WxLive show notes for May 11 2012

Ben Dell - Android

Ben Dell had the first session and showed how to create an app for Android using WinDev Mobile 17 (beta).

Project creation is as usual. You do need to download and install the Android SDK. (Note that WinDev 16 only supports the 3.x SDK - you need 17 for the 4.x SDK.

He used the ActivePhone 4 style, English only, and created a new database using HyperFileSQL Classic. He used a pre-existing customer file definition. 

Ben used the wizard to create a new main window and started by simply dropping on an icon and some text. His aim ws to show how easy it is to create an Android app. 

The Android generating wizard steps through a number of options such as the SDK supported/used, signing and keys, etc. 

The result is an .APK file. If you have a live device you can just copy that file onto the device. Ben had a virtual device set up which WinDev recognized, so he also had the option of copying the app to that destination for testing. Android has many different form factors - Ben develops only for specific devices not for the larger commercial market. 

The bare app came in at 1.7 megs. 

WinDev comes with some sample Android apps. Ben opened up the Sports Assistant, which uses the SQLite database. 

Apps have to request specific permissions to access the various Android devices/services. 

To install on the actual device, Ben creates any folder on the device itself. He then copies the APK file over and the phone detects the file, notifies him that he has uninstalled apps and asks him if he wants to install.

You can also install via email and HTTP. 

Bob Roos - Help

Bob found he kept coming across sections in the help called "functions for managing..."

You can search the windev site for these with

"functions for managing" site:windev.com/en-us

He started putting this information into a small app, and started adding all of the examples as well. 

Bob calls his application Managing the Help. 

By typing some characters he can narrow down the list and find all of the relevant help and examples. 

His app is also in WinDev 17. 

Bob ran into some problems with creating a dynamic filter. He also had some display issues with styles and the ensuing group discussion led to a couple of possible ways to fix, only as several were tried at the same time no one was certain which worked. But look under Project | Other Actions; there are options to upgrade the app and refresh the styles. 

He walked through the steps involved in creating the Windows executable and showed how to add it to a custom menu in the IDE.

He also put in a plug for VoidTools Everything.

Bob again encountered some issues with getting the updated EXE into his custom menu, which led him to walking through the installer setup. One interesting option is the installer's integration with HyperfileSQL, permitting automatic upgrading of the database.