- Paperback: 282 pages
- Publisher: APRESS ACADEMIC; 1 edition (12 July 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1430235691
- ISBN-13: 978-1430235699
- Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 19.1 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 519,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Pro Android Python with SL4A
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Pro Android Python with SL4A is for programmers and hobbyists who want to write apps for Android devices without having to learn Java first. Paul Ferrill leads you from installing the Scripting Layer for Android (SL4A) to writing small scripts, to more complicated and interesting projects, and finally to uploading and packaging your programs to an Android device.
Android runs scripts in many scripting languages, but Python, Lua, and Beanshell are particularly popular. Most programmers know more than one programming language, so that they have the best tool for whatever task they want to accomplish. Pro Android Python with SL4A explores the world of Android scripting by introducing you to the most important open-source programming languages that are available on Android-based hardware.
Pro Android Python with SL4A starts by exploring the Android software development kit and then shows you how to set up an Eclipse-based Android development environment. You then approach the world of Android programming by using Beanshell, which runs on the Dalvik, and learning how to write small programs to administer an Android device.
Next, discover how Lua, a lightweight language perfectly suited for scripting on smaller devices, can work with Android. Lua can be used for small but important tasks, like SMS encryption and synchronizing photos with flickr.
Last, but certainly not least, you will discover the world of Python scripting for SL4A, and the power contained within the full range of Python modules that can combine with the Android SDK. You'll learn to write small location-aware apps to get you started, but by the end of this book, you'll find yourself writing fully GUI-fied applications running on the Android desktop!
Pro Android Python with SL4A is rounded out with a chapter on distributing and packaging scripts, a skill that you'll find very useful as you reach out to a wider audience with your programs.
What you’ll learn
- Understand the SL4A
- Explore the Android software development kit
- Write scripts to administer an Android phone
- Write and execute full Python and applications
- Learn how to write simple apps using Facades
- Explore the full Android development process, from development to packaging
Who this book is for
This is a book for beginning and intermediate Android developers, and a book for anyone coding in Python, Lua or exploring Beanshell.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Getting Started with Android Scripting
- Navigating the Android SDK
- Developing Androids Scripts with Eclipse
- Exploring the Android API
- Background Scripting
- Python Utilities
- Python Dialog-Based GUIs
- Python for GUI with WebUI
- Packaging and Distributing Your Scripts
About the Author
Paul Ferrill has been writing in the computer trade press for more than 20 years. He got his start writing networking reviews for PC Magazine on products like LANtastic and early versions of Novell Netware. Paul holds both bachelor's and masters degrees in electrical engineering, and has written software for more computer platforms and architectures than he can remember.
Inside This Book
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I followed all the instructions twice. Not one of the examples works. Now I assume I must be doing something wrong, however, the book does not at any point allow for anything to go wrong. It just assumes that everything works. Very dissappointed.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Un ottimo testo su come sviluppare sotto Android senza Java
17 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
Mi sono interessato ad Android ed ho acquistato alcuni testi che introducevano alla realizzazione di programmi in questo S.O. utilizzando naturalmente Java. Poi ho incontrato questo testo. Un ottimo testo, che introduce SL4A (Scripting Layer for Android), attraverso una equilibrata disamina dei concetti che ne stanno alla base ed un elenco ragionato dei linguaggi supportati (Beanshell, Lua, JRuby, Pearl, PHP, Python e Rhino).
Ma non fa solo quello: entra nel dettaglio della struttura di Android, ne illustra l'SDK e l'API guidando passo passo il lettore nel downloading ed installazione degli stessi e, infine, illustra l'uso di Eclipse come IDE per lo sviluppo. Sia le note tecniche che di installazione sono per la versioni Linux, Windows e Mac OS X.
Si passa quindi a costruire una solida base sui cui poi si può lavorare con profitto: l'approfondita esplorazione delle API di Android e la redazione di batch scripts al fine di introdurre SL4A e Python, e da qui in avanti è un crescendo di esempi sempre ottimamente documentati e completi che conducono alla realizzazione di applicazioni arrichite da Dialog Box e da interfacce grafiche concludendo con il confezionamento e la distribuzione delle applicazioni.
E' impressionante la mole di esempi forniti, la loro utilità e praticità. Non siamo di fronte alla classica collezione di esempi di un testo di programmazione che iniziano un ragionamento, lo abbozzano e lasciano intravedere la fine del discorso. In questo caso siamo di fronte ad esempi ben congegnati e ragionati per ed assieme al lettore. Dai semplici script di automazione alla realizzazione di applicazioni con tanto di interfacce grafiche (GUI).
In conclusione, un testo che consiglio a tutti i programmatori che, non nuovi a Pyhton ed alla programmazione in generale, siano interessati ad avvicinarsi alla sviluppo sotto Android.
-O-
I had bought several books about Android programming just after becoming interested in the topic. Every single one of them was Java-centered. Then I stumbled upon this book -- this excellent book that introduces SL4A (Scripting Layer for Android) through a balanced examination of concepts on which SL4A is based and a reasoned list of all supported languages (Beanshell, Lua, JRuby, Pearl, PHP, Python and Rhino).
But that's far from all. It begins with a very thorough overview of the underlying structure of Android, after steering the reader through a step-by-step tutorial on downloading an installation of SDK & API, installing and using Eclipse IDE and all this for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X users.
Then the book lays out a sound foundation on which the reader can work and build her or his subsequent applications. This is obtained through the perusal of Android API and the Python batch scripts. From here follows a "crescendo" of beauty -- useful and effective examples from simple selective switch on/off phone ring (church, hospital or library), to more complex apps using Dialog Box, GUI and so on. The grand finale is the last chapter devoted to the packaging and deployment of your scripts.
In the face of this book's numerous wide-ranging and effective examples, we realize that we are not looking at the usual collection of roughly-designed, impenetrable programming samples.
In conclusion, this is a book that I highly recommend to all programmers who are not newbies to Python and who are interested in developing her/his applications on Android.
Ma non fa solo quello: entra nel dettaglio della struttura di Android, ne illustra l'SDK e l'API guidando passo passo il lettore nel downloading ed installazione degli stessi e, infine, illustra l'uso di Eclipse come IDE per lo sviluppo. Sia le note tecniche che di installazione sono per la versioni Linux, Windows e Mac OS X.
Si passa quindi a costruire una solida base sui cui poi si può lavorare con profitto: l'approfondita esplorazione delle API di Android e la redazione di batch scripts al fine di introdurre SL4A e Python, e da qui in avanti è un crescendo di esempi sempre ottimamente documentati e completi che conducono alla realizzazione di applicazioni arrichite da Dialog Box e da interfacce grafiche concludendo con il confezionamento e la distribuzione delle applicazioni.
E' impressionante la mole di esempi forniti, la loro utilità e praticità. Non siamo di fronte alla classica collezione di esempi di un testo di programmazione che iniziano un ragionamento, lo abbozzano e lasciano intravedere la fine del discorso. In questo caso siamo di fronte ad esempi ben congegnati e ragionati per ed assieme al lettore. Dai semplici script di automazione alla realizzazione di applicazioni con tanto di interfacce grafiche (GUI).
In conclusione, un testo che consiglio a tutti i programmatori che, non nuovi a Pyhton ed alla programmazione in generale, siano interessati ad avvicinarsi alla sviluppo sotto Android.
-O-
I had bought several books about Android programming just after becoming interested in the topic. Every single one of them was Java-centered. Then I stumbled upon this book -- this excellent book that introduces SL4A (Scripting Layer for Android) through a balanced examination of concepts on which SL4A is based and a reasoned list of all supported languages (Beanshell, Lua, JRuby, Pearl, PHP, Python and Rhino).
But that's far from all. It begins with a very thorough overview of the underlying structure of Android, after steering the reader through a step-by-step tutorial on downloading an installation of SDK & API, installing and using Eclipse IDE and all this for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X users.
Then the book lays out a sound foundation on which the reader can work and build her or his subsequent applications. This is obtained through the perusal of Android API and the Python batch scripts. From here follows a "crescendo" of beauty -- useful and effective examples from simple selective switch on/off phone ring (church, hospital or library), to more complex apps using Dialog Box, GUI and so on. The grand finale is the last chapter devoted to the packaging and deployment of your scripts.
In the face of this book's numerous wide-ranging and effective examples, we realize that we are not looking at the usual collection of roughly-designed, impenetrable programming samples.
In conclusion, this is a book that I highly recommend to all programmers who are not newbies to Python and who are interested in developing her/his applications on Android.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Great Book for Pro and Intermediate Developers
7 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
I've been programming computers for about thirty years, but have just started programming on the Android platform in the last few months. I found this to be a great book that not only explains the SL4A (Scripting Layer for Android), but also provides a great primer for the underlying Android architecture. The book starts with an easy to understand explanation of the Android SDK & API, as well as the Eclipse development platform. The book covers the initial setup of the SDK under Windows & Linux. For my own development I am running Linux in Virtualbox, and while I was already setup, I found the setup instructions comprehensive. Adding SL4A to the phone took only a few minutes, and I was writing scripts to send SMS messages and do other cool things in just a few minutes more.
The book then delves into the SL4A platform (which offers a variety of languages in addition to Python). SL4A & Python also provide extensive access to the Android platform's wide range of features. I was especially impressed with the range of examples provided. One of the weaknesses I often find in programming books is that the examples can be contrived and not as helpful as they might be. This book provides great examples, and reading each one reinforces how much you can do with scripting.
In addition to the batch-like scripting, SL4A offers various dialog and HTML user interface options, and the book goes into what is necessary to provide these features. It concludes with a discussion of the steps needed to package your scripts for distribution.
My overall feeling about the book is favorable, and I can recommend it to anyone who wants to start Android development who has at least an intermediate level of programming experience.
The book then delves into the SL4A platform (which offers a variety of languages in addition to Python). SL4A & Python also provide extensive access to the Android platform's wide range of features. I was especially impressed with the range of examples provided. One of the weaknesses I often find in programming books is that the examples can be contrived and not as helpful as they might be. This book provides great examples, and reading each one reinforces how much you can do with scripting.
In addition to the batch-like scripting, SL4A offers various dialog and HTML user interface options, and the book goes into what is necessary to provide these features. It concludes with a discussion of the steps needed to package your scripts for distribution.
My overall feeling about the book is favorable, and I can recommend it to anyone who wants to start Android development who has at least an intermediate level of programming experience.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Great reference but out of date
30 Mar 2012
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is a great start however most of the information in it is way out of date. Many code samples are also broken because the author used python 2.6. The PY4A project is now using python 3.2.2.
I would have liked to see better UI examples too but again, the book is based on old information. At the time of its writing, it wasnt possible to call native android gui events. So most of its interface stuff is dated too. The author needs to do a rewrite with updated info.
I would have liked to see better UI examples too but again, the book is based on old information. At the time of its writing, it wasnt possible to call native android gui events. So most of its interface stuff is dated too. The author needs to do a rewrite with updated info.
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