====== Android Coding Questions ======


==== Where's an example of layout used by ListActivity? ====

<code>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
         android:orientation="vertical"
         android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
         android:layout_height="fill_parent"
         android:paddingLeft="8dp"
         android:paddingRight="8dp">
 
    <ListView android:id="@id/android:list"
               android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
               android:layout_height="fill_parent"
               android:layout_weight="1"
               android:drawSelectorOnTop="false"/>
 
 	<TextView android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:id="@+id/AnotherTextView"></TextView>
	
</LinearLayout>

</code>

==== How do I start another activity? ====

<code>
  startActivity(new Intent(this, MyAnotherActivity.class));
</code>
+ Don't forget to add lines in AndroidManifest.xml

==== How to add EditText fields to the table's cells? ====
<code>
<TableLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
	android:scrollbars="vertical" android:layout_height="fill_parent"
	android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:stretchColumns="*">
	<TableRow android:id="@+id/tablerow1">
		<EditText android:text="1." android:id="@+id/EditText01"
			android:editable="false"></EditText>
		<EditText android:id="@+id/EditText11"></EditText>
		<EditText android:id="@+id/EditText21"></EditText>
	</TableRow>
</TableLayout>
</code>

==== How to get Eclipse and Android work in Ubuntu? ====
For eclipse you need to use sun java packages (gcc gjc java is installed by default but it does not seem to work well)
  * https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Java
  * get JDK (SDK) package as well

Ubuntu 9.10 repositories have Eclipse 3.5.1. It does not work with Android SDK. Get newer Eclipse. Version 3.5.2 seem to work.
  * http://www.eclipse.org => Download => Eclipse for Java (or Java EE (not nessessary)).
  * Extract it to your self installed software place (eg. /opt) and link eclipse start program to some place in your PATH.

Follow general android install [[setup|instructions]].


==== How to save XML file after editing (f.e. adding new child) - what class to use? ====

To use XmlSerializer is one option to save XML into readable form (string or file). 

See the following link [[http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-android/|Working with XML on Android]] if that is helpful.

<code>

private String writeXml(List<Message> messages){
    XmlSerializer serializer = Xml.newSerializer();
    StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
    try {
        serializer.setOutput(writer);
        serializer.startDocument("UTF-8", true);
        serializer.startTag("", "messages");
        serializer.attribute("", "number", String.valueOf(messages.size()));
        for (Message msg: messages){
            serializer.startTag("", "message");
            serializer.attribute("", "date", msg.getDate());
            serializer.startTag("", "title");
            serializer.text(msg.getTitle());
            serializer.endTag("", "title");
            serializer.startTag("", "url");
            serializer.text(msg.getLink().toExternalForm());
            serializer.endTag("", "url");
            serializer.startTag("", "body");
            serializer.text(msg.getDescription());
            serializer.endTag("", "body");
            serializer.endTag("", "message");
        }
        serializer.endTag("", "messages");
        serializer.endDocument();
        return writer.toString();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        throw new RuntimeException(e);
    } 
}

</code>
==== Does anybody know how to launch another application, e.g. "YouTube" from your own program? ====
I know how to launch web-browser, if smb needs I can explain. Also I've installed some applications to the emulator, except YouTube :(. By the way we know how to send data from one activity to another and few other features, that could be useful just ask, may be we've faced with it! Vadim.

A: A generic answer to this is that you need to know the intent filter of the started activity/application. When you know the intent filter you can always create intent that is going to match to the filter. Then, it is simply just a call on Context.startActivity(intent). All the "standard" platform applications and their AndroidManifest.xml files are in the public repository.


==== How to add question ? ====

Log into wiki, find this question (index) page, and add a question beginning the this page, after first headline. 
<code>
  ==== My Problem ? ====
  How to get functionality X to work ?
</code>


==== How to answer a question ? ====
Just write a solution text into section, after question.

If solution is bigger that one paragraph size (having eg. couple screenshots), it is good idea document solution into separate page.
<code>
  Solution in [[separate page]]
</code>