App Inventor for Android:

Build Your Own Apps — No Experience Required!

Jason Tyler

App Inventor for Android: Build Your Own Apps — No Experience Required!

This edition first published 2011

© 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Registered office

John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, United Kingdom

For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book, please see our Web site at www.wiley.com.

The right of the author to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

GOOGLE is a trademark of Google Inc.

The Android Robot is created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License located at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Screenshots and images from App Inventor for Android are created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License located at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

978-1-119-99133-5

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Set in 10/14 Chaparral by Andrea Hornberger

Printed in the United States of America by C J Krehbiel

About the Author

Jason Tyler is passionate about technology and people. Jason teaches technology professionally to help people achieve their goals using the power of technology. He plays with technology because he loves the empowerment that technology can bring, and also because he is attracted to anything shiny.

Jason is a lifetime student who considers a day wasted if he is not awed by something. His passion for technology has lead him to hold multiple certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA, and ITIL. His passion for people led him to seek a B. A. in theology.

Jason is an avid and dedicated photographer, sailor, and gamer. Of all the things he is, Jason is proudest to be the husband of Rebecca and the father of Liam and Declan.

Credits

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Editorial and Production

VP Consumer and Technology Publishing Director: Michelle Leete

Associate Director- Book Content Management: Martin Tribe

Associate Publisher: Chris Webb

Publishing Assistant: Ellie Scott

Development Editor: Linda Morris

Technical Editor: Liam Green-Hughes

Copy Editor: Linda Morris

Editorial Manager: Jodi Jensen

Senior Project Editor: Sara Shlaer

Editorial Assistant: Leslie Saxman

Marketing:

Senior Marketing Manager: Louise Breinholt

Marketing Executive: Kate Parrett

Composition Services:

Compositors: Andrea Hornberger, Jennifer Mayberry

Proof Reader: Susan Hobbs

Indexer: Ty Koontz

To Rebecca Sue. This is one of the high places I promised you. Thank you for being there in the low places, too.

Author’s Acknowledgments

Rebecca, thank you for the sacrifices you made to make this book possible. I love you. Forever.

Liam and Declan, thank you for letting daddy write so much.

Jon Bartolomeo, your honesty and grounded technical knowledge were invaluable.

Bill Dwyer, thanks for the programming review and teaching. You are an amazing teacher.

Hal Abelson, thank you so much for App Inventor and the years of dedication to the ethos behind it. You have become one of the giants.

The App Inventor Google Developer team: Karen, Sharon, Liz, and Mark. There are not enough superlatives to describe your contribution to leveling the Android application playing field. Your enthusiasm, dedication, and downright rockstar-ness are unparalleled.

The AI PowerUsers: Sua Thov, Ed, Josh Turner, Shival, and Steve. I have grown and learned working with you guys.

Rachael, you are the best boss to let me work on this so much.

Chris Webb, I will be eternally grateful to you for giving me this opportunity and putting up with my author jitters.

Linda, thank you so much for making me look good.

Dennis Cohen, thanks for helping out with the Mac parts.

Dad, thanks for getting me started in technology.

Mom, thanks for educating me and making me love books, words, and excellence. I owe you the most.

Finally, thanks to the rainy days that got me through all of the hard bits.