Coursework 2: getting started (1) – running the phone emulator

Chris Greenhalgh ([email protected]) 1

Coursework 2: getting started (1) – running the phone emulator

Chris GreenhalghG54UBI / 2011-02-21


Contents

• Option 1: using the Android SDK– Installing the Android SDK– Configuring the Android SDK Manager– Creating an emulator– Starting an Emulator

• Option 2: – Running an Android emulator using the

AppInventor local installation


Option 1: using the Android SDK (for use with HTML/JS, PhoneGap or native apps)


Installing the Android SDK

• Follow the steps in http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html– Step 1: Ensure you have a JDK (version 1.6)

(Eclipse is NOT required at this stage)– Step 2: download the SDK .zip file and extract its

contents (e.g. android-sdk-windows/) to your chosen working directory

– (Step 3: ADT is NOT required at this stage)

Note: this step should NOT be required in the labs: should already be installed in C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk-windows\

http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html


Setting up the Android SDK (1)

• (Without Eclipse) run “SDK Manager.exe” from the unpacked directory– (with eclipse, choose Window > Android SDK and AVD

Manager)– You can “cancel” the initial dialog which suggests

installing all of the available packages– Under “Settings” set the HTTP proxy if required

• E.g. in the University host “128.243.253.109” and port “8080”



Setting up the Android SDK (2)

• From “Available Packages” select and install at least:– Android SDK Platform-tools and– SDK Platform Android 2.2, API 8

• Under Android Repository– Google APIs by Google, Inc., Android API 8

• Under Third party add-ons, Google Inc. add-ons [for google maps]– (If you have an older Android device then install a version of Android and Google

APIs that is compatible with it)– Note: you will need to click “Accept” for the Google APIs licence:



Creating an emulator, a.k.a. Android Virtual Device

• Under Virtual Devices click “New…” and choose – name (any), – target (Google APIs…)– SD Card size, e.g. 64 MB– Resolution (WVGA800)– and Create AVD…

• Note that the (large) emulator file(s) are usually stored in a hidden directory .android, in your home directory (H:\), which can be deleted if you no longer need the emulator

Note: this step should only need to be done ONCE


Starting an emulator

• Start the SDK Manager if required (see earlier slide)

• Under “Virtual Devices” select the emulator (“AVD”) you want and click “Start…” – You can modify the launch

options if required, e.g. size on the monitor, then press “Launch”

– It typically takes a minute or two for the emulator to start up

Note: this step needs to be done each time you want to start an emulator


A running emulator(exact appearance depends on version and AVD options)


Option 2: using the AppInventor tools (for use with Google AppInventor)


Installing the AppInventor tools

• Follow the set-up instructions for your operating system:– http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/setup/index.

html#setupComputer– Make a note of the installation directory, typically …\AppInventor\commands-for-Appinventor

• If a web proxy is required then you need to configure it now, e.g. by setting the http_proxy environment variable

Note: this should already be installed in the labs in C:\G54UBI\

http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/setup/index.html#setupComputer

http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/learn/setup/index.html#setupComputer


Configuring the emulator web proxy

• From inside the University network (except UoN-guest) if the proxy is not set then you will be able to access University web sites but not external web sites (e.g. google). – At present a suitable proxy from within the University network is

“http://128.243.253.109:8080”• If you start an emulator from the SDK Manager then it should use the

proxy set there (slide 4)• Otherwise the emulator will use the environment variable

“http_proxy” to determine what (if any) proxy to use– This can be set/checked in

• (Windows 7) Control Panels Search “Environment” Edit environment variables for your account

• (Windows XP) Control Panels System Advanced Environment Variables– You need to restart the emulator to pick up any change


Running the emulator using the AppInventor tools

• In the AppInventor installation directory (…\AppInventor\commands-for-Appinventor) run the emulator command– Windows: double click run-emulator.bat• After a few seconds the phone emulator should appear

and start up

Note: this should be installed in the labs in C:\G54UBI\


Conclusions

• You should now be able to:– Install and setup the Android SDK if required– Run an Android emulator– And optionally• install the AppInventor tools • and run an Android emulator using those

Documents

Coursework 2: getting started (1) – running the phone emulator