How to get started with Android and Netbeans

The Android development environment currently comes as a SDK 1.1 and can be used as a Eclipse plugin (ADT). The installation is easy and well documented, but I still summarize the steps to get it running in Netbeans and highlights some of the glitches I experienced until it was running.

1. Download the SDK from developer.android.com (link)
2. Unpack the zip file to your harddisk (DONT use paths with spaces !).
3. Read the installation guidelines (link). Skip the Eclipse part, but look at the path settings.
4. Follow the instructions for the Netbeans plugin installation at the Kenai project (link)
5. Follow the quickstart guide to configure and setup Netbeans and start your first “HelloWorld” project.
   

   New Android Project

   package org.me.hellodroid;
   
   import android.app.Activity;
   import android.os.Bundle;
   import android.widget.TextView;
   
   public class MainActivity extends Activity {
   
       /** Called when the activity is first created. */
       @Override
       public void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
           super.onCreate(icicle);
   
           setContentView(R.layout.main);
           TextView tv = new TextView(this);
           tv.setText("Hello, Android");
           setContentView(tv);
       }
   }
   

   Here my problems started..

6. Compile the project
   Problem 1:  Cannot compile
   Unable to access jarfile ..\framework\apkbuilder.jar
   a) Check there are no spaces in your path to the jarfiles in the SDK
   b) Change the apkbuilder.bat file in the tools folder of the SDK

   set jarfile=apkbuilder.jar
   set frameworkdir=
   set libdir=
   

   to

   set jarfile=apkbuilder.jar
   set frameworkdir={your_path}\android-sdk-windows-1.1_r1\tools\lib\
   set libdir={your_path}\android-sdk-windows-1.1_r1\tools\lib\
   

7. Run the project (in the emulator)
   Problem 2:  The emulator starts up but the application (filename.apk) is not executed (not uploaded in the first place), even the emulator is started by Netbeans.

   Deleting: V:\VAR_Projects\HelloDroid\dist\HelloDroid.apk_
   jar:
   Result: -1
   

   Either you leave the emulator running after the first failed attempt or start the emulator manually from the tools folder.

   

   Android Emulator

Thats about all I can add at the moment. Now walk through the manuals and tutorials to get some real applications running and waiting for the device to arrive here for the real thing.

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