Android Tutorial B4A Beginners Guide

klaus · Jun 6, 2011

This guide is obsolete ! It is no more updated.
Please use the B4X Booklets.

Here is a Beginner's Guide in pdf format.
The source code for the example programs is included.

All suggestions, remarks and typo reports are welcome.

To know what vesion you have, look at the lower right corner of the cover page there is an Edit number.
Latest version Edit 3.3

Best regards.

EDIT 2016.10.26 Edition 3.3
Updated with the new B4A V6.30 features.
A big thank you to widget who sent me a complete review with suggestions and typos.
Almost all suggestions have been added.

EDIT 2015.12.08 Edition 3.2
Updated with the new B4A V5.50 features.

EDIT 2015.10.14 Edition 3.1
Updated with the new B4A V5.20 features.

EDIT 2015.07.26 Edition 3.0
Updated with the new B4A V5.02 features.

EDIT 2014.06.04 Edition 2.9
Updated with the new B4A V3.80 features.
Amended some typos.

EDIT 2014.05.07 Edition 2.8
Updated with the new B4A V3.50 features.
Amended some typos.

EDIT 2014.02.05 Edition 2.7
Updated with the new B4A V3.20 features.

EDIT 2013.10.13 Edition 2.6
Updated with the new B4A V3.00 features.

EDIT 2013.05.19 Edition 2.5
Updated with more recent Android SDKs.
Updated to Basic4Android Version 2.70
Added some code snippets to B4A Code Snippets.

EDIT 2013.01.20 Edition 2.4
Minor update with the changes of B4A Version 2.5

EDIT 2012.12.27 Edition 2.3
Updated to Basic4Android 2.3
Updated some chapters

EDIT 2012.08.30 Edition 2.2
- Updated to B4A 2.02
- Removed chapters Keywords, Views and Collections moved them in a separate guide Keyword_Views.pdf
- Added Chapter 12. Tools
- Chapter 12 Example Programs becomes 13
- Chapter 13 Basic Language becomes 14
- Chapter 14 Basic Graphics / Drawing becomes 15
- Chapter 15 Keywords removed
- Chapter 16 Views removed
- Chapter 17 Collections rmoved
- Chapter 18 VB6 versus B4A becomes 16
- Chapter 19 FAQ's becomes 17
- Chapter 20 Glossary becomes 18
- Added new chapters to FAQ'schapter
- Chapter 17.39 not yet finished

Two new Guides have been added:
- Keyword / Views / Collections these chapters were in the Beginner's Guide before
- B4A Code Snippets, it's a collection of code snippets I took from the forum.

EDIT 2012.04.11 Edition 2.1
- Added chapter 5.3 Screen Orientations
- Added chapter 6.4 Exchanging files with PC
- Added chapter 8.9 Designer Script
- Added chapter 13.5.3 Calling a Sub from another module
- Added chapter 13.11 Lists
- Added chapter 13.12 Maps
- Added chapter 17 Collections
- Chapter 17 becomes 18
- Chapter 18 becomes 19
- Added chapter 19.25 Detect screen orientation
- Added chapter 19.26 Some functions don't work in Activity_Pause
- Added chapter 19.27 Calling internal Calculator
- Added chapter 19.28 Get the Alph / Red / Green / Blue values

EDIT 2012.03.11 Edition 2.0
- Amended some errors
- Updated to B4A version 1.8
New chapter
- Working with different screen sizes / number of layouts

Removed chapters
- SQL moved to the User's Guide
- GPS moved to the User's Guide

EDIT 2012.01.01 Edition 1.6
- Added the Widget tutorials.
- Amended some errors.

EDIT 2011.12.25 Edition 1.5
- Added the GPS Example program with some explanations of the code.
- Added some subchapters inspired by forum questions.

Edit: 2011.11.01 Version 1.4
New chapters:
- 8.7 The Abstract Designer
- 8.8 Adding views by code
- 12.5 GPS (a new GPS program will be added in the next update)
- 13.7 Basic Language / Events
- 13.10 Basic Language / Files
- 18.xx some new FAQ's

Edit: 2011.08.29 Version 1.3
New chapter:
- 18 FAQ's

Edit: 2011.08.15 Version 1.2
Above chapters have been added.

Edit: 2011.06.12 Version 1.1
Still missing chapters:
Modules
Example Programs
- ScrollView example
- Database example
Basic Language
- String manipulations
- Timers
Graphics

CharlesR · Jun 9, 2011

Brilliant - Thank you Klaus

I have only just downloaded the beginners guide but after 10 minutes reading I have to write a big thank you Klaus. I look forward to reading it all later.

Regards

Charles

gokiburi · Jun 11, 2011

I'm new to Basic4Android, so this guide was very useful. Thanks!

adex1 · Jun 12, 2011

Big thanks to you. I will suggest that Administrator should change his own begnner to this and name his as advance guide.

Erel · Jun 12, 2011

The full guide is now available! Thank you so much Klaus!

klaus · Jun 12, 2011

As already mentioned, suggestions, typo and bug reports are welcome.

Still missing chapters:
Modules
Example Programs
- ScrollView example
- Database example
Basic Language
- String manipulations
- Timers
Graphics

To know what vesion you have, look at the lower right corner of the cover page there is an Edit number.
The current version is Edit: 1.1

Best regards.

nfordbscndrd · Jun 14, 2011

The Files Tab section (4.3.2) says:

This window lists all the files that have been added to the project.
These files are saved in the Files.DirAssets folder.
These can be any kind of files: layouts, images, texts, etc.

I have an app with lots of .png files and some .html files in the project's Files folder, along with the layout files, but the only files which show up in the Files tab are the layout files. (?)

Erel · Jun 14, 2011

You should add files to your project by going to the Files tab and pressing on the "Add Files" button. It will copy the files to the "files" folder for you. You can also include files from the "files" folder.

Otherwise when you export your project as Zip file the files will not be included.

Erel · Jun 17, 2011

The guide is now available on SlideShare.com: Beginners guide

Gary Miyakawa · Jun 29, 2011

I'd love to see Chapters numbers on the pages! Would help in searching without having to go all the way back to the first page (this is the pdf)...

GREAT WORK !

Cheers,

GaryM

Erel · Jun 29, 2011

You should be able to navigate to a specific chapter by showing the bookmarks:

Gary Miyakawa · Jun 29, 2011

Bookmarks work well but if you are scrolling the pages (on the right), at least on my system (w7), the bookmarks are not always updated to match where you are in the document.

Still, a GREAT document for a GREAT product!

GaryM

adex1 · Jun 29, 2011

Page 116 and 117 are blank pages.

klaus · Jul 1, 2011

Gary Miyakawa said:
I'd love to see Chapters numbers on the pages! Would help in searching without having to go all the way back to the first page (this is the pdf)...

I agree with you, if there were an automatic means to include them they would already have been in there. It is on my to do list, but at the moment I prefer spending the time to add new chapters.

adex1 said:
Page 116 and 117 are blank pages.

If you had a look at post #25 you would have seen that the two chapters on these pages are still in the to do list. Please be patient and leave me some time to write the next chapters, the last weeks I was quite busy so no new chapters during that time.

Best regards.

jake · Jul 2, 2011

section 1.2 after AVD start

Great beginners guide so far...I'm a newbie stepping thru it.

I did notice that after pressing START, I get a launch window which isn't mentioned in the guide...thought you might want to include in the documentation? I pressed LAUNCH using the defaults and am now back in synch with the guide.

Thanks for your hard work on this guide!

klaus · Jul 2, 2011

Thank you for your remark.
I will add it in the next update.

Best regards.

jake · Jul 5, 2011

beginners guide launch window

Actually you did document the launch window, I just needed to look down further in the instructions.

I hope you don't mind that I ask one more question.

When I run MyFirstProgram in the emulator, I end up with the virtual keyboard overlaying lblComments. Is there a setting that I need to learn about to avoid this overlay?

klaus · Jul 5, 2011

When I run MyFirstProgram in the emulator, I end up with the virtual keyboard overlaying lblComments. Is there a setting that I need to learn about to avoid this overlay?

No, you didn't miss anything. It's a known disadvantage and the reason for the 'Second program where we add a specific keyboard.

Best regards.

AscySoft · Jul 29, 2011

klaus said:
Here is a Beginner's Guide in pdf format.

Still missing chapters:
Modules
Example Programs
- ScrollView example
- Database example
Basic Language
- String manipulations
- Timers
Graphics

Are there any future update regarding database exaple soon?
:sign0104:

klaus · Jul 29, 2011

Yes, it's on the way, but no precise schedule yet.
Probably somewhere in two or three weeks.

Best regards.

AscySoft · Jul 30, 2011

That's good news. I have alot to learn until then. Thanks.

PS: I'm really interest into an application(B4A) who will read/write an existing sql database(modify it, update it etc) and then sync with PC when Android device is connected to it(another application will write/read the database on PC, ofcourse). Do you belive this thing is doable?

I realize that it will be to complex for beginers (like me) and not suitable for your exellent documentation(for beginers, also), but who knows, maybe you provide some help.
Big thanks!

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