<var integer='gnCount'/>
<method name='OnInit'>
 <system.timermethod name='Timer'/>
 <system.timerinterval seconds='15'/>
 <system.timerstart/>
</method>
<method name='OnTerminate'>
 <system.timerstop/>
</method>
<method name='SetCount'>
 <set gnCount='#system.activeticks'/>
 <system.debugprint text='[#gnCount]'/>
</method>
<method name='Timer'>
 <if>
  <condition where='#gnCount' is='=' value='#system.activeticks'/>
  <if>
   <condition where='#system.activescreenname' is='=' value='MainScreen'/>
   <page.navigate to='MainMenu'/>
  </if>
  <else>
   <set gnCount='#system.activeticks'/>
  </else>
 </if>
</method>
<method name='Message'>
 <objLabel.caption text='#gnCount'/>
</method>

Once you have downloaded and installed the latest version of Active Studio Plus, 2 Icons will appear on your desktop. Double clicking on the first Icon will start Active Developer which is the main tool for creating mobile applications on the PC. The secong Icon on the desktop is Active Pipe, which is the communications tool for the Active Studio Suite. Active pipe is not required in the initial stages of development as communications to the databases is not required.

To start creating an application you will need to create a workgroup for the application, then start the development. In this section we will give a basic over view and then show you how to create a basic application from scratch.

Introduction

To create a new application you have two options the first is to use the ‘Application Wizard’, this is useful when creating simple programs, it is also to help you learn about some of the features in ‘Active Studio’. We will walk you through the stages required to create an application without using the ‘Application Wizard’.

We will start by presenting a specification for an application and finish by showing you how to load the application onto a PDA, to keep this example easy to follow we will be using some of the more basic  functions of ‘Active Studio’.

Application Specification

The world famous record collector Mr. Scowl has requested that an application be produced to help him catalogue his vast music collection. He needs to be able to develop the application on the PC send it to the PDA, collect and view the information on a PDA and be able to back it up back on to a PC.

Artist
Title
Genre (Pop, Folk, Jazz, Rock, Classical and Opera etc)

Planning the Application

Having read the specification it is possible to work out how many different screens that will be needed to create the new application.

TIP… It is always a good idea to draw out the screens then you can work out the work process flow, this will allow you to build up a list of the objects you need on the screens and how you want to move from screen to sceen.

The following screens should be included in this application:

An ‘Introduction Screen’ including the following objects: Heading (Label) with a Main Menu Button (Navigation Button).

‘Main Menu Screen’ including the following objects: Heading (Label) Create a New Entry (Navigation Button), View Collection (Navigation Button), and Back (Navigation Button).

‘Create a New Entry Screen’ including the following objects:  Heading (Label), Artist Name (Label and Text Input Box), Album Title (Label and Text Input Box), Genre (Label and Combobox), Save Entry (Button), and Back to Main Menu (Navigation Button).

‘View Collection Screen’ including the following objects: Heading (Label), A table to view the collected data. (Grid) and Back to Main Menu (Navigation Button).

‘Download Catalogue to PC’ including the following objects: Heading (Label), Instructions (Label), Download to PC (Button) and Back to Main Menu (Navigation Button).

The Development

First create a workgroup, click on the icon for the application then choose a name for the application with relevant application details. From your draft screen drawings, create the screens with all the objects buttons, boxes grids etc. When you are happy with the screen you can now link all the screens.

You can now walk through the application to make sure it does what is required. Now you can create the databases which could be a .csv file or a spread sheet

Select the ‘Workgroups’ from the Panel on the ‘Active Developer’ window by clicking on it.

Click on the ‘New Workgroup’ icon.

The following ‘Dialogue Box’ will appear. 

Type in the name that you wish to call the ‘Workgroup’ (in this example Scowell1). Click on OK.

You have now created a new ‘Workgroup’ this can be found within the folder called ‘Workgroups’ on the ‘Active Developer’ window.

In order to work in the new ‘Workgroup’ (in this example Scowell1) has to be opened.  To open it simply click on the folder. Upon selection the folder icon will change (a pencil will appear upon it) indicating that the folder is open.

You can now add the application document by selecting Add Application

Enter an Application name and select OK