Debden Android Apps

Debscript

Debscript is a simple programming language for Android mobile devices. It serves two purposes. Firstly, it is an easy way to start learning how to program and secondly, it is an easy way to generate useful graphics files. To draw a picture you simply write the program code then run it to draw the picture. It can produce all sorts of drawings, including pictures, diagrams, patterns, computer art and other graphics formats directly from program code. Then in the full version you can save them as useful JPG and PNG files.

The Debscript app is available from Google Play and from Amazon, either the Appstore or the Amazon website,

There are two Google versions - Debscript Free which is completely free, with no ads or in-app purchasing but does not save JPG and PNG files, and a full version which does save the image files. The Amazon app also comes in two versions. The full version which can be purchased for a small charge and an Underground version which is the same as the full version but launches through the Amazon site which does contain the usual advertising.

Debscript code is written with the built-in text editor of an Android phone or tablet. The script can be copied to any Android device and saved at any stage as a JPG or PNG graphics file. These files may be used in web pages, documents, presentations and other media. It is an authentic programming language that introduces complete beginners to all the basic programming concepts and provides all users with an easy way to generate graphics files.

Programmed graphics is a unique genre. The images are created from source code instead of a manual drawing action. The results are limited in some respects compared to pictures drawn free hand, but they have huge advantages. In particular, they are mathematically accurate. Drawing positions, sizes, shapes and colors are specified with pixel precision. The difference is illustrated by the two figures alongside. They are also fully editable. Debscripts are easily changed or even reprogrammed by simply rewriting parts or all of the scripts and they can be saved and imported into other scripts.

To get started with Debscript all you have to do is run the app and touch-click the Help button. Then touch the Debscript button to get a full introduction to the language and the app. There is also a Keywords button that lists all the Debscript keywords for easy reference while you are programming, and an Examples button that provides some example scripts. You can copy and paste these into your own code.

Program code can be written by anyone who is able to enter and edit text on a mobile device. It develops general coding skills such as how to write, test and debug programs and it introduces standard code structures such as statements, keywords, syntax and loops to those who are not familiar with programming. It is a great way to start programming.

In addition to program logic, Debscript develops problem solving and creative skills. And, since it draws shapes on a screen, it also promotes an awareness of two-dimensional coordinate space and geometrical shapes as well as arithmetic skills.

Debscript script files can be sent as email attachments and uploaded to cloud storage for copying to other devices including personal computers and other mobiles. They can be processed, stored and edited as text files and then, at any time used to create separate image files.

 

Deb Draw

There are two versions of Deb Draw. Deb Draw Free is a free drawing app that lets you draw pictures and write on the screen just as you would draw with pencil and paper. Deb Draw is the premium version which has some additional features and is availble for purchase on the Google Play Store.

Deb Draw Free has no ads and no in-app billing but it does have links to the Google Play store where users can purchase the full version. The free version is a fully functional drawing app. Users can draw pictures made up of lines and points just like a real drawing system. They can select from a palette of 216 colors for foreground and background colors and from a range of 8 line thicknesses. There is also a choice of three line styles - normal, smoothed and straight. Drawings can be edited by deleting lines or entire pictures and they can be saved as drawings that can be reloaded and developed further at any time. The save process also produces a jpeg version of each drawing that can be copied from the Debdraw folder to any other app including email so it can easily be distributed or copied to a computer. The free version allows four drawings to be stored at any one time and in portrait or landscape mode. You can learn more about Deb Draw Free here.

You can download both apps from the Google Play Store by searching for Deb Draw.

You can learn more about creating your own apps at androidjavaapps.com.

Getball

Getball is an action game that simulates one of the many sports in which two teams compete for a single ball. Here the aim is to get the ball from the opposing team. It is designed to develop game skills including fast reflexes, concentration and anticipation that should be transferable to the real word. The app is completely free with no ads or in-app payments.

However, it is designed to illustrate the final product of a book, Start Programming Mobile Apps with Android Java by Bill Tait. This takes a beginner programmer through a series of graphics apps culminating in this one. You can purchase the book at Amazon and you are free to develop this and the other apps in any way you like and publish them as your own work. The book concentrates on Android Java programming to facilitate the initial learning process.

The idea of the game is that the user has to move a player around the screen to collect as many balls as possible while avoiding the opposing players. This becomes more difficult as the speed of the game increases and each game ends when the user’s player is caught by one of the opposing team. The game score is recorded along with the best score achieved in the session.

You can find out more about Getball here and you can download the app from the Google Play Store by searching for Getball.

Android Book

If you want to try your hand at developing your own apps have a look at "Start Programming Mobile Apps with Android Java" by Bill Tait.

This book can be purchased at the Amazon bookstore in Kindle or paperback format. It is an introduction to programming. It is also an introduction to Java. And it is an introduction to Android Studio, which is now the only Android development package supported by Google. In fact, it is an introduction to the complete process of Android mobile development, from no knowledge of programming to the publication of an app on the Google Play Store. This is a ball game called Getball and is available for free download to illustrate the end product.

The treatment is selective. Learning to program is not easy, so the book is designed to help new programmers by covering only Java and avoiding the need to learn much about the xml files used by Android to create static user interfaces. It is just Java. It is also selective in developing only graphics apps and games, which more easily hold the interest of novice programmers. It is just graphics. And it is selective in focusing on coding rather than Java theory. The apps are developed in increments so each builds on the previous one. This allows the theory to be introduced gradually and only as and when required. So it is mainly code.

You will learn to read code and understand it. You will learn to write code and to customize each app in some way to test your understanding. Then you should be able to publish your own versions of the apps on the Google Play Store.