2. What is Android
• It is an Operating System derived from Linux
that is developed by Open Handled Alliance
led by Google
• Run on Smartphone to Tablet to Netbooks
• It has Apache license 2.0
• Based on Linux kernel 2.6
• Support ARM and x86 Architechture
3. What is Dalvik VM
• Commonly used Virtual Machine on Android
• Convert from Java byte code to Dalvix
Executable on installation
• It is installed in the handset.
4. Mono for Android
• It is developed by Xamarin.
• It is an alternate implementation using Mono
in Android environment
• It is not installed in the handset.
• It is used by Microsoft and other big vendors
to develop Android Apps.
• It is a paid license. A trial license will run on
emulator only.
5. Mono for Android
• It uses C# as development language
• It uses .NET Base Class Library
• It can be developed using Visual Studio 2010
or MonoDevelop as an IDE
• The code will compiled into Mono IL
• It can interopt between Dalvik and Mono via
Mono Callable Wrapper and Android Callable
Wrapper
7. Architecture
• Mono and Dalvik has access directly and
independently to Linux so there is no stacking
between Mono and Dalvik
8. Mono for Android Interested Feature
• Simple installation compare to use another
tool.
• Using C# 3.0
• Support SQL Lite
• Consume web service and WCF directly
through basicHttpBinding
• Can run and debug on Visual Studio 2010
9. Mono for Android Interested Feature
• Design UI directly using axml (Android XML)
by drag and drop from Visual Studio 2010
toolbox
• Simple project assets/artifacts.
• All Mono shared runtime and user assembly
will be compiled and package into one file.
10. Mono for Android Performance
• It is faster than using Java.
• It is a bit slower than Java in the startup since
the size is bigger than Java
• An article for perfomance comparison
between Dalvik and Mono
http://www.koushikdutta.com/2009/01/dalvik
-vs-mono.html
11. Mono for Android Software
Requirement
• Windows XP SP2 or latest or Windows Server
2003 or latest.
• IIS installed for web service or WCF project.
• Visual Studio 2010 at least Professional
edition with Service Pack 1.
12. Installation (trial license)
• Goto http://xamarin.com/trial
• Fill it everything and then click Mono for
Android for Windows.
• It will download setup.exe and then run it
17. Installation (trial license)
• After it finished, Please restart the Windows.
It is useful for setting environments like
JAVA_HOME or else to be recognized by
Windows.
18. Installation Android SDK
• Mono for Android will install some of Android
SDK from API 8, 10, 12 and 14 in the
installation with default configuration.
• Developers can download another API for
another Android target.
19. Configure Android Virtual Device
• Mono for Android will configure some Android
Virtual Device with default configuration from
API 8, 10, 12 and 14
• Developers can make a new Android Virtual
Device with own configuration.
20. Creating first project in VS 2010
• Start Visual Studio 2010
• Create a new project type of mono droid. For
example: Android Application
27. Installation Troubleshooting
• Unautorized Access on
c:usersEmric02AppDataLocalTempMonofor
Droidinstaller_r20.exe. This file can be
deleted, Add “Everyone” on temp folder security
and installation wizard can be started
• Java runtime SE cannot found or already installed.
The Mono for Android needs specific Java
runtime SE 6 update 23 at least on x86. Please
uninstall your Java runtime SE and lets the mono
for android do the job. After installation is
succeed, it can be upgrade to latest update.
28. Installation Troubleshooting
• OS is not recognized or error. It happens on
Windows 8 Preview or Windows 2012 Server
RC. Please uninstall or use virtual machine like
virtualbox or vmware; and install on RTM
version of Windows.
• Cannot access to android hardware device.
This error will appear when you use trial. Just
ignore it.
29. Development Consideration
• Keep as simple as possible and use variable or
instance wisely.
• Decrease use of Java/Dalvik specific API since
it will decrease performance. Find similar
function/class/method on .NET
30. Development Consideration
• Your application will package together with
Mono runtime and make application size
bigger than Java/Dalvik. It makes some time to
load. It can use splash screen to hide it.
31. Resources
• Mono for Android documentation
http://docs.xamarin.com/android/getting_star
ted/Introduction_to_Mono_for_Android
• Mono for Android Community on
stackoverflow
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/m
onodroid?sort=active
32. Resources
• Tested performance Dalvik vs Monodroid
http://www.koushikdutta.com/2009/01/dalvik-
vs-mono.html
• Dalvik VM on Google IO 2008 on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptjedOZEX
PM
• Xamarin channel on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/xamarinhq
