Android little trick: Transparents Backgrounds

Hi Everyone!!!!

When we want to draw the button, text or shape background color, we use the hexadecimal notation. For instance, white color will be #FFFFFF and black color will be #000000.

But if we want a transparent background (or partially transparent) we can use the hexadecimal notation to get it. To do this, we have to add two new numbers in the hexadecimal color number. The value of these two numbers will be between 00 and FF, 00 will be totally opaque and FF will be totally transparent.

For instance, if we want draw a totally opaque white the value will be #00FFFFFF, if we want to draw a totally transparent black the value will be #FF000000.

So, between 00 and FF, we can use any value, but the closer of 00, the more opaque and the closer of FF, the more transparent will be the color.

If you want a web which shows us every color in hexadecimal notation, you can use this http://html-color-codes.info/codigos-de-colores-hexadecimales/

I hope that helps!!!

See you!!!

Upload app to Android Market: Criticisms and impressions

Hi Everyone!!!!

Previously, I told I uploaded my first Android app, PvP, to Android Market. One month later, my app has been downloaded by more than 500 people. I’m very happy with this one because I only wanted to learn and start in this world (I thought my app wouldn’t get more than 100 downloads in one year). Now, I’m going to tell you how to upload your app to Android Market.

 Firstly, before uploading your app, you have to check your app ;) and later and very important, you have to sign your app. You can see how to sign your app in previous post Signing your app.

When you have your app (or apk) ready, you have to join to Android Markey as a developer. This step is very easy, you must enter in Android Market for developer, write your gmail and write some personal data. It’s necessary to pay 25$ (about 20euros) to be able to upload app in Android, though when you pay this one, you won’t have to pay more money anymore. I don’t know if this one is expensive for somebody, but think you must pay 99$ to upload apps to Iphone, with this data I think 25$ isn’t expensive.

When you pay this money, you will be able to upload the app. It’s very easy to upload the app, because, you will have to upload your apk file, some images of the logotype and some screenshots of your app (this step is very boring because the images must have several dimensions) and finally you will write a description of your app in some languages.

When you finish these steps and you accept the Google conditions, your app will be in the Android Market!!!!

The speed and ease to upload the app are two pluses that I liked a lot, but there are things I didn’t like anything:

The number of downloads is updated once a day, I think updating once a week isn’t enough. In my case, this isn’t a problem, but if my app had thousands or millions of downloading, I would like the number of downloads were updated more often. Moreover, several occasions, Google has problems and they can’t update this number in three or four weeks!!!

You won’t have real statistics about who download your app until you spend a few days since you uploaded the app. When you have these statistics, a versions list, a mobile list, a countries list and a language list will appear in it. Again, theses statistics are updated once a day and the graphics and the information that appear are very poor (they should improve these things). In this web https://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/developer/bin/answer.py?hl=es&answer=139628 said, “We are working to add new information to your apps”. I hope this will be true, because I think they haven’t worked a lot in this section.

See you!!!

Signing your app

Hi everyone!!!!

Before uploading our app to Android Market, firstly we have to sign our app. I didn’t like the Android Web explanation about how to sing our app, because, its explanation is very complicated and in my opinion, to sign your app is very easy.

I’m going to explain how to sign your app, it’s important you work with Eclipse and you have all Android plugins installed, because it’s necessary for this explanation: 

1. In the AndroidManifest of our app mustn’t appear in the code this label  android:debuggable="true". If this label appears we must equal it to “false” or delete it.

2. Right-click on our project and choose the option Android Tools --> Export Signed Application Package...

3. Next screen ask us what project we want to sign. Click Next.

4. Next screen will be like this:

You have to select the Create new keystore option.

In Location, you have to write the folder where you want to save the file which will be your signature.

And in Password and Confirm, write the password that you want (it’s very important you remember the password, because you want to make a new app version or sign others apps with this signature, the password will be required)

Click Next.

5. Next screen will be:

 

 

In Password you can write the previous password.

In Validity (years), write a higher number than 25 years.

In Country Code (XX) you must write your country code with two characters. If you search in Google “Code countries ISO” you will be able to see your country code. For example, for USA is US.

The rest of sections you must write your personal data.

Click Next.

6. Finally this screen will appear:

You must write the folder where you save your apk and the apk name.

Click Finish.

When you finish, you already have your apk which you have to upload Android Market in order to everyone can enjoy your app. I advise you install and check your apk in your Android mobile before uploading.

I remind you, you can use this signature in your new app version or in new apps. To do this, in the screen of the paragraph, you must select Use existing keystore option and select your signature file. 

See you!!!!!

 

PvP in Android Market

Hi everyone!!!

I'm sure that when you studied or tried to translate an English text, you hated when the Phrasal Verbs appeared, those verbs which change his meaning when it has a word behind it. Now, you can have in your Android mobile a dictionary with all of them!!! You only have to download PvP in the Android Market!!!

PvP is the first Android app that I have developped (I'm sure that it isn't the last) and it's a Phrasal Verbs dictionary with more than 400 verbs. You can search any phrasal verb by word or meaning. Every Phrasal Verb has examples showing how and when you can use it so you will learn all of them without any effort.

If you look for Pvp, Phrasal Verb o Phrasal in Android Market, you can see PvP at the top and then, you will be able to download it. Also, you can download the app in this link  https://market.android.com/details?id=com.alvaro.phrasal

These are some images of the app:

I hope that you enjoy it!!!!!!!!
See you!!!!!

A new Adventure

 Hi world!!!!

I haven't written anything since a long time ago but I hope now I can write often, because it means that my new adventure is being great!!!

And what is that new adventure?? Certainly, this new adventure had to be related to Android, so, I have thought about devoloping and sharing Android Apps!!!! Everyone will be able to get my apps in the Android Market or in this blog.  

I already have some apps and games in my mind, but there is one app which is in the end of the developing part and you will enjoy it soon!!!! This app will be called PvP and it will be a Phrasal Verbs dictionary. More than 400 Phrasal Verbs will appear and every Phrasal Verb will have his meaning and examples showing how and when you can use it.

I hope you can enjoy this new adventure!!!

See you!!!