Lesson 6: Integrating The List Menu and
Expanding Knowledge of Java
Activities
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson you will expand your
knowledge of Java by learning how to integrate the List Menu into the
application. You will also learn how to create the list menu and arrange the
items and their corresponding Java files within the code. In this lesson you
will also learn how to create new activities with a variety of intents and
learn how to edit the Android Manifest to support these new activities. The
videos in this lesson will support these components and provide an opportunity
for you to edit and create your own code for the application.
LESSON
OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Section #1: Working with Layouts
In Java
1.
Review
the components of the ListActivity layout and edit.
Section #2: Creating Activities and Understanding the
Activity Lifecycle
1. Compose activities
in your Java for Android project.
Section
#3: Understanding Intents
1. Describe
the purpose and types of intents in Java code.
2. Describe
and analyze the purpose of overrides in Java.
3. Construct
a list menu and expand activities.
Section
#4: Video Demonstrations:
Expanding on Classes, Activities & Overrides
LEARNING SEQUENCE
Required Reading
|
Read the following:
·
Section
#1:
·
Section
#2:
· Section
#3:
|
Resources
|
View the
following:
·
Video Transcripts
|
Assignments
|
Complete the
following:
·
Describe the intents
that you see in your current mobile application.
·
What do you need to
understand about the relationship between the classes and the overrides
necessary for the function of the list menu?
·
Describe the editing
of the code we did in the Android Manifest for the activities in this
project.
|
INSTRUCTION
Section #1: Working with Layouts In Java
In this section, you
will learn what it takes to create the ListActivity which will enable
you to be able to create the list of items on the menu of the application.
Step 1.
The ListActivity class helps to create
the layout of the mobile application you are working on. Read through this
resource to better understand how the ListActivity binds the data within the
Java code.
Step 2.
Complete Assignment #1: Describe the intents that you see in
your current mobile application.
Section #2: Creating Activities and Understanding the Activity
Lifecycle
In this section, you
will learn how activities are created and what the components of the
Activity Lifecycle are and how understanding how they will benefit your
development process.
Step 1.
This web page provides an overview of
activities and how they are created. There are descriptions of how activities
are created and how the activities are linked to the creation of the user
interface. There are also directions for adding the activity into the Android
Manifest file and managing the Activity Life Cycle.
Step 2.
Review this resource which provides an
overview of what an activity is in Java for Android. This resource will help
you understand that activities are single actions that a user can engage with
on the user interface. This reading will provide you with an overview of how
activities are initialized and the components of the activity life-cycle.
Step 3.
This reading provides an overview of
what an override is in Java and what it does. This reading provides a
step-by-step overview of what an override looks like and how it can benefit you
in development with Java.
Step 4.
This resource provides the description
of the @override code and how an error will be created if the override does not
override the superclass. This resource is beneficial to help you understand
some of the sample code you will be entering as part of this lesson and the
video tutorials.
Step 5.
Complete Assignment #2: What do you need to
understand about the relationship between the classes and the overrides
necessary for the function of the list menu?
Section #3: Understanding Intents
In this section you
will gain an overview of intents and how they are integrated into Java
for Android projects. You will learn about the different ways intents are used
with activities.
Step 1.
This reading will provide an overview
of intents and how they are integrated into a Java for Android project. This
reading also provides examples of how intents are created and how the Android Manifest
should be edited to identify intents.
Step 2.
This reading provides an additional
overview of intents but also includes a section on filters. Be sure to review
the section entitled Types of Intents.
Review this page fully from the top. This reading will provide a deep review of
how intents work and will provide deeper insight into the code you are working
with in this lesson.
Step 3.
Complete Assignment #3: Describe the editing
of the code we did in the Android Manifest for the activities in this project.
Section #4: Video
Demonstration on Expanding on Classes,
Activities & Overrides
In these two video tutorials you will
learn how to create the list menu and expand the amount of activities in your
application project. You will also learn how to edit the import overrides in
the sample code to add to your knowledge of classes. Please pause and review
the video, as necessary, to complete tasks. Transcripts are provided.
Step 1.
In this first video you will learn how
to create a new Java file and create a new class.
You will use some sample code to learn
the components of the code in this lesson. You will learn how to set up the
Android Manifest to run the Java files in the right order for compiling. You
will also learn how to edit the codes in the overrides that had been created
for you.
Step 2.
In this second video you will be
introduced to the different classes with the ListActivity. You will learn how
to type out the intents to show the menu of list options in the layout.
Additional editing of the Android Manifest will be done to support the new
activities in the project.
SUMMARY
In this lesson you
have been introduced to the list menu and how the menu will connect the other
Java files you have created to this point. You have also learned that, as you
add these components to your application, you are generating new activities
which are part of the “life- cycle” of the application. You have also been
provided a firm base in the operation of overrides in Java and the integration
of intents for better understanding the code you are working with. In the next
lesson you will learn what sensors are and how they can be integrated into your
application.
ASSIGNMENTS
· Describe the intents that you see in your current mobile
application.
·
What do you need to
understand about the relationship between the classes and the overrides
necessary for the function of the list menu?
· Describe the editing of the code we did in the Android
Manifest for the activities in this project.
