SCERSIG: Creating Android Apps with App Inventor 26 October 2011 Ric Paul, Health Services Library, Southampton

Options for Creating Apps Apple ◦ iOS SDK Windows ◦ Visual Studio Android ◦ App Inventor ◦ Developer’s Toolkit

App Inventor: Getting Started Install software Internet connection But… don’t need an Android phone

Dunechaser Robban Andersson App Inventor Any other mobile programming language

Google login + internet required

App Inventor Simple, low-tech approach to programming Free to use – but software installation required Tutorials available on the site Tutorial videos on YouTube

Design your interface on this screen Open the Blocks Editor to edit code

Interface Design Drag and drop components onto the screen image Edit component names and initial status Choose from a range of components – buttons, text objects, social media tools, etc.

Connect from here to a phone or emulator to test

Blocks Editor Drag containers for each component onto the surface Plug actions, events & properties into the container No formal programming is required

Finalising Apps Finished app can be installed on a phone directly or via a QR code Distribute the app via the QR code – or upload to Android Market A tool like Marketizer can help ◦ Apps can be updated later – users will be alerted that an update is available

Downsides App Inventor apps are large files – there’s nothing you can do to reduce them This is an Android-only product – there’s no equivalent for iOS or Windows Mobile App Inventor is no longer supported directly by Google