Android with Emacs on Ubuntu

Prerequisites

This tutorial assumes that the following tutorial has been successfully completed:

• Emacs on Ubuntu

Install Java

Install Java if not currently available.

~$ sudo apt-get install openjdk-6-jdk 

Install Ant

Install Ant if not currently available.

~$ sudo apt-get install ant

Install Android

Download the Android linux release from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html to the Desktop and unzip.

~$ cd ~/Desktop

~$ unzip android-sdk-linux_x86-1.1_r1.zip -d ~/opt

### Rename new directory

~$ mv ~/opt/android-sdk-linux_x86-1.1_r1 ~/opt/android

If you are on a 64-bit system, install the ia32-libs if not present.

~$ sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

Add Android Tools to System Path

Edit your ~/.bashrc file to include the Android tools in the system path.

~$ emacs ~/.bashrc

### Add the following to the bottom of .bashrc

PATH=$PATH:~/opt/android/tools

### Save the file

C-x

C-s

### Exit emacs

C-x

C-c

Test Android Emulator

In a new terminal window, test the installation by launching the Android emulator.

~$ emulator

Since this is the first launch of the emulator, a dialog box concerning sending statistics about usage of the SDK to Google is presented.

After that decision is made, the Android emulator is available.

Close the emulator.

Install android-mode

Install android-mode for emacs.

~$ cd ~/opt

~$ git clone git://github.com/remvee/android-mode.git

Configure Emacs

Add these specifics to the .emacs file.

;; android-mode
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/opt/android-mode")
(require 'android-mode)
(defcustom android-mode-sdk-dir "~/opt/android")

Test android-mode

Launch emacs and test android-mode.

~$ emacs

### Launch the emulator

M-x

android-start-emulator

After starting, the Android emulator will be locked.

After clicking the menu button, the emulator is unlocked.

Create Android Project

Create a test project.

~$ mkdir ~/projects

~$ cd ~/projects

~$ activitycreator --out TestProject us.riddell.TestProject

The previous activitycreator command creates the ~/projects/TestProject directory containing a basic Android project.

Deploy TestProject Application

Open emacs and start the emulator (as described above.) Next, open a file within the project and deploy to the running emulator.

### Open the project layout file

C-x

C-f

~/projects/TestProject/res/layout/main.xml

Now, install the project.

M-x

android-ant-install

Output of the ant script:

-*- mode: compilation; default-directory: "~/projects/TestProject/" -*-
Compilation started at Fri Mar 20 18:24:38

ant install
Buildfile: build.xml

dirs:
     [echo] Creating output directories if needed...
    [mkdir] Created dir: /home/tim/projects/TestProject/bin/classes

resource-src:
     [echo] Generating R.java / Manifest.java from the resources...

aidl:
     [echo] Compiling aidl files into Java classes...

compile:
    [javac] Compiling 2 source files to /home/tim/projects/TestProject/bin/classes

dex:
     [echo] Converting compiled files and external libraries into bin/classes.dex...

package-res:

package-res-no-assets:
     [echo] Packaging resources...

debug:
     [echo] Packaging bin/TestProject-debug.apk, and signing it with a debug key...
     [exec] Using keystore: /home/tim/.android/debug.keystore

install:
     [echo] Installing bin/TestProject-debug.apk onto default emulator...
     [exec] * daemon not running. starting it now *
     [exec] * daemon started successfully *
     [exec] 85 KB/s (4363 bytes in 0.049s)
     [exec] 	pkg: /data/local/tmp/TestProject-debug.apk
     [exec] Success

BUILD SUCCESSFUL
Total time: 8 seconds

Compilation finished at Fri Mar 20 18:24:47

Execute TestProject Application

Back in the emulator, click on the grey up arrow above the MENU button to launch the application menu.

Click on TestProject to launch the application.

Modify and Reinstall Application

With the open main.xml file, modify the application message and reinstall.

### Change the Hello World string to your liking

### Save the file

C-x

C-s

### Reinstall

M-x

android-ant-reinstall

Back in the emulator, click on the TestProject application again to view the new changes.

Basic Emulator Controls

Some basic keyboard controls for the emulator. These are notated as emacs commands although the emulator is active when using these commands.

### Toggle orientation

F11 (C-F11 for many laptops)

### Toggle full screen mode

M-<enter>

### Home

Home

### Menu (left softkey)

F2 or PgUp

### Star (right softkey)

S-F2 or PgDn

### Back

ESC

### Call

F3

### Hangup

F4

### Search

F5

### Power

F7

Here is the search screen in landscape mode: