Android NOUGAT - Develop Hands-on Android Apps

Set up the latest Android Studio, install SDK tools and platform 24, then create and launch an Android emulator to test apps.

Explore Android's multi-window feature with split screen, picture-in-picture, and free form modes. Observe two activities side by side with a draggable divider, and small picture-in-picture or movable free-form windows.

Learn to implement Android multi-window behavior by launching an adjacent activity in split screen, configuring intent flags and manifest attributes for two separate single-instance tasks.

Learn to launch an adjacent activity using a start activity method and intent flags, test on emulator or device, and explore split-screen behavior versus full-screen when not split.

Learn to detect and respond to multi-window state using isInMultiWindowMode, display toasts for in or not in multi-window, and handle changes with onMultiWindowModeChanged during activity transitions.

Learn to handle android configuration changes by declaring android.configChanges for screen size and orientation, and handling onConfigurationChanged with the newConfig object.

Deploy a window background fallback and window background in Android styles to prevent garbled screen space during split-screen resizing of activities.

Learn to force an activity into full screen by setting android:resizeableActivity to false, overriding multi-window mode, and using minimum width/height (500 dpi) to prevent resizing.

Learn layout attributes by using minimum height and minimum weight, observing two views in split screen and multi-window, and noting status bar and orientation limitations.

Enable picture in picture mode for an activity in the manifest. Test on Android TV emulator; trigger via a button and monitor with isInPictureInPictureMode and onPictureInPictureModeChanged.

Explore drag and drop in multi-window mode on Android 10 by building a drag from app and a receiving app, using clip data, drag shadow, and permission flags.

Demonstrates implementing drag and drop in Android by setting a drag listener on an image view, requesting permissions, extracting clip data, and dropping into a second app in multi-window mode.

Learn how the storage access framework (EPA) replaces broad external storage permissions with scoped directory access, letting apps access only the pictures directory via storage manager and storage volume classes.

Explore implementing scoped directory access in Android by listing directories, selecting one with a spinner, and requesting access through the system prompt, then displaying files with a recycler view.

Learn scoped directory access by wiring a spinner to select directories, map selections to environment names, request access with a storage volume and create access intent, and handle results.

Access documents with the document contract class, query using a projection of display name and mime type, and display results in a RecyclerView with a custom adapter and view holder.

Acquire scoped directory access in Android Nougat by requesting directory permissions, displaying files in a recycler view, and persisting granted permissions to avoid repeated prompts.

Explore how the direct reply feature enables text input from Android notifications, enabling messaging or task updates from the lock screen via a service, receiver, and shared preferences.

Implement and wire the main activity in an Android Studio project. Create and connect the layout—edit text, text view, and a reply button—with on click listeners to handle user replies.

Bind a service with a messenger from the main activity to send notification text and handle replies, using onServiceConnected/onServiceDisconnected and shared preferences.

Implement a service to build a system notification with direct reply using messenger, handler, binder, and remote input, including broadcast, pending intent, and update current flag.

Build a direct reply notification in Android by creating a reply action with remote input. Register a broadcast receiver to handle the action and manage notification with the notification manager.

Implement a broadcast receiver that listens for a system action, processes the user reply from a notification via remote input, and extracts the reply text from the intent.

Implement receiver logic to handle remote input and remote replay, read reply text from shared preferences, and update the notification to reflect a replied state using Android N direct reply.

Learn direct boot mode in Android, which encrypts device data and starts essential components in data boot mode after reboot, before the user unlocks, so alarms and notifications aren’t missed.

Explore use cases for direct boot mode, including alarm clocks, a messaging client, and accessibility features, and learn how to register notifications before unlock while using credential and device protected storage.

Develop a mood demo app and register a direct boot aware broadcast receiver for the boot completed action. Store a string with device protected storage to display a post-restart notification.

Learn how to implement direct boot by saving to device protected storage with shared preferences, retrieving in a receiver, and posting a notification via the notification manager after device unlock.