Create a Hello World Android App in App Inventor #tt21
Tinkerer: Lory Livezey
App Inventor is an open source platform for creating Android, and soon to be IOS mobile applications. Without having to write a single line of code, it teaches basic programming constructs, like if/then and loops. It's ideal for the classroom, and powerful enough to write some really sophisticated apps.
Objectives
You'll learn how to:
- Create a button that populates a label in App Inventor
- Test a program on the Android Device using AI Companion
Previous Step
Connect the Bluetooth HC-06 Module to the Arduino #tt20
If you are using an Amazon Kindle, you will need to follow this tutorial first: Test MIT App Inventor on the Amazon Kindle #tt24
Starter Breakpoint
We will be starting from scratch!
Summary
In this tutorial, we're going to create that cliche, simple to learn Hello World application.
Using App Inventor Web Site
App Inventor runs in a browser, so you can use it on any platform -- Windows, Mac, Linux, or Raspberry Pi.
Browse to the App Inventor Web Site, and click "Create Apps".
You'll use a Google to sign in, so if you don't have one, create one.
Once you get past all of the screens, click "Start New Project" and then give it a name. I'll call it "HelloWorld". Click on it to go into the design canvas.
Design View
Drag a button over to the canvas:
Rename it "Say Hello" by clicking on it in the components window and clicking "Rename":
Renaming the button will change what we call it, but it doesn't change the "display text". Change the display text on the button to "Say Hello":
Drag a label over, and rename it to HelloLabel. Change the display text to blank.
Blocks View
Next, go into Blocks view. Click on the Say Hello button and you'll see all of the events that are available. Select the When-Click-do block and drag it over.
When we click the button, we want to display "Hello World" in the label. Click the Label, and drag the "Set HelloLabel Text to" block over and snap it into the Do. Then click Text, and drag the blank text block over. Type "Hello World" in it.
That's our hello world app, so now let's test it on our Android device.
AI2 Companion
Search the Google Play store for MIT AI2 Companion, and install it.
Go back to the app, and click "Connect" and "AI Companion".
It will give you a QR code, that you can either type into your device or scan.
On the Android:
Once you do this, the app should pop up.
Click the button, and there's our Hello World.
In this module, we learned how to create a very basic Hello World app in App Inventor, and test it on our Android Device. This is only the beginning, so please subscribe to my Youtube Channel and visit the site often!
Finish Breakpoint
This file can be uploaded into App Inventor:
Next Up
 | Creating a Bluetooth Android App using App Inventor #tt22 |
