Getting started with Android — 2.0.0

Getting Started with Android

This guide describes how to set up your development environment for Cordova and run a sample application. Note that Cordova used to be called PhoneGap, so some of the sites still use the old PhoneGap name.

1. Requirements

• Eclipse 3.4+

2. Install SDK + Cordova

• Download and install Eclipse Classic
• Download and install Android SDK
• Download and install ADT Plugin
• Download the latest copy of Cordova and extract its contents. We will be working with the Android directory.

3. Setup New Project

• Launch Eclipse, and select menu item New Project

• Then specify new application project

• Then speciy an Application Name, a Project Name and Package Name with Namespace

• Then select a graphic

• Then Create a Blank Activity

• Make sure the activity doesn't inherit from anything. You most likely won't have PhoneGap on your Eclipse Workspace. Once this is done, click finish

• In the root directory of your project, create two new directories:

  • /libs
  • assets/www

• Copy cordova-2.0.0.js from your Cordova download earlier to assets/www

• Copy cordova-2.0.0.jar from your Cordova download earlier to /libs

• Copy xml folder from your Cordova download earlier to /res

• Verify that cordova-2.0.0.jar is listed in the Build Path for your project. Right click on the /libs folder and go to Build Paths/ > Configure Build Path.... Then, in the Libraries tab, add cordova-2.0.0.jar to the project. If Eclipse is being temperamental, you might need to refresh (F5) the project once again.

  

• Edit your project's main Java file found in the src folder in Eclipse:

  • Add import org.apache.cordova.*;
  • Change the class's extend from Activity to DroidGap
  • Replace the setContentView() line with super.loadUrl("file:///android_asset/www/index.html");

  

• Right click on AndroidManifest.xml and select Open With > Text Editor

• Paste the following permissions between the <uses-sdk.../> and <application.../> tags.

    <supports-screens 
        android:largeScreens="true" 
        android:normalScreens="true" 
        android:smallScreens="true" 
        android:resizeable="true" 
        android:anyDensity="true" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_LOCATION_EXTRA_COMMANDS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" /> 
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BROADCAST_STICKY" />
  

*Note You are adding a blanket list of permissions to your application. You should remove permissions you aren't using before submitting your application to Google Play.

• Support orientation changes by pasting the following inside the <activity> tag.

    android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden"
  

• Your AndroidManifest.xml file should look like

  

4. Hello World

• Create and open a new file named index.html in the assets/www directory. Paste the following code:

    <!DOCTYPE HTML>
    <html>
    <head>
    <title>Cordova</title>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="cordova-1.9.0.js"></script>
    </head>
    <body>
    <h1>Hello World</h1>
    </body>
    </html>
  

5A. Deploy to Simulator

• Right click the project and go to Run As > Android Application
• Eclipse will ask you to select an appropriate AVD. If there isn't one, then you'll need to create it.

5B. Deploy to Device

• Make sure USB debugging is enabled on your device and plug it into your system. (Settings > Applications > Development)
• Right click the project and go to Run As > Android Application

Done!