Could someone explain how to start Appinventor after installing?
I downloaded the file and placed in folder as indicated in the provided instructions but am unable to find the launching icon for the Appinventor editor.
http://appinventor.googlelabs.com/about/
You need to sign up for an invitation. That is just the extras folder. Go to the main page, submit your email, and wait.
go to beta.appinventor.mit.edu and sign up if you haven't already. Download the setup provided in the 'support'. This download just supports functioning of the blocks editor and emulator (virtual device).
there isn't any icon on your PC, you need to go to the earlier mentioned link and that is your workspace - all on the cloud.
earlier answer from Blaze:
of course they can be placed on the Play Store. Why not?
There isn't an icon like say MS Word or Excel. It's based on the web. So you go to http://www.appinventorbeta.com/about/ and log in to your Google Account and start creating an app from there. All your projects are stored on the web, so you can work on them where ever you are.
This questions refers to Appinventor version 1 which had to be installed on the client. This version 1 is not available any longer, Version 2 is a web service and requires no installation at all.
The Appinventor main page is here: http://appinventor.mit.edu
and the Application for creating Apps here: http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu
You only need to register with a Google Account in order to start.
Maybe the whole question should be removed as it is some kind of misleading?
Just sign up for a google ID (if you don't already have one) and google it (or go to the more selection under the "More>>" menu)
I believe that the apps made by the AppInventor cannot be places on the Android Market, I know this from personal experience
Related
is it possible to create an android application that is meant only for internal use? Basically a private application not meant to be installed by non-approved phones?
If so what is the basic process of deployment? How do you get the app on the employees phone's?
thanks!
The easiest way is to email it to them. Any email with an .apk attachment will get an "Install" button that you can tap to install the app.
Installing from non-market sources needs to be enabled -- which is a bit of a security risk -- but the user will be prompted to turn that on if they need to, and even given a button that will take them right to the appropriate settings page. The whole process is really quite slick. :)
Alternatively, you can copy it to the phone (e.g. after connecting the phone in USB storage mode) and then use a file system app to locate the file and install it.
Emailing it is the easiest way, however.
Edit: I'm assuming you meant private as in "only sent to certain individuals" and you're not actually looking for a method that will prevent the apps from being run on non-approved devices should they end up on one.
There's a proper way to do it now: Google Play Private Channel for Google Apps. You publish app on Private Channel and then send invitations to users. It won't be seen by other users of Google Play.
Option 1
Using Google Play Private Channel is probably the best way, but is useful only for Google Apps users.
Option 2
You can use new Developer dashboard options that let your app be in Alpha or beta phase and is available to only selected google accounts (using groups or google plus circles). Your app can stay in beta indefinitely so not become visible to other users. if you like this method you can also use services like TestFlight.
Option 3
Mail distribution is also ok it's even mentioned in documentation which I find a little bit odd, but I would advise you to use some file storage like Dropbox and just distribute the link to selected people.
Two major ways:
You can either use the non-market application installation method, or adb from a connected PC to install an apk which you distribute as a bare file. The downside is that anyone in possession of the apk can install your application.
Alternatively, you can distribute the application through the android market, but make it require an account on a server you control in order to do anything useful. The upside is that possession of the apk doesn't get an unauthorized user much; the downside is negative ratings from confused randoms, and that you've made your apk very available for interested parties to know about and decompile. (There is or was also a way to put an app on the market but not list it so it was only accessible via a full url, however don't rely on that)
Yes. As of right now I use such a method, I have to manually load the app on the phone, however other techniques can be used. Once loaded the app checks the main server to see if it is up to date. If it is not, it downloads and installs the new version of itself.
If you go to your eclipse workspace and go to yours app's folder, in the bin folder assuming you develop with eclipse, you will find a .apk file somewhere in there. Copy it to the phone and then use something like EZ File Explorer (or something like that) to access your android filesystem, click on the .apk and it will install and be ready to use.
I have created a custom Android app for my blog and I want when someone visits the blog a notification to pop up that will say that there is an Android app for the blog and an option to install it.
I haven't yet posted the app on Google Play and only have an APK file.
You could use a simple JS popup to notify the user about the download but this isn't your main problem.
By default a user will not be able to download and install an apk file quite so simply. There is a setting to prevent a user from installing apps that are not from Google Play. They would first need allow your application to be installed from their settings menu. This is done with the option: Settings >> Applications >> Unknown sources
Beyond this you would need to have the user trust that your app is not malicious and answer the question "why can you not deploy this app via Google Play as normal?"
You can make it a download link by just putting the apk file in a shared folder in your dropbox folder (like dl.dropboxusercontent.com/....../YourApp.apk).
But still the problem that Scott Helme told you about will exist (Users will have to admid unknows sources).
This is a solution that i used to give an app to specific people without publishing my app in the Play Store.
Hope it helps you.
is it possible to create an android application that is meant only for internal use? Basically a private application not meant to be installed by non-approved phones?
If so what is the basic process of deployment? How do you get the app on the employees phone's?
thanks!
The easiest way is to email it to them. Any email with an .apk attachment will get an "Install" button that you can tap to install the app.
Installing from non-market sources needs to be enabled -- which is a bit of a security risk -- but the user will be prompted to turn that on if they need to, and even given a button that will take them right to the appropriate settings page. The whole process is really quite slick. :)
Alternatively, you can copy it to the phone (e.g. after connecting the phone in USB storage mode) and then use a file system app to locate the file and install it.
Emailing it is the easiest way, however.
Edit: I'm assuming you meant private as in "only sent to certain individuals" and you're not actually looking for a method that will prevent the apps from being run on non-approved devices should they end up on one.
There's a proper way to do it now: Google Play Private Channel for Google Apps. You publish app on Private Channel and then send invitations to users. It won't be seen by other users of Google Play.
Option 1
Using Google Play Private Channel is probably the best way, but is useful only for Google Apps users.
Option 2
You can use new Developer dashboard options that let your app be in Alpha or beta phase and is available to only selected google accounts (using groups or google plus circles). Your app can stay in beta indefinitely so not become visible to other users. if you like this method you can also use services like TestFlight.
Option 3
Mail distribution is also ok it's even mentioned in documentation which I find a little bit odd, but I would advise you to use some file storage like Dropbox and just distribute the link to selected people.
Two major ways:
You can either use the non-market application installation method, or adb from a connected PC to install an apk which you distribute as a bare file. The downside is that anyone in possession of the apk can install your application.
Alternatively, you can distribute the application through the android market, but make it require an account on a server you control in order to do anything useful. The upside is that possession of the apk doesn't get an unauthorized user much; the downside is negative ratings from confused randoms, and that you've made your apk very available for interested parties to know about and decompile. (There is or was also a way to put an app on the market but not list it so it was only accessible via a full url, however don't rely on that)
Yes. As of right now I use such a method, I have to manually load the app on the phone, however other techniques can be used. Once loaded the app checks the main server to see if it is up to date. If it is not, it downloads and installs the new version of itself.
If you go to your eclipse workspace and go to yours app's folder, in the bin folder assuming you develop with eclipse, you will find a .apk file somewhere in there. Copy it to the phone and then use something like EZ File Explorer (or something like that) to access your android filesystem, click on the .apk and it will install and be ready to use.
Here's the scenario i am trying to achieve:
Publish/have an app in the Android app store
However - i do not want it to be searchable through the android market search, etc.
The only way people can access the app is if i give them an explicit link to download
Is above possible? If so - how? All FAQs/instrucitons i have seen publish & make it searchable for the whole world - but i want it only accessible through #3 above.
Thanks.
Try this site https://www.push-link.com/, you can upload apk on your private account and only can be accessible thorough automatic generated link and QR code. This service contains user notification on new versions and bug reports.
Two things that are problematic with the link to an APK approach:
Some of the devices out there (I m only aware of the Motorola Atrix) don't have the "Unkown Sources" option, meaning that this won't work on them.
You loose the ability to auto update the app if you want.
I would recommend adding a login process where only your users will have access to the actual application. This way, you still have the Market advantages and only those people can activate the application.
The main disadvantage is that the application will be open to search in the Market, but as far as I know, this won't be a problem since people will immediately uninstall it since they won't be able to activate it.
In your case, what I do is, I dont upload the application to the Market and distribute it from my server.
I mean this is simple, sweet and it also saves my $25 for the market account...
Don't do this. Just publish the APK to your own website, then give the users the URL to the APK, they can download and install it directly. The only thing they'll need to do is ensure that Menu-Settings-Applications-Unknown sources is ticked.
I have downloaded the appinventor_extras_setup.exe from net and installed the complete package. But whenever I type the URL http://appinventor.googlelabs.com it starts asking a survey.. Is that because I haven't connected my phone with the PC.. What if I m a developer with an android phone.. can't I use appInventor?
http://appinventor.googlelabs.com is taking applications to get involved with App Inventor. It is in a limited beta release right now. I and others are waiting patiently for our opportunity to play with App Inventor, as Google processes the invitations.
If you downloaded appinventor_extras_setup.exe from anywhere other than http://appinventor.googlelabs.com, it may not be an authorized copy.
Is that because I haven't connected my phone with the PC
It is probably because you are not part of the beta program.
What if I m a developer with an android phone.. can't I use appInventor?
Fill in the survey and wait to join the beta program.
Now that some time has passed ;-)
The App Inventor invites are getting processed pretty fast.
You do not need an Android phone. There is an emulator that does a lot.
I use the emulator that comes with the Android SDK from Eclipse rather than the one you install if you follow the installation instructions for AI.
It's not open yet. You need to register to it, and they may send you an invite to the beta when it starts.
The header to the "survey" is pretty clear:
« We will be granting access to App Inventor for Android over the coming weeks. Fill out this form (only your Gmail address is required) and we’ll have you building apps soon! »
It is necessary to have your Android phone attached to use the appinventor app and to use appinventor at this time you need to be part of the beta
I agree with previous answers, but it stated that you need an Android device to be able to download the applications to.