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Programming for Android

5 days practical workshop for up to 12 people.

Only £1975 per person

Android is an open source platform for mobile computing. Applications are developed using familiar Java and Eclipse tools. This Android training course teaches students the architecture, API and techniques to create robust, high performance and appealing applications for the Android devices. While many classes focus on the mobile device, this course also deals with the server side architecture. This makes the class ideal for enterprise class businesses. After taking this Android training course, students will be able to build robust and high performance applications for the enterprises.

Layout

The course comprises instructor-led presentations and practical hands-on exercises. The practical sessions are structured to give the delegates the opportunity to put into practice some of the theory covered during the instructor-led sessions.

Training Course Objectives

The architecture of Android OS
Using the Eclipse based development environment.
GUI development.
Supporting multiple languages.
Accessing data from files, network and SQL database.
Audio and video playback.
Automated testing of your applications.
Selling your applications in Android market.

Who it is for

Developers and architects who will be developing applications for Android devices.

Training Course Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of Java programming language.

Chapters

Chapter 1 Introduction to Android

What is Android?
A Short History
Advantages of Android
Disadvantages of Android
References

Chapter 2 The Architecture of Android

Key Components Stack
The Kernel
Libraries
The Dalvik JVM
Application Framework
Applications

Chapter 3 The Development Environment

What Do We Need?
Setting Up the SDK
Create a Virtual Device
Creating a Project
Running Your Application
Buttons of the Emulator
Run Configuration
Debugging an Application
Using Third Party JAR
Creating Reusable Library
Dalvik Debug Monitor Server (DDMS)
The Console Views
Developing for Multiple Android Versions

Chapter 4 Application Fundamentals

Recapping The Basics
Packaging an Application
Application Reusability Architecture
The Manifest File
Activity
Creating an Activity Class
Activity Lifecycle
Launching an Activity
Pausing and Stopping an Activity
Destroying an Activity
Saving State
The onCreate() Method
Registering an Activity
The Default Activity
Process Lifecycle
The Application Class
The Application Context

Chapter 5 Basic GUI Programming

The Fundamentals
View Hierarchy
Creating Views Programmatically
Creating View in XML Layout
More on XML Layout
Common Programming Tasks with Views
TextView and EditText
Button
CheckBox
RadioButton and RadioGroup
ToggleButton
ImageView
RatingBar

Chapter 6 Layout Management

Background
LinearLayout
LinearLayout Orientation
fill_parent Example
Layout Gravity
Weight
TableLayout
Managing the Width
RelativeLayout
RelativeLayout Example
ScrollView
HorizontalScrollView

Chapter 7 Resource Management and Localization

Introduction
Main Types of Resources
Defining Value Resources
Defining String Arrays
Creating Image Resource
Alternate Resource Folders
Alternate Folder Name Rules
How Android Finds Resources
Dealing with Screen Orientation
Orientation Change and Activity Lifecycle
Developing for Tablets
Basics of Localization
Testing for Localization
Loading Localized String from Code

Chapter 8 Intents and Intent Filter

What is an Intent?
The android.content.Intent Class
Explicitly Specifying Component Name
Example
Implicit Target Component Specification
Intent Filters
Action Name
Category Name
Data Type Filter
Hint Matching Logic
Example Hint Matching ? 1
Example Hint Matching ? 2
Default Component of an Application
Starting an Activity
Getting Output from Activity
Example of Launcher: ActivityA
Example of Launched: ActivityB
Pending Intent

Chapter 9 Application Menu

Introduction
Defining Menu Items
Menu XML File
Option Menu
Populating Menu Items from Resource
Manipulating Menu Items
Handling Menu Item Click Event
Context Menu
Showing a Context Menu
Handling Context Menu Item Click

Chapter 10 Showing Notification Messages

Introduction
Toast
Popping a Toast
Advanced Toast
Status Bar Notification
Advantages of Status Bar Notification
Steps to Create a Status Bar Notification
Posting the Notification
Using an Utility Method
Additional Notes
Using Dialogs
AlertDialog
Handling Button Click Events
ProgressDialog
Setting Progress Amount

Chapter 11 Advanced GUI Development

Spinner View
Creating a Spinner
Handling Item Selection Event
The ListView
Creating a ListView
Handling ListView Events
The Adapter Model
Adapter Class
Example Adapter
Using an Adapter
The ArrayAdapter Class
ViewFlipper
Tabbed UI Layout
Creating Tabbed UI
Defining the Tabbed Layout
Creating the Tabs with View Content
Add a Tab with Activity Content
WebView
WebView Methods

Chapter 12 Data Storage

Data Storage Options
Data Privacy
Shared Preferences
Modifying Shared Preferences
Shared Preferences Example
Default Preferences
Editing Preferences
Example: Editing Preferences
Internal Storage
Example: Write to Internal Storage
Example: Read from Internal Storage
Private Directory
Cache Directory
Example: Writing to Cache File
External Storage
Checking State of External Storage
Working with Files in External Storage
Example: Writing to External Storage
Shipping Files with the Application
Working with Raw Resource Files
Working with Asset Files

Chapter 13 SQL Database Storage

Introduction
Opening a Database Connection
Transaction Management
A Pattern for Connection and Transaction Handling
Creating Schema
Compiled SQL Statement
Inserting Data
Updating Data
Deleting Data
Fetching Data
Example Queries
Iterating Over a Cursor
Reading Column Values from Cursor
A Complete Example
Cursor Management
Binding Cursor to ListView
Custom Data Binding
Handling Item Click Event
Refreshing the ListView
Schema Creation Issues
Example Helper Class
Using the Helper Class

Chapter 14 Network Programming

Introduction
Communication Using HTTP Protocol
Creating a HttpClient Object
Making a GET Request
Making a POST Request
Setting Timeout
Using Basic Authentication
Using Custom Authentication
XML Parsing Options
Setting Up XML Pull Parser
The Main Loop
Example XML Document
Example Parsing Code
Checking Network Status

Chapter 15 Background Task Processing

Introduction
The Handler Framework
The Basic Approach
Creating a Handler
Posting a Message
Doing Background Work
AsyncTask
Doing the Work
Starting Work
Getting Result from the Task
Updating GUI From the Task
Ending the Task
What is Service
Why Use a Service?
Service for Background Work
Creating a Service
Example Service Class
Starting and Stopping a Service
Starting Long Running Work
Sending Control Messages to a Service
Usability Guidelines

Chapter 16 Multimedia Programming

Introduction
Recording Audio
Start Recording Audio
Stop Recording
Playing Audio
Playing from Raw Resource
Playing from a File or Network Stream
Stopping and Cleanup
Video Playback
Playing Video

Chapter 17 Testing Applications

Introduction
New Sources of Defects
Special Testing Considerations
Android Testing Framework
The Architecture
Creating a Test Project
Test Case Class for an Activity
Test Initialization
Writing a Test Case Method
Service Test Case Class
Running Test Cases
Useful Methods of an Activity Test Case Class
Additional Assertion Function
The TouchUtils Class
Developing and Testing on a Device
Stress Test Monkey
Third Party Testing Tools

Chapter 18 Packaging and Distributing Applications