- Download development Kits :- We need to download a Java Development Kit called JDK for Windows. And Android Development Kit called ADK. I have downloaded JDK 1.6 because its old & old is gold. Its lesser in size and complexity and has been tested and is stable with known bugs only. Similarly try downloading older version of Android SDK haveing GUI version of SDK Manager so that you can download essentials. Avoid the slow moving Android Studio. Using SDK Manager download Android-23 platform build tools.
- Configure Kits :- Set Windows PATH variable by Rt.Clicking My Computer -> Properties ->Advanced System Settings or reach through Control-Panel. PATH should include the javac.exe file in JDK directory, android.bat file of ADK.
- Download Build-Tool :- We dont need it but it is very convenient if we have one. Gradle is preferred , though Ant is fast. These programs configure the ADK command-line tools for easy usage for our convenience. I downloaded gradle old version 2.2.1 as it can use old java & old android.
- For a detailed illustration kindly see this link: https://letsmakeandroidapp.wordpress.com
- SCREENSHOTS of my devlopment environment:-
This is to illustrate coding an Android app using notepad and compiling to Apk at command prompt without using IDE
19 Aug 2017
Step 1. Convert your Windows Laptop into an Android App Development Environment
31 Jul 2017
Android app code to illustrate sqlite database
30 Jul 2017
Make AndroidManifest.xml
We need one androidManifest.xml file to describe icon and name of app to be displayed in mobile to user. Also this file will tell which .class file to execute first out of all classes stored in Dex file. We can call it as main class file. Let's make it.
AndroidManifest. xml
manifest xmlns:android = "URI" version=1.0 encoding=utf-8
Above statement tells that all elements inside tags in this XML if prefixed by word 'android' then replace Android by URI. URI can be HTTP:/schema/apk... Etc.
application android:icon="@drawable/myicon" android:label="@string/app name".
Above statement tells what icon to use and what label for this app to be displayed to users. Android URI will be prefixed to icon and label elements. When aapt tool makes apk it will only consider those elements which have this prefix.
activity android:name="Main" android:label="My App"
Above statement uses activity element and says that Main.class code must be executed first and title label should be My App.
intent-filter
action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"
category android:name = "android. intent. category.LAUNCHER"
intent-filter
Here optional Activity related commands can be placed.
While Activity refers to screen of mobile placed before user.
So things like making it full screen without title bar or allowing it's auto resizing or panning thereby denying scrolling on pop-up of soft keyboard can be done here.
'activity windowSoftInputMode ="adjustSize|adjustPan" /
'activity Orientation="Portrait"/>
Window feature flag full screen.
activity
application
manifest
In above statement two elements <action>,<category> are defined within <intent-filter> element. User actions of clicking touching mobile screen suggest there intentions. When there intention is fired from launching an app by app launcher service in mobile then the category of intention is stored as LAUNCHER.
Now is the user deleting uninstalling or running this app. If running then action is MAIN.
This manifest will be used two time.
First time when generating R.java and R.class etc.
Second time to generate apk by aapt tool.