Android Grow View Dynamically

My problem was I wanted to add animation to my app in order to make it more appealing, and to more along the lines of material design.

I did a couple quick Google searches, but didn't find much. Instead I came up with this quick trick that made it possible.

public class ResizeAnimation extends Animation {
    private int startHeight;
    private int deltaHeight; // distance between start and end height

    private View view;
    /**
    * constructor, do not forget to use the setParams(int, int) method before
    * starting the animation
    * @param v
    */
    public ResizeAnimation (View v) {
        this.view = v;
    }
    @Override
    protected void applyTransformation(float interpolatedTime, Transformation t) {
        view.getLayoutParams().height = (int) (startHeight + deltaHeight * interpolatedTime);
        view.requestLayout();
     }
    /**
    * set the starting and ending height for the resize animation
    * starting height is usually the views current height, the end height is the height
    * we want to reach after the animation is completed
    * @param start height in pixels
    * @param end height in pixels
    */
    public void setHeightDifference(int start, int end) {
        this.startHeight = start;
        deltaHeight = end - startHeight;
    }
    /**
    * set the starting and ending width for the resize animation
    * starting width is usually the views current width, the end width is the width
    * we want to reach after the animation is completed
    * @param start height in pixels
    * @param end height in pixels
    */
    public void setHeightDifference(int start, int end) {
        this.startWidth = start;
        deltaWidth = end - startWidth;
    }
    /**
    * set the duration for the hideshowanimation
    */
    @Override
    public void setDuration(long durationMillis) {
        super.setDuration(durationMillis);
    }
    @Override
    public boolean willChangeBounds() {
        return true;
    }
}

LinearLayout clickableLayout = (LinearLayout) findViewById(R.id.click able_layout)
clickableLayout.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener(){
    @Override
    public void onClick(View V){
        RelativeLayout v = (RelativeLayout) V;
        // getting the layoutparams might differ in your application, it depends on the parent layout
        RelativeLayout.LayoutParams lp = (RelativeLayout.LayoutParams) v.getLayoutParams();

        ResizeAnimation a = new ResizeAnimation(relativeLayout);
        a.setDuration(500);

        // set the starting height (the current height) and the new height that the view should have after the animation
        a.setParams(lp.height, newHeight); relativeLayout.startAnimation(a);
        v.startAnimation(a)
    }
}
       

The difference between this and a scale animation is you can actually have one line of text on a linear layout, grow to three lines, but not in a scale like way of squished text. With the XML scale setting you would actually end up having the space all pop up there, but the animation would slowly fill it, with this, it will create the space every time it grows making it more smooth and clean.

Passing Data Between Threads (Java)

Currently I'm working on a new desktop app for a family reunion. I started out hoping this would be a two day and done, but when I actually started coding I realized I was in a bit deeper than I had previously thought. So here's to explaining my app.

This app requires 2 windows to be constantly open and running, however both of these windows need constant communication.

The audience cannot see the control window, but rather only the pretty display, this allows for the audience to never see an annoying mouse moving around. I couldn't figure out any other way to do this the way I want with libgdx without multi threading.

I started this project by trying to create two windows using libgdx (however I didn't actually want libgdx for control) but I wanted to see if it was possible. I quickly learned that openAL does not allow libgdx to do that, so I quickly switched over to Swing to make sure that I could in fact actually still accomplish 2 windows (and not "pop ups").

So I started working at this app got a bit of the GUI out of the way then went on to the next challenge of communicating between these threads. Now the way that libgdx works you can't manage the threads a whole lot from the original class to start the threads, or at least in terms of passing around data.

The solution? A class I call DataPassage, with all variables being static. The static variables allow me to access the data from anywhere without having to directly pass it to each class. DataPassage nicely handles all variables inside. This helps in two ways.

#1) Cuts down in data on the heap.

#2) Organizes all variables and keeps it all in sync.

Now would I recommend this for all variables in every situation? No, but definitely useful in a lot of situations. Would I recommend this if you are struggling in a situation like mine? Yes. Just be sure to not be storing the variables in all 3 classes, and rather only in the DataPassage class.

MinerMan

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.coppercow.minerman

Here's the link to my latest game I've released called MinerMan!

If you enjoy it please tell you're friends and family!

OK Google!

Yesterday Android developers announced a very long awaited launcher called the Google Now Launcher available at no cost on Google Play. This launcher gives a more current look and feel to a stock Google phone. This launcher also gives accessibility to "OK Google" from the home screen. This means that from the home screen if you say "OK Google" aloud Google will pop up so you can tell it what to do. Google Now launcher made its first appearance on the Nexus 5 device from Google, but did not come stock with Android 4.4 so this is rather a big deal for any Android users who do not want to pay for a Nexus 5, but still want the look, feel, and capabilities(within reason) of the Nexus 5. The new Google Now launcher is available for download here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.launcher

Python Inherit Pygame Surface

Learned new thing about python classes recently. In order to create a class that is a surface you have to initiate the surface. This is done by doing the following.

class MySurface(pygame.Surface):
    def __init__(self, width, height, image):
        pygame.Surface.__init__(self, width, height)
        self.blit(image, (0, 0, width, height))

Python IDE

Kind of a cool Python IDE(Integrated Development Environment) if you have internet. Most especially useful for Python development with the new Google Chromebook.  http://pythonfiddle.com/

Introduction

I'm a teenager in high school and started coding when I was 15 using Python and a Raspberry Pi. In all of my free time I do lots and lots of coding. Recently I have started a new language, Java, in order to expand my knowledge and move on to more Android  development. I believe everyone who wants to, deserves a chance to program. You can find me on StackOverflow at http://stackoverflow.com/users/2605424/duhprogrammer13