Available now: App Inventor 2: Databases and Files
I have finished writing App Inventor 2: Databases and Files, a new e-book providing step-by-step guides to using TinyDB, TinyWebDB, Fusion Tables and Data Files in Android App Inventor programs, including sharing data with spreadsheets.
Continue reading Pre-Announcing: App Inventor 2: Databases and Files-new e-book
I do not think there is any good way to make print outs of the App Inventor blocks code.
What I do is:
In Windows 7 (also works in Vista and newer version) is to use the Snipping Tool to select a section of blocks code on screen, copy the selection, and then paste that into a Word document. I make several “snips” as needed, to capture all of the code, and paste each into the document. Then I print out the document.
Is there a better way? I do not know but if you have a better solution, let us know in the comments! Thanks!
When you type a number, such as “123”, computers convert the text values of “123” into an internal representation used by the computer. There are many possible ways that numbers can be represented inside a computer. For example, the computer could:
Each internal format has benefits and drawbacks, depending on the application. Most computers (and programming systems) convert entered numbers from their original text format into either integer format or floating-point number format.
App Inventor converts values to floating point format. Which is fine, except that you will encounter some odd and subtle issues. As the link below notes, in App Inventor arithmetic, 0.3 + 0.6 does not equal 0.9!
Continue reading App Inventor Stores Numbers as “Floating Point” Format
Volume 2 of the App Inventor 2 Tutorial is now available at Amazon as an e-book via this link: App Inventor 2 Tutorial Volume 2: Step-by-step: Advanced features including TinyDB
Description
MIT App Inventor 2 is a fast and simple way to create custom Android apps for smart phones or tablets. Volume 2 in the series introduces debugging methods, explains additional controls not covered in Volume 1, introduces “agile” methods for developing a real world app, and provides sample code for using the TinyDB database.
The App Inventor 2 Tutorial series is targeted at adult learners (high school and up). App Inventor 2 provides a simplified “drag and drop” interface to layout your app’s screen design. Then implement the app’s behavior with “drag and drop” programming blocks to quickly assemble a program in a graphical interface.
Volume 1 of this series covered the basics of the App Inventor user interface Designer and the Blocks programming editor, plus basic “blocks” programming concepts and tools for arithmetic, text processing, event handling, lists and other features. Volume 2 builds upon Volume 1 to provide tips on debugging programs when the apps work incorrectly, how to use hidden editing features, and how to install your own apps on to your phone or tablet for general use. Code samples are provided for using the Notifier component for general use or for debugging, for user interface control tricks such as buttons that change color continuously or implementing the missing “radio buttons” component, using ListPicker and Spinner for list selections, and using the WebViewer to display web pages in your app. The book includes a large section on designing and building a sample real world application and finishes with a chapter on using the TinyDB database.
For readers of the blog, Chapters 4–8 are based on the tutorial already presented here. Chapter 2 and Chapter 9 on TinyDB are all new material.
Chapters
(Volume 3 is now available – App Inventor 2 Databases and Files adds substantially more information on TinyDB, plus TinyWebDB and Fusion Tables and includes the full introduction to TinyDB).
Volume 2 of the App Inventor 2 Tutorial will be available at Amazon and Google Play/Google books within a few days. Just waiting for the new title to clear through their review process.
I have added a new “Subscribe by email” feature to provide another way to be alerted to new posts on this web site.
Look for “SUBSCRIBE TO POSTS BY EMAIL” in the right column of this page, then enter your name and email address and click on Subscribe.
Check your email for a confirmation message and click on the link in the email to confirm your subscription. If you do not receive a confirmation email within a few minutes, check your Spam mail folder – and then check to make sure you entered your email address correctly!
I have only tested this feature with my own email address but hopefully it will work well for anyone who wishes to receive post alerts via email!
Facebook is a simple way to be alerted to updates, but you may also wish to use Twitter, our RSS newsfeed, or the new email subscription – or all of them! My intent is to make it simple for you to receive new posts in what ever way works best for you.
Source: Official Google Blog: Picture this: A fresh approach to Photos
Limitations: Maximum full resolution images to 16 MP, and up to 1080p video.
Google Play Music also provides for storage of up to 50,000 music selections. Info on transferring your iTunes music to Google Play Music, here.
Atmel introduced the new Arduino Zero controller board, which includes new support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and sensors, apparently (I do not yet have details). A couple of weeks ago, I showed how to use App Inventor and Bluetooth to communicate with an Arduino board.
Here is a video clip about the new Zero controller board. I think App Inventor will also play an important role in the “Maker” / do-it-yourself community in terms of linking smart phones to external hardware devices, like this controller.
I am back from Maker Faire and will start catching up over the next few days. I was mostly offline while down there.
I have added a page that has a short summary of all posts on this blog. The summary may be reached by clicking on “All Posts Summary” here or in the menu bar at top of this page.
App Inventor has added a new source code “Gallery” for sharing source code with others.
From the My Projects list of your projects, at the far right, find a new feature to “Publish to Gallery”. To use, create a graphic image to illustrate your app – such as a screenshot. You will later upload this to the Gallery along with a description of what your source code does.
Add a link to a web page (if any) that contains a tutorial or video about your app or source code.
To find other code already added to the Gallery, click on the Gallery menu item near the top/upper right of the AI menu.
Have fun!
(And yes, I am back from recent travels – still recovering – fell a sleep after lunch today! I hope to start adding some of the source code from this blog to the Gallery soon!)
(This works on my Android devices) To take a snapshot of what is on your Android device screen, press the device power button and the volume control DOWN button simultaneously. This captures a screen snapshot and saves it to your Photo Gallery. Email that photo to yourself or do what ever you do to transfer files from your device to your computer, for subsequent processing/viewing, editing, re-sizing and what have you.
App Inventor 2 - Learn to Code (Learn2c.org) 