I have some applications written for Windows using XOJO, my customer is looking for an app with a similar look and feel, which connects to the same data sources as the Windows desktop, but can be used on Andriod tablets, but only within his building. I have no real experience of Java or any other languages for creating Andriod apps, so will be starting from scratch. Most of my work has been done in VB6 and then RealStudio/XOJO.
Does anyone have recommendations of a language/IDE to use?
Well, as your familiar with Basic (which Xojo is) then some Badic for Android seems the obvious choice. Google for what’s available.
Since it is a connection application within a building, you may not need a native Android app. You may want to have a run at Xojo Web, which works nicely with Android tablets and phone browser.
Tested, even bought a Basic 4 Android license. One test app in the Play Store made with it. The closest I could find to Xojo. Nice forums where the creator of the tool is present, listens, and provides advice.
There are other developers who have done much more with it who will probably chime in.
IMHO, the best choice for a Xojo developer, until if ever Xojo Android came to be.
Thanks guys sounds a good suggestion. I’d not heard of B4A but I’ve just had a quick look at their web site. Unless anyone comes up with a better suggestion, sounds like it’s worth spending some time investigating. Thanks for your advice.
Michel’s suggestion of the web App is a very good one. “One application to rule them all”: PC, Macs, Android tablets, IPads, phones of all kinds. One application only to maintain. Can’t go wrong with that, especially for an in-house application.
Probably should have mentioned this before, but the customer wants to use the tablets camera through the app and I’m sure sure that can be done as well with a web app. If your telling me it can, then yes a web app would be perfect.
You could wrap a web app in an android app and use the android app just for camera access and sending data to the web app… I haven’t done it, but it seems feasible and would allow you to reuse a lot of the code from your desktop app.
See https://forum.xojo.com/26652-can-access-the-camera-iphone-and-android
I just tried on a Samsung tablet.
Are you using it ?
Xamarin 4, Getting Started with Android.
Xojo can compile iOS Apps - would be cool when ANDROID Apps are the next big thing!
Altogether, my main objection to Xamarin is to not be a language of the same family as Xojo. I am sure it is a good solution for people who already practice C# in VS. I seriously doubt it will be as friendly as B4A. In my experience, B4A is close enough to Xojo to almost allow copy/paste with simple code.
NSBasic AppStudio seems intriguing, offering to program in JavaScript or Basic, but I am always doubtful of wonderful solutions that have no users. I like to hear from people who have actually used a tool to create real apps.
It is already solid first in the top ten Feedback. Now we have to hope for Xojo to realize the potential.
Kivy
Right. You are coming from Python, aren’t you ?
Python’s one of several languages I like.
Kivy also has a launcher that makes testing your app on a device very simple.
[quote=231037:@Steve Wilson]Python’s one of several languages I like.
Kivy also has a launcher that makes testing your app on a device very simple.[/quote]
As usual, my main concern is reusability of code. I hate the idea of rewriting over a decade of existing routines, classes and methods. Already Xojo iOS new framework kinda required that until I came up with a wrapper to obtain quasi complete compatibility.
I can imagine creating a new program from scratch in most anything (well, NOT Objective-C for me today am allergic thank you), but porting an existing app to a completely alien environment is IMHO too much of a productivity loss. With languages of the same family as Xojo, the cost of transition remains reasonable.
Well said Michel (as usual). Almost 50% of our customers now are asking for an Android version of our Xojo iOS app. I too have a B4A licence, purchased about a year ago but never used. I might have to take the plunge sooner rather than later to satisfy the demand.
The rule for businesses today is to have both iOS and Android apps. Any company contracting business development will have to support both. I even see more and more logos for Windows Phone around.
I know very well Android is technically too much a horse of a different color for Xojo to deal easily with, but us developers do not have the luxury to balk over more than 5 times the size of the iOS market.