Java Bridge and Transition to Textual Coding

The App Inventor Java Bridge is a high level library for coding Android apps. There is a class

corresponding to each component in App Inventor, and methods corresponding to the blocks.

The common terminology allows for an easier transition from visual blocks to textual code, and

students get to continue to build apps!

I have some samples and tutorials for the Java Bridge at appinventor.org/jBridgeIntro. There are

also some videos of students talking about their experience in an experimental CS 1 class I taught

last semester which used App Inventor and the Java Bridge (and Python).

The App Inventor to Java Bridge sequence has great potential in education, one place being in high schools

where the new Computer Science Principles (CSP) AP course can be taught with App Inventor, and the

Java AP course with the Java Bridge (with students getting to build mobile apps throughout!)

If you are interested in working on  this project, please let me know. The Java Bridge is an untapped

gem!

Dave

P.S. Note: The Java Bridge is the same code used internally within App Inventor. Thanks go to Hossein Amerkashi for readying the library

for stand-alone use.

--

> If you are interested in working on  this project, please let me know.
>The Java Bridge is an untapped
> gem!

God David I BEG to work with you on this, one of the big remaining
gaps left in what has been a reasonably long and glorious career
teaching undergraduate computer science.

I'd prefer to talk on the phone, if possible.  I'm hoping if you like
what I say, we could bring Hal into the conversation.

I think AI could play an enormous and very successful role in
post-secondary education, and I want to try to help make that happen.

I also happen to be retiring from my longtime teaching job at the end
of next semester.

--

Hi Brian. Great, can you meet on Wednesday? I'm pretty open so if you can just suggest a time.

--

I presume you still need the IDE (i.e. Eclipse) as well as the SDK in order to make this transition from A.i.?

Can we use any other IDE (such as Netbeans) or do we have to use Eclipse?

GREAT GREAT work guys! I started developing in A.i. 3 years ago. Stopped because Java Bridge was not fully blown yet but now, I am making my return!! Yesss! I have taken some Java courses. I was a Network Analyst IV for HP til Carly laid me off (aint voten for her Noooo way) left HP, got into Android development (self taught) starting with A.i. and that lead to bigger and better things. Thanks for this wonderful SDK (as in A.i.)

P.S. now I have to try and reconnect with some of my old A.i. buddies who I believe are still at it.

--

> I presume you still need the IDE (i.e. Eclipse) as well as the SDK in order
> to make this transition from A.i.?
> Can we use any other IDE (such as Netbeans) or do we have to use Eclipse?

Google says to use Visual Studio.  It makes our VMs groan, and feels
like you're trying to pick your nose with an industrial crane.  But
Google says to use Visual Studio.

--

Any Java IDE can be used and you are not restricted to Eclipse.

--

This is terrific!   And it would be great if Brian could work with you.   I'd like to Kibbitz, but I could not do more than that this spring.
This is a lot what Mark and I were imagining years ago, with App Inventor as a programming intro to Java.  I think Mark's original Java bridge
was inspired by that. If you and Brian could design a course together, that would be great.

-- 

I agree with, Hal.  I was really hoping that the Java Bridge would become a useful pedagogical tool for bringing App Inventor users gently into the world of Java-based mobile development and beyond.

--

I am getting ready to teach app development for the first time in my Software Design & Development course this spring, and "explore Java bridge" has been on my to-do list for months! Thank you so much for your timely post on this topic! I would love to be of assistance, as you have helped me so much in the past.

--

Great, Cate. Brian Capouch, also on this thread, is also interested in working together on this. We may be meeting tomorrow afternoon/eve if you're interested. Otherwise we can chat another time.

--