Blog 7) Android functionality

What have i learnt?

When you build an application for Android you need to consider how the user input will be received as there is no keyboard or mouse

Why have i learnt this?

In order to successfully develop applications for Android you will need to know what input the Android platform requires in order to get the touch input to work when the user’s fingers touch the screen

How have i learnt this?

During the class sessions we were required to develop an application and test it in a locally connected device or by making use of Bluestacks. When i first got the application to successfully run on a local Android device i soon discovered that the touch inputs were not automatic applied and needed to be coded using the Unity3D scripting tool.

What do you know now that you didn’t before?

I had no idea that developing applications in Unity3d would be so easy to convert your project to work on an Android device. With a few small modifications made to Unity3d such as installing the Android module and making some changes in the build settings that converts the project into a Android project. After you have completed those steps you can build the the project that will produce a APK file that you call install on your Android device and Run the application like a stand alone application.

What is the point?

Mobile device are become more powerful with each generation that is produced. With smart phones being so powerful more and more people are using them to complete tasks instead of a bulky laptop or desktop. Knowing how to develop applications for Mobile devices is important to keep up with the times.

What will i do to remember this?

I will continue developing small projects through Unity3d and with the knowledge of how easy it is to convert a project into a functional mobile application i will strive to improve each application.

What new understanding/skills did you gain?

How easy it is to convert an project into a Mobile application and made it function as a stand alone application.