Update on FB – website link and Volume 4 App Inventor Guide

Facebook – Web site link

Short update – my web site at http://appinventor.pevest.com was linked directly to FB so that comments entered here, appeared there, and comments entered on the web site, appeared here on Facebook. All automatically.

However, that link is now broken. I was using a WordPress plugin to cross link the web site and FB page but last week, the makers of the plugin discontinued its use and the cross linking is no longer working. Hopefully I can find a new plugin to perform that function!

It was a nice to have feature as I could just check for updates on the web site without having to also check on FB. Oops! Now that this feature is gone, I will try to check the FB page more frequently.

Volume 4 Update

Volume 4 of my App Inventor guides is nearing completion. I have to write one last demo program,  the  text for one chapter, proof read the entire text, and begin the publishing process. I will announce the book topic once I get the final chapter written (I prefer not to pre-announce until I know the availability). I can announce now that Volume 4 should be available in both print and e-book formats! Producing the print version adds a little delay to the final release but the final result should be very good.

UPDATE: Sales of the print version of Volume 4 are being discontinued as of October 18, 2016, due to rampant copyright theft. There are more used copies for sale than the total number of printed books actually sold. Based on sales, readers prefer the e-book version – therefore I am in process of discontinuing sales of the print version. The e-book continues to be available.

A “switch board” user interface panel for App Inventor apps

In the last post, we introduced some concepts for building “creative” App Inventor user interfaces that feature visually appealing user interface controls rather than the usual bland buttons.

In this post, we look at creating an array of toggle switches. Tapping a switch flips the switch from left to right, or right to left.

Concepts

In developing this user interface, we learn two concepts:

  1. We expand on the previous post and its use of images to create custom buttons.
  2. We see how a user interface control can be stored in a list and referenced like a variable within our apps.

Source code:

The User Interface

I called my app “Mission Control” because any good mission control panel needs lots of switches!

The user interface features 9 toggle switches in a 3 x 3 array. The purpose of this app is to demonstrate how to implement this type of interface – the app does not otherwise do anything interesting.

Tapping any toggle switch causes the switch lever to move to the other side of the switch. Here is a screen shot showing some toggle switches to the left and some to the right.

Screenshot_20160204-140323The Designer View

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