Any Android and Flight Simulator folks around here?

[Guest simonta]

Hi all

I'm getting close to a first private alpha of my first serious Android app. I don't want to reveal what it does in public as it's not been done elsewhere yet.

This app will be free so I feel OK to post here. Paul, if you're lurking, I will defer to you if you disagree.

I'm looking for alpha testers who can both test the product and provide "great/worthless/cool if it did..." feedback.

In return, I'll credit you in the app and also give you a private key for each machine you have which will give you free versions of all the apps I have planned.

I can't promise that I will ever release more apps, I do plan to, as my work life is going through significant redesign at the moment and I may have to focus on bespoke developments but if I do, you get them for free, for ever and I promise the credit in this first app.

Specifically what I'm looking for are people who fly online with VATSIM or IVAO. That said, anyone is free to take a look at the alpha although I will ask you to form a moral agremeent with me not to mention it publicly until it's on the market.

Please PM me if you are interested.

And I promise to never promote a paid app on here :lol:

Edited January 26, 2011 by simonta

[Guest Touch Graphite]

Although I dont know what VATSIM or IVAO means, (im not going to google it and cheat) that puts me out of the running of getting this app for testing.

What is your background for app building!?

Do you rate the google appinventor or is it worth leaving alone!?

Im interested in building some apps but interested in what code knowledge is needed. (Im sure there a few out there that wants to know whats needed).

I, indeed, have a few basic apps which I'd like to build.

Id like to point out that the app I have in mind has been covered either waaay too much with toooooo many options to alter, or not enough with pay to upgrade to get rid of trial periods etc.

[Guest simonta]

VATSIM and IVAO are online air traffic control enviroments where flight simulator pilots can fly in a virtual air traffic control environment using procedures which the big boys use. I'm a private pilot in real life and fly airliners in my sad, geeky "virtual life" :lol:

Anyroad up, to develop on Android IMHO requires good existing programming skill to do good apps. I can't comment on the app inventor as I've never used it but here are my general comments.

1. I hate Java but have to use it. I could go into a tedious (and boring) religious debate about why but Google will provide plenty of links to just what is wrong with Java. To do Java well, it really helps to be coming from a C, C++ or C# background. Absolutely possible to come from something else like VB or Pascal, just a steeper learning curve.

2. The main development environment is Eclipse (the Java equivalent of Visual Studio for .Net) and I'm afraid that stinks as well. It's packed full of features, many of which are arcane or just don't work properly. Even highly experience Eclipse developers (I'm moderately experienced) have a love/hate relationship with it. My main environment is Visual Studio in C# or VB and I am at least twice as productive in that as Eclipse. For example, at least once per session, I need to quit and reload Eclipse just to get it to stop doing something stupid.

3. Android is lovely. It makes some really difficult things quite easy and the platform and framework are very complete. That said, it is extremely easy to produce bad code that sucks resources, leaks memory and force closes on people. You really need to do a lot of reading to understand the right way to do things. The Android documentation is also very good but has some big omissions, even in some very fundamental areas, and is not well complimented with explanatory examples.

4. If you are getting into it, first of all read the posts on the Android developer blogs about coding for performance. Then follow each topic through other links to make sure you get it. In particular, pay attention to "context", threading in Android, not doing significant work on the main UI thread, error handling (which is actually stock Java handling) and object oriented design. Follow some basic principles (outlined below) and you'll be OK.

Try these links to begin.

http://developer.android.com/guide/practic...erformance.html

[3rd edit - damn that link inserter!!!!]

[4th edit - I bet it's Javascript behind this...]

http://developer.android.com/guide/practic...ask_design.html

http://source.android.com/source/code-style.html

Now I've been a big negative but it's the truth as I see it and I wouldn't be honest if I put it any other way. That said, I am a geek, I love software and I enjoy every minute of development - even fighting with Java and Eclipse!

I hope that helps (and doesn't confuse!)

If you would like some mentoring, PM me and I'll send you my email addy. Always glad to help out - I'm still learning too but I have figured out the right places to go to get answers.

Cheers

Edited January 26, 2011 by simonta

[Guest shutdown]

i've not flown a sim for a few years but i was addicted to flight x on the pc when it came out.

had a couple of flying lessons and then used to come home and duplicate the flight.

actually makes me miss my old gaming pc now (moved onto mac for video and photography stuff now...or grown up as my girlfriend calls it)

not sure if i can help but will happily test it for you

[Guest simonta]

i've not flown a sim for a few years but i was addicted to flight x on the pc when it came out.

had a couple of flying lessons and then used to come home and duplicate the flight.

actually makes me miss my old gaming pc now (moved onto mac for video and photography stuff now...or grown up as my girlfriend calls it)

not sure if i can help but will happily test it for you

Hi Shutdown.

Thanks, I'll add you to the list and PM you later. Bit busy right now, sorry...

Cheers

[Guest djdan89]

I have PM'd you not sure if you have received it.

[Guest simonta]

I have PM'd you not sure if you have received it.

DjDan, sorry, had a hectic few days. And this forum! Beeen away for a while, come back, and all hell has broken loose with the kernel source release. Sweeeeett.

Anyway, I've sent detailed info to all who responded to me.

With grateful thanks, Simon.