writing my Strava app: part 1

The first step in writing my Strava app was to make a note of exactly what I wanted it to do. Well, perhaps not exactly: I don't know the capabilities yet of the Strava API. In particular, does the Strava API allow you to replace the data on a ride? Apparently it does, since StravaHaHa allows modification of ride data. Honestly I don't know where the API is documented, but I am deferring that until later. No rush.

So then when I knew what I wanted the program to do, I set out to design some pages. So I measured the screen on my HTC Incredible phone and found it was 5 cm wide by 8 cm high. So I set up an image file using GIMP with 500 pixels wide by 800 pixels high, and for each screen, began "sketching out" how I wanted the page to look. It's different assembling a page from a widget tool kit, so details aren't critical here: I just the look and feel of each page.

When I got tired of doing that, and I was on-line, I started downloading some of the stuff I want for writing the app. For example, this tutorial page provides some nice guidance. First I went to upload my Ubuntu version on my laptop, but my CD player is being cranky, and I can't get the installation CD (written from my work machine: shhh!) to run. Hmm... I'm not going to invest any money in this laptop, however, as it's from 2007: ancient. Instead I think I'm ready to dip my toes in an Apple's OS/X. I'll work on that...

The tutorial recommends Eclipse as a development platform. An alternative is to use a simple text editor. But that seems so old-school: better to use a proper development environment. So I'm just finishing up downloading Eclipse now.

Next I need to download the Java Development Kit. Android apps can be written in C, but Java is more common, and I should follow the best practice. I really like Java, as I noted. But it's been quite a long time since I've done any Java coding.

So time for a Java tutorial. That's easy: Oracle (formerly Sun) has some nice tutorials. So I'm going through those now.

A lot needs to come together for this to work. Honestly I'm not sure I'm going to make my deadline. But I need to stick to it, and by writing here my intent puts some pressure on me to make it work. If I can, I'll feel pretty good about it.

added: Sure enough, Eclipse crashed and burned on my system, which is Ubuntu 9.04: it states it requires 10.04 at least. Hopefully I can get my CD drive working so I can install 11.10. Otherwise I need to wait for that Apple.

Comments

jpo said…
Strava API documentation is here and here, in case you haven't found it yet. Good luck with your app!
February 1, 2012 at 8:36 PM
djconnel said…
Thanks! I had known about that... may end up doing web page before app at this point, now that I know more about what's involved in app design! Goal is to share as much code as possible.
February 2, 2012 at 6:15 AM
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