Android Notes.txt

- install from cmd; windows
  >> sdkmanager.bat --sdk_root=C:\android-sdk-tools tools
  >> sdkmanager.bat --sdk_root=C:\android-sdk-tools build-tools;28.0.0-rc1
  >> sdkmanager.bat --sdk_root=C:\android-sdk-tools platform-tools
  >> sdkmanager.bat --sdk_root=C:\android-sdk-tools platforms;android-23
  
@SDK Components Installed
-------------------------
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Android\sdk
- Android SDK Tools 			Rev. 25.2.5 (latest)
- Android SDK Platform-tools 	Rev. 26		(latest)
- Android SDK Build-tools		Rev. 26 rc2 (latest)
- Android 8.00 (API 26)
  ~ SDK Platform
  ~ Google play Intel x86 Atom System Image Rev 4. API 16
  ~ Google APIs Intel x86 Atom System Image Rev 4. API 16
- Drivers to deploy app to phyical device: https://developer.android.com/studio/run/oem-usb.html
  
@Install Kotlin plugin
----------------------
1. Open Android Studio 
2. At the dialogue where it asks you to create a project click the cog icon
3. Select install plugin in option
4. Search for Kotlin and install
  
@Useful Links
-------------
Thank about when publishing the app: https://developer.android.com/google/play/filters.html
Usage statistics: https://developer.android.com/about/dashboards/index.html
SDK Tools: https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/sdk-tools.html
Supporting different platform verions:
- https://developer.android.com/training/basics/supporting-devices/platforms.html
- https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html
- https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/sdkmanager.html

@Development Guidlines
----------------------
- Use latest SDK Platform Tools, SDK Build Tools and SDK Tools.
- Use latest SDK Platform and stick to standard APIs and follow development best practices; if we require a new feature not
  supported by a previous API we test the platform version.
  <code>
	private void setUpActionBar() {
    // Make sure we're running on Honeycomb or higher to use ActionBar APIs
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB) {
        ActionBar actionBar = getActionBar();
        actionBar.setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
    }	
  </code>
- Support for min SDK version Version 4.1.x, API 16
- Support for target SDK version Version 7.1, API 25
- omit max SDK version
  ~ Allow users in the Google play store with a higher system API to see the apps
  ~ If the device is updated and the system API exceeds the applications max sdk the app is removed
- Before publishing to playstore, test versions from min to target sdk
- Use built in styles and themes - the app will naturally follow the latest look and feel of Android with each new release
  ~ https://developer.android.com/training/basics/supporting-devices/platforms.html
  
@Android SDK	
------------
- SDK Platform
  . To compile against a particular version of Android download and install the SDK Platform for that release.
  . To test on an emulator need to use a System Image for that release
	
- SDK Platform Tools 
  . It inlcludes tools that interface with the Android platform. such as, adb, fastboot and systrace
  . Is backwards compatible - use the latest version 
  . Tools:
    ~ adb
	~ aidl, aapt, dexdump, and dx
	~ bmgr
	~ logcat
	
- SDK Build Tools
  . A component of the Android SDK required for building Android apps
  . By default, the Android SDK uses the most recent downloaded version of the Build Tools
  . Tools:
    ~ signer
	~ proGuard
	~ zipalign
	~ jobb
  
- SDK Tools
  . A set of development and debugging tools for Android
  . Tools:
    ~ Android SDK Manager (sdkmanager)
	~ AVD Manager (avdmanager)
	~ Dalvik Debug Monitor Server (ddms)
  
@Application Framework
- The Application Framework layer provides many higher-level services to applicaitons in the form of java classes
  ~ Activity Manager: controls al aspects of the application lifecycle and activity stack
  ~ Content Providers: Allow applications to publish and share data with other applications
  ~ Resource Manager: Provides access to non-code embedded resources such as strings, color settings and user interface layouts
  ~ Notification Manager: Allows applications to display alerts and notifications to the user
  ~ View System: An exstensible set of views used to create applcation user interfaces
  
@Application Components
- Application components are loosely coupled by the application manifest file AndroidManifest.xml that describes each 
  component of the application and how they interact.
  ~ Activities: They dictate the UI and handle the user interaction to the smart phone screen
  ~ Services: They handle background processing associated with an application.
  ~ Broadcast Receivers: They handle communication between Android OS and applications
  ~ Content Providers: They handle data and database management issues.
  
@The Manifest File
- Following is the list of tags which you will use in your manifest file to specify different Android application components:
  ~ <activity>elements for activities
  ~ <service> elements for services
  ~ <receiver> elements for broadcast receivers
  ~ <provider> elements for content providers