How Not to Brick a Samsung Galaxy Tab PT-3113 with a Kit Kat

This will only point out the obstacles that I encountered. Below are links that started my research and eventually successful install of the Cyanogenmod build 4.4 or Kit Kat.

First stop DroidCheats YouTube channel, which is an excellent resource in such matters. However, I followed his excellent step by step instructions but did not pay attention to the file versions that I was using, my first mistake.

This mistake resulted in further errors with the Android soft keyboard and thus the inability to type text into the tablet.

My second mistake involved tracking down the pop up dialog message, "Unfortunately Android AOSP keyboard has stopped." But, don't bother following any of the instructions that you may encounter, which was my last and final mistake.

Lesson learned: A successful install of Cyanogenmod build 4.4* starts with pairing up the right files.

So I started over again and followed the install steps that can be found at web sites like xda-developers and the previously sited DroidCheats YouTube channel.

Here are the files that I used and why.

cm-11-20131229-NIGHTLY-p1.zip : If I'm going to do this, might as well get Kit Kat.

pa-gapps-stock-4.4.2-20131215-signed.zip : After rebooting only with ROM installed, I discovered that the build version is 4.4.2, therefore I want the Google Apps install for that version.

That's it. Save yourself from panic and move slowly and purposefully.

CodeProject - Learning Android

This computer programming site deserves its own post and link

Augmented Reality Trends

My augmented reality social networking app for Android is described on the blog: Augmented Reality Trends.

Text Animation on Android App for Augmented Reality

Two flavors of Widespread Augmented Reality (W.A.R.) or Warmixare

Android Jelly Bean+

Android Ice Cream Sandwich Tablets

Here is the XML layout.

Here is the slide_in_left layout in the the /res/anim folder

Here is the Java code

public class SplashScreen extends Activity {
private TextSwitcher ts1, ts2, ts3;
final String wordsToShow[]={"idespread ","ugmented ","eality "};
int wordCount=wordsToShow.length;
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.splashlayout);
Animation slide =
AnimationUtils.loadAnimation(getApplicationContext(),android.R.anim.slide_in_left);
Animation fade =
AnimationUtils.loadAnimation(getApplicationContext(),android.R.anim.fade_in);
slide.setDuration(2000);
fade.setDuration(3000);
final TextView w = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.w1);
final TextView a = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.a1);
final TextView r = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.r1);
w.setAnimation(fade); a.setAnimation(fade); r.setAnimation(fade);
ts1 = (TextSwitcher) findViewById(R.id.widespread2);
ts2 = (TextSwitcher) findViewById(R.id.augmented2);
ts3 = (TextSwitcher) findViewById(R.id.reality2);
ts1.setFactory(new ViewFactory() {
public View makeView() {
TextView myText = new TextView(SplashScreen.this);
myText.setGravity(Gravity.TOP | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL);
myText.setTextSize(28);
myText.setTextColor(Color.WHITE);
return myText;
}
});
ts2.setFactory(new ViewFactory() {
public View makeView() {
TextView myText2 = new TextView(SplashScreen.this);
myText2.setGravity(Gravity.TOP | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL);
myText2.setTextSize(28);
myText2.setTextColor(Color.WHITE);
return myText2;
}
});
ts3.setFactory(new ViewFactory() {
public View makeView() {
TextView myText3 = new TextView(SplashScreen.this);
myText3.setGravity(Gravity.TOP | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL);
myText3.setTextSize(28);
myText3.setTextColor(Color.WHITE);
return myText3;
}
});
ts1.setText(wordsToShow[0]);
ts1.startAnimation(slide);
ts2.setText(wordsToShow[1]);
ts2.startAnimation(slide);
ts3.setText(wordsToShow[2]);
ts3.startAnimation(slide);

Android 2,2 Fragments

Since my app at Google Play targets Android 2.2 or higher, there a few things that need to be in place for fragments.

import android.support.v4.app.DialogFragment; import android.support.v4.app.Fragment; import android.support.v4.app.FragmentManager; import android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity;

ActivityThatCallsFragment extends FragmentActivity

Use getSupportFragmentManager() instead of getFragmentManager()

Android ArrayList, HashMap and Clickable ListView

I am coding a delete screen for the Android W.A.R. app. Get it here at Google Play before I break it.

Meanwhile, in order to list the geotags that can be deleted, I will need a list of geotags with "id" as the key.

So first, I use an Async task to make the HTTP call to my server and select geotags by "id". I will not show that proprietary code here, but I can show the Async's onPostExecute method where the following occurs:

Receive a table with two columns: id and title

Populate a HashMap with the columns named: "id" and "title"

Assign the HashMap values to an ArrayList

Send the ArrayList to a clickable ListView that uses android.R.layout.simple_list_item_2

Convert the ArrayList row back to a HashMap to retrieve "Id".

There must be a more elegant way to do this, but you get what you pay for. I do this for fun and for free.

Just the bare bones...

@Override
protected void onPostExecute(String[][] result)
{
final ArrayList> alist = new ArrayList>();
int size = result.length;
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
  HashMap cols = new HashMap();
  cols.put("id", result[i][0]);
  cols.put("title",result[i][1]);
  alist.add(cols);
}
// release result table
result = null;
//Identify the column names
String[] from = { "id", "title" };
//Send corresponding values to fields in android.R.layout.simple_list_item_2
int[] to = { android.R.id.text1, android.R.id.text2 };
ListView delview = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.list3);
//Set up the adapter to hold the two column table
SimpleAdapter adapter = new SimpleAdapter(getBaseContext(), alist,
      android.R.layout.simple_list_item_2, from, to);
delview.setAdapter(adapter);
adapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
//The Click Listener on each row
delview.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
@Override
public void onItemClick(AdapterView parent, View view, int position1, long id) {
    Map mid = alist.get(position1);
    String sid = mid.get("id");
    Toast.makeText(getBaseContext(), "Clicked on tag Id: "+sid,
    Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
});
return;
}