App Inventor 2 Tutorial Volume 2: Step-by-step: Advanced features including TinyDB

MIT App Inventor 2 is a fast and simple way to create custom Android apps for smart phones or tablets. Volume 2 in the series introduces debugging methods, explains additional controls not covered in Volume 1, introduces “agile” methods for developing a real world app, and provides sample code for using the TinyDB database.

The App Inventor 2 Tutorial series is targeted at adult learners (high school and up). App Inventor 2 provides a simplified “drag and drop” interface to layout your app’s screen design. Then implement the app’s behavior with “drag and drop” programming blocks to quickly assemble a program in a graphical interface.

Volume 1 of this series covered the basics of the App Inventor user interface Designer and the Blocks programming editor, plus basic “blocks” programming concepts and tools for arithmetic, text processing, event handling, lists and other features. Volume 2 builds upon Volume 1 to provide tips on debugging programs when the apps work incorrectly, how to us hidden editing features, and how to install your own apps on to your phone or tablet for general use. Code samples are provided for using the Notifier component for general use or for debugging, for user interface control tricks such as buttons that change color continuously or implementing the missing “radio buttons” component, using ListPicker and Spinner for list selections, and using the WebViewer to display web pages in your app. The book includes a large section on designing and building a sample real world application and finishes with a chapter on using the TinyDB database.

Chapters

Introduction
Chapter 1 - App Inventor Tips
Chapter 2 - Debugging App Inventor Programs
Chapter 3 - User Interface Control Tricks
Chapter 4 - Designing and Building a Real World Application
Chapter 5 - Tip Calculator Version 2
Chapter 6 - Tip Calculator Version 3
Chapter 7 - Tip Calculator Version 4
Chapter 8 - Tip Calculator Version 5
Chapter 9 – Using the TinyDB database

About the Author
Edward Mitchell has a B.S. in information and computer science, an M.S. in software engineering and an M.B.A. He has previously worked in Silicon Valley and for Microsoft and other tech companies, and has written numerous books on software development and a book on 3D still photography. In his spare time, he is a volunteer engineering mentor for high school FIRST Robotics teams, is a 3D still and video photographer, and flies a hovercraft.