Setting up Android Environment for development using PhoneGap or Cordova

Objective

I have started this series to help you in creating Windows Phone and Android applications using PhoneGap and Kendo UI. In this post I will be showing you setting environment on Windows machine for Android development. In last of the post we will create a Hello World Android application.

Background

PhoneGap and Kendo UI helps to create applications that can be deployed on any devicesApplications created using PhoneGap are having single code base and can be deployed to different types of devices. PhoneGap is HTML5 and CSS3.0 based open source framework. PhoneGap uses HTML5 and javaScript.

• PhoneGap uses Web standards like HTML5 and CSS 3 to create native mobile apps
• PhoneGap uses Javascript to write codes.
• Using PhoneGap native features of devices can be accessed.
• PhoneGap allows deploying applications to multiple platforms.
• PhoneGap supports 7 different platforms.

In further posts we will do more theoretical discussions of PhoneGap and kendo UI. Let us get started with steps to setup Android development environment.

Step 1 : Download and Install JDK

Very first you need to download and install Java Development Kit (JDK) from here . You will get windows installer. Click on Exe to install and follow the dialog boxes by clicking next buttons.

Step 2: Download and Install Eclipse

Download Eclipse Classic from here . After downloading and unzip the file. After unzipping click on eclipse application (Blue one). Once Eclipse is open you need to set the workspace.

Step 3: Download and Install ADT

Now you need to download and install ADT. To do this click on Help ->Install New Software from the menu.

You will be getting Available Software dialog box. Click on Add at right corner.

You will get Add Repository dialog box. In that give name as ADT Plugin and Location as https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/

Click on OK then check all the check boxes in Developer Tool check box and all the four check boxes in bottom. After selecting all the check boxes click on Next.

You will get review dialog to review all the items to be installed. Review and click on Next.

Accept term and conditions and click on finish.

After installation you need to click on Restart Now. While installation if you get nay message related to unsigned document then just click on Ok to continue

After Restarting Eclipse you will get Welcome to Android Development dialog box. Here select Install new SDK and click on Next.

Select option Send usage Statistics to Google and click on Finish.

Open Eclipse and open Windows and Android SDK Manager. And Select Android version to install. I recommend you to install all the documents.

After installation you will get done message at bottom.

Step 4: Create Android Virtual Device

Now we are done with all installation and now we need to create Android Virtual Device [AVD]. To create AVD from Menu select Windows and then AVD Manager. You will get AVD manager dialog box. Click on New.

You will be getting below dialog box. Give some name like My_avd and select Target to Android 2.1 and set other parameter as your requirement and click on Create AVD.

Step 5: Create Hello World Project

After creating AVD you are all set to create your first Android app. To create app click on File->New->Project->Android->Android Project

Give name of the project and choose the location. In this case project will be created in default location.

Now choose the target type exactly the same as of AVD.

Next give namespace name. I am giving namespace as Debugmode.Android.Firstapp and click on Finish.

Now time to write some codes. Open MyFirstActivity.java file.

Next write below code. In code I am creating a TextView and setting the text.

From the menu click on Run->Run to run the application in Android emulator.

As of now we have setup the android environment. We have created Hello World application as well. In next part of this article we will download, install and setup PhoneGap and KendoUI to create native mobile applications to be deployed on multiple platforms.