There are links for terms used in this blog. The links go to either the corresponding Android Developers page or the Wikipedia Page.
Test Device: Samsung Galaxy Exhibit
Android Version: 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
Application Minimum SDK: 4.1
For my first android application, I decided to create a simple log in/register application. For this application, I used a well-known company, Windows, as the application’s name and logo.
Main Activity
The application user interface (UI) is based off of the instant messaging application, Kik. The application opens up into an activity that has Register and Log in Buttons, 2 TextViews that contain text, and a ImageView that contains one picture.
Main Activity
The ImageView holds another alternate logo of Windows. Then, the TextView underneath the logo contains a string that explains what the Register Button is for. The Register Button, when clicked on will open the Register Activity. Then, the TextView underneath the Register button explains what the Log In Button is for. The Log In Button, when clicked on will open the Login Activity. The Main Activity is the parent for all the other activities mentioned below, which will give a back button (look for it in snapshots of other activities) on the top of all child activities for easy navigation.
Register Activity
The Register Activity UI uses a information form consisting of many types of EditText fields and a Register Button (not the same register button). The form asks for the user’s first name, last name, desired username, email, password. Instead of putting some text to explain what should go in each field, I implemented hints in the EditText fields, when the field is empty. After completing the form, the user can click on the Register Button to continue to the next Activity. The next Activity has not been created yet.
The input for some of these EditText fields are different than others, so different keyboards are need for these fields, and different properties. For example, like most password fields, after you input the first character of your password you will see a black dot in its place. So by setting the EditText field input property to password, it does the exact same as seen below. Also by setting the Email EditText field to email, it brings up a keyboard that has the @ symbol already at the bottom, which normally wouldn’t be there if the EditText field was set to normal.
Login Activity
The Login Activity UI is almost the same as the Register Activity UI just with less EditText fields, and 1 TextView. The UI consists of two EditText fields, one for a username/email and another for a password, so I set the EditText fields to their corresponding expected inputs. The TextView contains a string that says “Forgot Password?” which will open to another activity, if clicked on. It has not been implemented yet. The UI also has a Log In Button that can be clicked on, after the user inputs their log-in information, to start the next activity. The next activity has not been created.
That is the program I decided to create as my first application. Although is basically has no functionality to it besides taking information, but it is a simple template that can go pretty much anywhere.
