Using Market Intents
21/09/11 14:51 Filed in: Mark's Blog
Sometimes, when developing, the functionality you require is already available via an Intent provided by another app. A list of these Intents is available here.
However in order to use these intents within your app the user also has to have the app with the intent installed on their device. If the user doesn't have the app installed you want to automatically point them to the apps that they require, i.e. open up the Android Market at the right page ready for them to install it. The user can then install the required app and perform a back action to return to your app. This can be achieved with a simple piece of code.
Lets say for example you want to incorporate barcode scanning within your app. You could utilise ZXing. So within the method where you are trying to access the intent (i.e. scan a barcode) you can add code like this:-
The FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY value stops the marketplace from being kept on the history stack. so as soon as the user navigates away from it the marketplace is killed and the user will be returned to your app.
However in order to use these intents within your app the user also has to have the app with the intent installed on their device. If the user doesn't have the app installed you want to automatically point them to the apps that they require, i.e. open up the Android Market at the right page ready for them to install it. The user can then install the required app and perform a back action to return to your app. This can be achieved with a simple piece of code.
Lets say for example you want to incorporate barcode scanning within your app. You could utilise ZXing. So within the method where you are trying to access the intent (i.e. scan a barcode) you can add code like this:-
1: try
2: {
3: Intent newIntent = new Intent("com.google.zxing.client.android.SCAN");
4: startActivityForResult(newIntent, BARCODE_SCAN );
5: }
6: catch (Exception e)
7: {
8: String zxingUrl = "market://details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android";
9: Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW,
10: Uri.parse(zxingUrl));
11:
12: intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
13: startActivity(intent);
14: }
The FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY value stops the marketplace from being kept on the history stack. so as soon as the user navigates away from it the marketplace is killed and the user will be returned to your app.
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Helpful Android information for developers
14/09/11 11:30 Filed in: Liam's Blog
As I have just started to get into Android development I have been searching around for a useful guide to help me progress my learning into the development of Apps. Android Blog Spot is the home for Android Developers. It has all the resources, references and a development guide which I am currently following at the moment. Anybody who wants to start learning Android Development I highly recommend for you to use this website.
Check out -
Android Blog Spot - provides project's news, tips and tricks and development examples.
Check out -
Android Blog Spot - provides project's news, tips and tricks and development examples.
Starting off
14/09/11 11:19 Filed in: Liam's Blog
This is my first blog for the website, so let me introduce myself. My name is Liam. I am currently doing an internship with a local iPhone, Android and Blackberry App development company. Since I am new to this field I have been looking for a beginners guide for Android Development to get me started. Going through a dozen of websites I found that Android Developers was the most useful. It has loads of information to download from the development software to beginners tutorials. Now it is time to download the kit, install the components and get cracking on with my first project - Hello World, of course!
Top 5 must have Android Business Apps
12/09/11 12:08 Filed in: Liam's Blog
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