basic beginner questions - networking, interaction, storing & display images, automated prompt, automated update,

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hi, all –

It’s finally time to build an app :slight_smile:  I’ve hit on the next million-dollar idea, and now I need to get started putting it into place.  I’m a bit overwhelmed by it all, though, and would appreciate pointers to where to start.  I’m probably just not searching very well, but so far my forum searches just haven’t turned up much direction; most folks are interested in creating games and using the physics engine, which is logical but not my speed.

This is a basic question-and-answer training/refresher app.  I’ve set myself a few milestones to walk through the development.  I’m getting started with Android but will then bring in iOS, which cross-platform simplification is what brought me to Corona in the first place, once I get through the rough structure where I can easily test on my own device.  (Oh, and questions about the simulator, and compiling & testing, and loading onto my actual device, and …  I haven’t even gone there yet :slight_smile:

  • Display a question (eg “What is the airspeed of an unladen swallow?”) and four answer choices

[display & layout, table structure]

  • Recognize the user input choice and “submit” event; save the answer; display congrats or correction

[what is interaction?]

  • Store 10 questions and display a fresh one from the list

[more table structure; data storage & update]

  • Connect to my server and send stats & get more questions

[network; authentication; security ; more storage]

  • Display a picture (eg coconuts) over/under or next to the question

[display; file/data types; more table structure; more storage; orientation/acceleration]

  • User personalization & authentication

[more network; more table structure; more security; display of passwd vs text]

  • Daily updates a la APOD or similar

[? to schedule]

  • Notifications/Reminders to try another question periodically

[more scheduling; notifications]

Whew!  I looked through the network.* API and think that I see that everything has to go through HTTP or HTTPS connections; I presume that that means that I’ll have to have a web-based back end instead of some other service protocol.  Is that true, or can I make any sort of connection I want?

I also saw the display.* API and, well, it’s freakin’ huge :slight_smile:  That’s when I realized I am in over my head and need some basics.

Are there Corona University tutorials that cover these sorts of things that I have managed to miss?  Or are there other tutorials & samples out there to get me going?

TIA & HAND

David T-G

#2

No problem, Corona in it’s free version will be able to do all of this without problem :slight_smile:

#3

Piotr, et al –

Thanks.  That’s good to know, but … I’m swamped!  Can anyone recommend university pages, tutorials, or other pointers to help me get my feet on the ground and making some traction?

TIA & HAND

David T-G

#4

http://www.coronalabs.com/resources/tutorials/getting-started-with-corona/

#5

Hiya!

I did see that; thanks.  I guess that’s what we have for me :slight_smile:

Thanks again & HAND

David T-G

#6

There are actually quite a few tutorial/training/learning resources for Corona both on this site and out in the wild.  Here’s another resource (though some links and tutorials might be outdated)

http://learningcorona.com/

The project you have in mind seems not an overly ambitious one to get started with (other than perhaps the network backend storage/retrieval/updates and notifications), which is smart.  But as you have already outlined there are many basics you need to learn about.  I’d suggest starting with one of the samples provided with Corona SDK and get it built and running on your device.  Just getting that far is not exactly easy if you’ve never built an app before.  

#7

Learningcorona.com is great, but as HardBoiled mentioned it is fairly outdated now. If your looking for a more up to date resource list i would check out our resource centre.

Its a pretty long list, but if you “CTRL+F” you should be able to find helpful links :slight_smile:

#8

Hi, all –

Thanks!  The networking didn’t have me so worried, and the notifications are a bonus at the end, but I sure would like to be able to update.  But I can take baby steps :slight_smile:

Also great; thanks!  A big pile overwhelms me a bit, but it’s nothing a determined slogging can’t resolve.

I feel better already :slight_smile:

Thanks again & HAND

David T-G

#9

No problem, Corona in it’s free version will be able to do all of this without problem :slight_smile:

#10

Piotr, et al –

Thanks.  That’s good to know, but … I’m swamped!  Can anyone recommend university pages, tutorials, or other pointers to help me get my feet on the ground and making some traction?

TIA & HAND

David T-G

#11

http://www.coronalabs.com/resources/tutorials/getting-started-with-corona/

#12

Hiya!

I did see that; thanks.  I guess that’s what we have for me :slight_smile:

Thanks again & HAND

David T-G

#13

There are actually quite a few tutorial/training/learning resources for Corona both on this site and out in the wild.  Here’s another resource (though some links and tutorials might be outdated)

http://learningcorona.com/

The project you have in mind seems not an overly ambitious one to get started with (other than perhaps the network backend storage/retrieval/updates and notifications), which is smart.  But as you have already outlined there are many basics you need to learn about.  I’d suggest starting with one of the samples provided with Corona SDK and get it built and running on your device.  Just getting that far is not exactly easy if you’ve never built an app before.  

#14

Learningcorona.com is great, but as HardBoiled mentioned it is fairly outdated now. If your looking for a more up to date resource list i would check out our resource centre.

Its a pretty long list, but if you “CTRL+F” you should be able to find helpful links :slight_smile:

#15

Hi, all –

Thanks!  The networking didn’t have me so worried, and the notifications are a bonus at the end, but I sure would like to be able to update.  But I can take baby steps :slight_smile:

Also great; thanks!  A big pile overwhelms me a bit, but it’s nothing a determined slogging can’t resolve.

I feel better already :slight_smile:

Thanks again & HAND

David T-G