In this tutorial we will create a simple NFC app as a new project from scratch.
Set minimum version to Eclair API v7
Select FragmentActivity (most common you will use)
Name the Activity "MainActivity"
inspect settings.gradle
include ':app'
inspect local.properties (specific to locatin of your Android SDK directory)
sdk.dir=/Users/uki/Documents/Dropbox/Android/android-sdk-macosx
inspect gradle.properties
- no configuration
inspect build.gradle
note that gradle plugin is newer that in project created last week
classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:0.12.2'
inspect NFC/app/build.gradle
notice the newest versions of tools API 21 - Lollipop
apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
android {
compileSdkVersion 21
buildToolsVersion "21.0.2"
defaultConfig {
applicationId "com.chicagoandroid.nfc"
minSdkVersion 7
targetSdkVersion 21
versionCode 1
versionName "1.0"
}
buildTypes {
release {
runProguard false
proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
}
}
}
dependencies {
compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:21.0.0'
}
Step: run the app
everything should work without any changes.
Step: open NFC/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
- Add permission within <application> tag to allow use of NFC
- Add feature if you want your app to be available only to phones with NFC
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.NFC" />
<uses-feature
android:name="android.hardware.nfc"
android:required="true" />
</application>
Alternatively to uses-feature you will be able to check if device supports NFC in runtime getDefaultAdapter() is null.
Step: change minSdkVersion
- change to API 9 if you want basic NFC support
- change to API 10 is you want full support
- change to API 14 to take advantage of newest API and Android Beam (device-to-device)
Previously we would set AndroidManifest.xml
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="14"/>
You can test run the app, even using version 21 and it will not have an effect.
Since we build with build.gradle we will change it there:
apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
android {
compileSdkVersion 21
buildToolsVersion "21.0.2"
defaultConfig {
applicationId "com.chicagoandroid.nfc"
minSdkVersion 14
...
Step: add NFC intent filter
<action android:name="android.nfc.action.NDEF_DISCOVERED" />
<action android:name="android.nfc.action.NDEF_DISCOVERED" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:mimeType="text/plain" />
</intent-filter>
Run project and try to scan a tag. The app does not pick it up.
<resources xmlns:xliff="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
Step: tech-list.xml resource
- add new directory src/main/res/xml
- add new file tech_list.xml
<resources xmlns:xliff="urn:oasis:names:tc:xliff:document:1.2">
<tech-list>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.IsoDep</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.NfcA</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.NfcB</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.NfcF</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.NfcV</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.Ndef</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.NdefFormatable</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.MifareClassic</tech>
<tech>android.nfc.tech.MifareUltralight</tech>
</tech-list>
</resources>
Run project and try to scan a tag.