hello, Rick!

Hi Mark

how can I help you today?

How do I add a DialogFragment to a Project?

um, create a subclass of it, alongside the rest of your Java classes

see https://github.com/commonsguy/cw-omnibus/tree/v... for an example

Through the Android Studio GUI? Create a regular Fragment then just extend DialogFragment?

oh, if you mean through some sort of wizard... I don't know if they have a DialogFragment wizard

I very rarely use those wizards, as I wind up having to rip out more code than it saves me typing

Ah

So just new Java Class?

yes

yeah, I don't see a DialogFragment wizard item, or anything related to dialogs

So you don't end up using all the options on the same drop down like new Activity or Fragment etc.

me either

no

occasionally, I'll use the IntentService and BroadcastReceiver ones, as I don't have to rip out that much code

Okay so, here's my story:

I'm a CS adjunct at a university here in CT>

I was asked to teach Android

I don't know Android. :)

that would seem to be a slight hiccup in the plan :-)

You'd think

So, I know a bit now and I know Java.

My feeling is it's a little "wild west" right now

I'm not sure what the "it's" refers to in that sentence

Android development

:: shrug ::

It seems to change rapidly

oh, that's certainly true

IMHO, the half life of a blog post or Stack Overflow answer is about 18 months

k so when I try to find examples or students try to find examples 90% maybe more are outdated

yes

that's fairly commonplace

makes learning a little more difficult

enter your book

updated very quickly it seems

every 4-8 weeks

dirt cheap (no offense)

I still have students who "can't afford" it

$20!

understood

skip a beer

well, that'd be an expensive beer

You get my point

certainly

it's one of the reasons I switched from $45/year to $20/6-months, to lower the cost of entry

anyway, I'm trying to make it a text for the class.

plus, you can't beat office hours with the author included

I've helped a few students over the years

I bet

so, this time you're going to be helping the instructor :)

I've done that on occasion too :-)

I'd also bet

so, you'll certainly be hearing from me. I think one of the biggest problems my students face is a lack of solid Java skills

yeah, and that's an area where my book doesn't really help much

I asked if they knew what inheritance was and oh sure, yeah, we all know that. Then I asked.

I went all the way around the room and only 1 student knew

that will make learning standard Android development somewhat difficult

They don't know why you call a parent's version of a method in one of these examples

they just see it somewhere and try to copy it everywhere

or just plain skip it

either way, they're done

they don't understand scope

"just doesn't work"

well you don't have a reference to the view here...

then factor my shaky android and it's tough

this is why I stick to professional training

you hold android classes for android devs?

right now, it's just private training for organizations

I'm looking to get back into public training (the kind anyone can sign up for) soon

stay tuned to my blog for further details

So, anyway, hour's up but one last question please. So, this student wants to click a button in his main activity open a dialogfragment with a listview

I've read some differences from onCreateView vs onCreateDialog

does that application need onCreateDialog?

that depends a bit on how you want to set up the ListView

if you want to use the stock AlertDialog implementation, then you would use onCreateDialog()

if you would prefer to set that up yourself, with your own ListAdapter, then you would use onCreateView()

I think he wants something else in the main activity to pick an array and then to use an array adapter

AlertDialog can have a listview in it?

he's trying to use a listadapter now and onCreateView but it's not working

yes, though it's easiest to set up via AlertDialog.Builder

there is a setAdapter() method, or you can use setCursor(), setItems(), or setMultiChoiceItems() for a stock adapter

there an example in your book?

not of an AlertDialog with a list, sorry

at least, not that I recall

alright, thanks

that's a wrap for today's chat, then

the transcript will be posted to https://commonsware.com/office-hours/ shortly

I just need time. Between the regular job, teaching classes, the 4 year old...

the next chat is Monday, also at 4pm US Eastern

I really appreciate the chat help

and the book format

you are very welcome

thank you. I think it'll really help myself and my students.

have a pleasant (rest of the) day!