Basic4Android is a very useful program to write applications for the android operating system. It runs on windows and has a very similar feel to VB.net. The IDE is very clean and easy to use. And with the remote bridge software you can install the applications straight to a mobile device.

Getting all the files.

Java JDK 7 (32-bit or 64-bit)

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7u9-downloads-1859576.html

Android SDK

http://dl.google.com/android/installer_r20.0.3-windows.exe

Basic4Android trail setup (If you have bought it then use the setup sent in the email)

Enterprise Standard (Trial)

Basic4Android Bridge (From the market onto your phone – Optional)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=anywheresoftware.b4a.b4abridge (http://vcurl.co/?i=f2ea)

Installing

Java

Installing java first as everything needs it. To install java i find it is best to uninstall any Java things you have previously installed. That way you are starting from scratch. Once it has been uninstalled run the Java setup program and install Java to the default place. (The Java JDK development tools will still work for any other java resource. including your browser) Once the Java install has completed do not restart your computer.

Android SDK

Installing the android SDK is a little more complicated. Run the setup and follow through the instructions. Install it all to the default place after the install has completed go to your Start menu and find the “SDK Manager” run that and wait while it starts up (This can take some time). Once it has started up wait for it to refresh the package lists. One it has done select. Android 4.1 (And all that’s inside it) Then click Install packages… You will have to select Agree and Install. Then the bar at the bottom will show the progress of the installation.

Basic4Android

One everything else is installed, i recommend you have restarted before installing Basic4Android. If you are installing the trail then you need to run the file you downloaded at the top. If you have bought it then download the file from your emails and download that file to install. When running the file just install the the default places.

Configuration

When all programs are installed, it is time to configure Basic4Android to work with the Android SDK, and Java JRE. Doing this is very simple and it is only inputting two file paths. One for the javaac.exe and the other for android.jar. To do this open up Basic4Android, Once it has loaded (you will have to select Trail, unless you have a key in which case select the key). Go to Tools then Configure Paths

After you click that you are presented with the window below. You need to locate the two files it says about. It has a location of where they should be but i found that it is not there anymore. Click browse to find the files. Which for me are in these locations (Just remember to change to your username, and correct versions.)

C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_07\bin\javac.exe

C:\Users\Zachary Claret-Scott\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk\platforms\android-16\android.jar

The Additional Libraries folder is if you want to specify an extra folder for it to look for them. It already looks in the program files for them and that’s were we will place them. I will cover libraries in other posts but they allow you to do more stuff like tracking the usages of an app, or talk to ftp.

In the next Guide i will Talk about how to make a application. (Here)

Written by Zachary.