Database Develop

i want to contribute, i need help tho

hi there,
firstly let me say i am a complete noob and after browsing the gweni and faq and wiki i cant see advice on making apps
i want to make a video app with similar interfeace to the iphone or maybe and bit tweaked does anyone kno how i go about this im eager to learn
a few qs
what do i need vb or something
can i use another players codecs

also
do i also need to download an sdk. and i want to use .net not flash

try having a look here (hasnt got all the answers you requested...and im not ever near enough qualified to help...yet)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=400144
started that a while ago as i also want to contribute

I'm interested in developing for Windows Mobile myself, and I don't even have a mobile device yet. I've looked into it a little bit, and it sounds like it'll be a little bit of work to get everything setup, but once it's setup it shouldn't be too hard.
I found a lot of info directly from Microsoft. Go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/default.aspx and check out the links in the development section on the left.
It looks like you'll need the SDK, the .NET framework, an emulator to simulate different devices running Windows Mobile, and Visual Studio .NET. Visual Studio may not be absolutely necessary, but I'd guess it'll make things easier.

Request/Ideas for Apps Go Here!!!!

It would be awesome if there was an application to use the MBW-150 bluetooth watch on the G1. Is anyone developing one?
-Tyler

I'll bite. I'd buy one if I didn't have to use a sony ericson phone to use it.

[IDEA]A new contact app(2 preview screenshots)
Does anybody think the built-in contact app is not easy to use?
I'm working on a new contact app called aContact which provides a new UI to access to contact data and some more features.
So,anybody has any idea about this new app or found the disadvantages of the built-in contact app??
THANKS
I will post the scrrenshots after I finished the first version.
Thanks again for your advices!
---------------------------21th December added---------------------------
There are two screenshots.Any advice?

The best contact manager I've used was the one built into SPB Mobile Shell for Winmo.

thefoss said:
The best contact manager I've used was the one built into SPB Mobile Shell for Winmo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK.I'm now using the htc touch diamond.I will try SPB Mobile Shell.
Thanks for your advice

nice idea even though i dont mind the g1's contact app i know it can be better.
some things i think you should add:
-ability to view contacts in groups or categories
- if possible assign ringtones to group
- have the number/letter show up when scrolling like the icontact for wm
- integrate it so that when someone send you a number you can long press and add number to you contact manager or you can make it retrieve contacts through google.
- have birthday

haitiankid4lyf said:
nice idea even though i dont mind the g1's contact app i know it can be better.
some things i think you should add:
-ability to view contacts in groups or categories
- if possible assign ringtones to group
- have the number/letter show up when scrolling like the icontact for wm
- integrate it so that when someone send you a number you can long press and add number to you contact manager or you can make it retrieve contacts through google.
- have birthday
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes!I am strongly agree with you!
The built-in contact has no birthday records!
BTW,I think iContact is a nice app on WM.

[REQ] Android App Ideas
hello android users,
I am a developer on the windows mobile side of things (see the M2DC thread for an example of my work) and I am thinking I might like to move over to developing for android.
I have a few problems, first, I don't have a device, this is not a huge deal at the moment because I can just use the SDK emulator for now, but I will be purchasing a device later on if I like developing for this platform. The second problem is that I need help with ideas for some simple apps... since I do not have a G1 to handle on a daily basis I don't really get the chance to feel things out and discover where an app might come in useful.
So my request is this. Does anyone have any ideas for "simple" android applications? Anything they wish the phone did better? Or a simple functionality that they wish the phone had? Reading through this forum it looks like there is a demand for OCR and possibly something to make applying new themes/skins easier? Or the TextTwist Game?
Of these 3 the game sounds the most interesting, the theme changer sounds good too because that is what my current development in windows mobile does, and the OCR is most likely out of my league at the moment.
I am open to any app ideas, I'm just looking for something to get me started and get me interested in the platform.

A few apps i would like to see as follows
1. A reboot option in shut down menu "if possible".
2. Digital Clock for homescreen
3. Screen Capture
4. Camera Zoom option
5. Checkers
Hope this helps a bit, good luck!

An application that kills tasks running in the background (although most folks say it's not possible right now), video recorder, night mode for camera, or Sirius/XM internet streamer similar to SiriusWM5 (I'm not sure that one is possible at the moment either...). Of course, you could create widgets (something more simple) but the source code won't be available to next year allegedly.

- Office suite (word and excel file editor)
- Youtube downloader from phone (like iphone mxtube)
- Super Mario Chronicles !!!!!
- FlightGear portable
- compiz fusion !! (not important but just tto test phone power to my friend that have an Iphone)
- More widget

haitiankid4lyf said:
nice idea even though i dont mind the g1's contact app i know it can be better.
some things i think you should add:
-ability to view contacts in groups or categories
- if possible assign ringtones to group
- have the number/letter show up when scrolling like the icontact for wm
- integrate it so that when someone send you a number you can long press and add number to you contact manager or you can make it retrieve contacts through google.
- have birthday
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can view contacts in groups - Contacts - Menu - Display Group (created on GMAIL page).
Ringtones to groups would be nice, but for now you may just display a group and assign them all a ringtone
The long press to dial/save numbers in SMS has been addressed and should be in the final version of Android 1.0.
A birthday? Ehrmm.... Would personally prefer that to stay where it is (in my calendar).

I would like it to integrate the Dialer and searching for contacts, so i can just start typing a name or a number and it would show me the matching contacts. (I think SpellDial does this but is not very robust).
Thanks

Need view sort by last name, company, etc.

jhales said:
Need view sort by last name, company, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK.I'm working on this.

ye11ow said:
OK.I'm working on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is tougher because the gmail contacts (web) only has one field for the name...
--M

Thank you very much for the input guys, I really appreciate it. These lists are definitely getting the creative juices flowing... I will see what I can put together.
If possible I will open source the beta version of my first program and post the beta packages here on xda for everyone to use without charge... I am still learning the whole process so we will see what happens in the end
Thank you for the suggestions, and I am still open to hearing more

I guess "simple" is also relative to your level of proficiency in Java and mobile development. As far as holes in the shipped operating system that could use fixing, there are many points to attack. Some could be done in the JVM, others would have to be done in native c. Examples include:
An office suite
Video recording
Touchscreen text input (API will expose this in 09Q1)
A simple but high-quality word or puzzle game would be great tho.
Edit: welcome aboard the Android side too ;-)

jashsu said:
I guess "simple" is also relative to your level of proficiency in Java and mobile development. As far as holes in the shipped operating system that could use fixing, there are many points to attack. Some could be done in the JVM, others would have to be done in native c. Examples include:
An office suite
Video recording
Touchscreen text input (API will expose this in 09Q1)
A simple but high-quality word or puzzle game would be great tho.
Edit: welcome aboard the Android side too ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you 100%, the system stuff sounds good, but of the posted ideas and from what I have seen there is a small demand for "simple" games, and this is the direction I plan on going initially, games are fun to make and they should give me a decent overview of what is involved in throwing together an app.
As far as my java proficiency... I can definitely get by. I have a few websites that rely completely on the google web toolkit, and my bachelors degree was typical of an early 2008 CS curriculum, 2 years of java to learn what OO programming is, and then 2 years of C to learn about the fun stuff (pointers, threads, compilers, OS's, etc...). but like I said before I am just looking to make a traditional application, and I think that it is going to end up being a game of some sort,
I don't have a device yet, if I get one it would be pretty much a development only device, so I am trying to get my feet wet with an app or 2 before I decide to get one. I did manage to get a few minutes with a G1 today and I must say that the device feels so much better than my Titan, that capacitive touchscreen is awesome.
Once I get something going I will startup a new project on google code so I can take advantage of the free svn server and start posting my progress

fun stuff (pointers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to admit that might be the first time i've seen the word "fun" and "pointers" so close together ;-)
I did manage to get a few minutes with a G1 today and I must say that the device feels so much better than my Titan, that capacitive touchscreen is awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Capacitive touch screens feel great and and quite responsive but they do have their caveats too. The main one is that accuracy of input is lower than with a stylus. You'll have to keep that in mind when you design the UI. You can scale the size of the emulator on screen to match an actual G1's physical screen size (emulated pixels might be mangled though).
Once I get something going I will startup a new project on google code so I can take advantage of the free svn server and start posting my progress
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking forward to it There are some specific android development communities you can check out too for more relevant talk on android java programming. anddev.org I think is a popular site.

Android specific apps

Will only specific apps run on android? Its just my mate wants to get Freecaddie on his Hero, and I have it on my Touch HD. I have checked on the website but not sure whether to try and put the winmo cab on and run that or will it mess the phone up... any help greatly appreciated..

I'm not a programmer so I could be completely wrong, but I don't think that will work. That's like trying to run a Windows program on a Linux machine - unless the developers specifically made a Linux version it just won't work. Probably the best thing for your friend to do is look around on the market for that application or a similar one.
(And before a Linux defender comes to correct me - yes, I know you can get windows emulators that run in Linux, but I'm not aware of those existing for phones.)

Ia m may get flamed here, but i am sure , a windows moblie app will not run on a linux based os, unless some one has made W.I.N.E (linux geeks like myself will understand) for andriod then No sorry !!

Steven__ said:
That's like trying to run a Windows program on a Linux machine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not just like, that's exactly the case here

@Milesjasjar
It won't work. As another poster mentioned though, search the market. I've found apps to do most things (apart from a really good calendar app!!!)
P.S. Good luck for Saturday, hope the Saints do it. It's about time.

martint235 said:
I've found apps to do most things (apart from a really good calendar app!!!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If what you don't like with the HTC calendar is that it displays all events on the monthly view in exactly the same way, you can try the Pure Calendar widgets (dev's website here). The 'Grid' one displays a coloured bar at the top of each day in a monthly view, its length representing how long the appointment is and the colour which calendar it's part of. It loads data from Outlook and Google calendars without trouble. The dev also makes an agenda style widget, but I haven't used it. Unfortunately you have to pay about £1 for either.

Hi,
Thanks I'm already using Pure Calendar and have the Grid too. I agree it's the best available at the mo but having just moved over from WinMo I'm waiting for someone to release a major app like Pocket Informant. Unfortunately developers seem wary as they are not sure people will be willing to pay £20 for an Android app (although I would be if it's good enough!)
M

Cheers for the responses guys.. at least I know what to expect when i get my own hero... I keep looking but still not ready to make the jump, guess I am far to comfortable with the Winmo UI. But the gap is closing on the usability.. as long as i can import everything from outlook, and find a free golf program then i might make the jump sooner..

noob needs help coding app

Ok so I've never coded in java before its all new to me and i am trying to make an app that would do the same as this (check it out here) old Motorola razr mod, the led's and screens would flash in a pattern when music was played or any vibration into the microphone. I thought this idea could make a cool app for android, so i have begun coding it, and i have pretty much got the interface setup, but when it comes to making the slider i added actually do anything i have no idea and i have no idea how to make buttons actually preform an action, also i have no idea how to go about controlling hardware on the phone like the microphone and various lights to flash. Is there any way anyone can help or give some tips i appreciate any input. Thus far my layout consist of a spinner to chose the different patterns for the lights to flash, then the start button, then a slider to choose how sensitive the microphone is to incoming vibrations. They do nothing yet cause i am not quite sure where to go from here. If you feel you can contribute any knowledge my way i will be grateful, the only coding i have done is minor html stuff although not much different than the xml code involved i have no idea what to do for the java part. Please Help.
Thank you much!

There really isn't anything one could contribute to your knowledge if you don't have experience with an object oriented language like Java. You will need to hop on Google and look at Java tutorials and possibly some object oriented design books. Once you have a good grasp on Java you can then begin learning the API's for Android that Google provides.
So if you're looking for a suggestion there is mine.
Steps you should take
Learn object oriented programming (OOP)
Learn Java
Learn the Android API

thank you, will do.

Yeah man if all you know is minor html you have a lot to learn since theres almost no relation there. I started to learn some java a couple years ago but lost any time for it but when I was learning the best way I found to learn apart from actually taking a class was AppDev. I had the J2SE and J2ME learning programs. Its as close to being in a class room as you can get. There is an instructor, exercises, tests ect. Basically the Rosetta stone for programing.

Do the Hello, World! demos on the official Android site, and take a look at the APIDemos included in the SDK- there's lots of short code samples demonstrating things like buttons and sliders.
And I disagree with the prior poster- learn Java, then OOP. The explanations of object oriented programming will just confuse you until you have some coding practice.

thank you all for the advice, its nice to see that people care enough to help out a noob around here lol

I was a noob to android awhile ago too, though now I'm finalizing a falling sand game for the market =D.
I had experience in c++, c, and html when I first started looking at android. What helped the most was going throught he examples and copying and pasting code into my code until I could figure out how stuff works. The android developers section on www.android.com helped alot, espcially the guide and refrence tabs. I also did a google code search to find the source of another android project that I could reference off of.
It also helps a lot if you have another person that you can work with, it's a lot harder to get discouraged that way.
One last suggestion, use the android-developers forums from google, there's a lot of really good help there. The stack overflow website is also really helpful if you have a general question about java, but not android in specific.
Good luck!

Will be glad to help you along your way once you start coding it. I can write an example app that does all the flashing bits for you. Would have to make it play off the internal media player though and not external audio. Not sure I could code it to do exactly what they did in the video.

Whatever you do, don't ready the notepad toturial that is way advanced and confusing. I highly recommend the hello views tutorials as well as reading the application fundamentals and all the stuff in that category of the dev guide, I forget what its called. But just reading will only get you so far, just try things one at a time. Also #android-dev on freenode ca be a ton of help if your there at the right time, but sometimes its tottaly dead....
There are a ton of awesume tutorials on android-dev's website reading the code there allways helps me understand how new ideas work. But as mentioned earlyer you really need to know oop programing and java...

Would like to Dev for W8, have ideas, more places to start?

Hello All,
I have two small App Idea's that I want to implement on the Windows Phone 8 platform. The problem is I'm a little unsure where to start for resources.
The issue however is that for all the Dev resources MS has given us, they mostly start at weird points and has no or little impact on where I want to, or figured one should start. So stuff like, setting up a DB, or Using an Azure Server etc.
If not that, most other help I've found have been off point starting as well. XDA's own vids start off with OAuth etc, which are all great, but I'm not even near there yet for what I want to do.
Most other guides, like even MS's own recent JumpStart videos all hop and skip over certain things. So you're following along (Or I'm trying to) and they jump forward, skip tasks and pull out pre-done code so I assume I need different foundation before I can jump in at their stage.
So, I have my idea of what I want to do, buttons, calculator, lists. But I don't know how to start from some basic things. And I am a little reluctant to jump in to what they have for WP7 cuz I don't want to use anything that's been deprecated.
Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Check out LinkedIn. I started a group a long time ago for Windows Phone developers and enthusiasts. It's filled with programmers, Microsoft people, and there's lots of good references and people to ask.

McHale said:
Check out LinkedIn. I started a group a long time ago for Windows Phone developers and enthusiasts. It's filled with programmers, Microsoft people, and there's lots of good references and people to ask.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, any specific link to this LinkedIn... I gotta admit, I never thought of LinkedIn as a place for help in this kind of thing...
As an update though, I already have started on the app I had in mind and now have some specific "How-do-I" questions, but undure where to post these. Thanks again however.

Here's the group. There are some pretty active members who are programmers.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=124767
-Mc

As weird as it may sound: I would suggest you get a beginners book on programming C# on the Desktop. That way you should learn to program from the ground up and get a solid foundation on how the language works (classes, properties, attributes, events, etc.)
Everything else later on is different libraries you will use. That is what most of the introductory videos are about. They show you which classes you use for certain functionality, how you properly wire everything up so it works together.
When you have the basics of how C# works (and most current programming languages like Java but also Objective-C or C++ share the same concepts although there are differences) the best way would be to start with a small project and ask questions when you get stuck or first have a look at StackOverflow if the same question has already been asked and answered.
Teaching someone how to program from the ground up in a forum only rarely works in my experience. But the previous poster might have had different experiences.