your Application     382     Testing the Release Version of Your Application Package     384     Distributing Your Application     385 Publishing on the Android Market     385     Signing Up for a Developer Account on the Android Market     385     Uploading Your Application to the Android Market     387     Uploading Application Marketing Assets     388     Configuring Application Listing Details     388     Configuring Application Publishing Options     390     Configuring Application Contact and Consent Information     390     Publishing Your Application on the Android Market     392     Managing Your Application on the Android Market     392 Publishing Using Other Alternatives     393 Self-Publishing Your Application     394 Summary     395     References and More Information     395   PART VI:  APPENDIXES Appendix A  The Android Emulator Quick-Start Guide     399 Simulating Reality: The Emulator’s Purpose     399 Working with Android Virtual Devices (AVDs)     401     Using the Android Virtual Device Manager     402     Creating an AVD     403 Launching the Emulator with a Specific AVD     407     Maintaining Emulator Performance     407     Configuring Emulator Startup Options     408     Launching an Emulator to Run an Application     408     Launching an Emulator from the Android Virtual Device Manager     410 Configuring the GPS Location of the Emulator     411 Calling Between Two Emulator Instances     413 Messaging between Two Emulator Instances     415 Interacting with the Emulator through the Console     416     Using the Console to Simulate Incoming Calls     416     Using the Console to Simulate SMS Messages      416     Using the Console to Send GPS Coordinates     418     Using the Console to Monitor Network Status     418     Using the Console to Manipulate Power Settings     418     Using Other Console Commands     419 Enjoying the Emulator     419 Understanding Emulator Limitations     420     References and More Information     421   Appendix B  The Android DDMS Quick-Start Guide     423 Using DDMS with Eclipse and as a Standalone Application     423 Getting Up to Speed Using Key Features of DDMS     424 Working with Processes, Threads, and the Heap     425     Attaching a Debugger to an Android Application     425     Stopping a Process     426     Monitoring Thread Activity of an Android Application     426     Monitoring Heap Activity     427     Prompting Garbage Collection     428     Creating and Using an HPROF File     429 Using the Allocation Tracker     430 Working with the File Explorer     430     Browsing the File System of an Emulator or Device     432     Copying Files from the Emulator or Device     432     Copying Files to the Emulator or Device     433     Deleting Files on the Emulator or Device     433 Working with the Emulator Control     434     Simulating Incoming Voice Calls     434     Simulating Incoming SMS Messages     434     Sending a Location Fix     435 Taking Screen Captures of the Emulator and Device Screens     435 Working with Application Logging     436   Appendix C  Eclipse IDE Tips and Tricks     439 Organizing Your Eclipse Workspace     439     Integrating with Source Control Services     439     Repositioning Tabs within Perspectives     440     Maximizing Windows     440     Minimizing Windows     440     Viewing Windows, Side by Side     440     Viewing Two Sections of the Same File     441     Closing Unwanted Tabs     441     Keeping Windows Under Control     441     Creating Custom Log Filters     441     Searching Your Project     442     Organizing Eclipse Tasks     442 Writing Code in Java     443     Using Autocomplete     443     Creating New Classes and Methods     443     Organizing Imports     443 Formatting Code     444 Renaming Almost Anything     444 Refactoring Code     444 Reorganizing Code     446 Using QuickFix     446 Providing Javadoc-Style Documentation     446 Resolving Mysterious Build Errors     447   Index     449