Reading Time is a personal library management app. You can add some books in the app with our ISBN searching functionnality (manually or you can scan a barcode). After that you have a book's collection and you can easily see your favorite books, if you have already saw the book or no, give them a rate, etc.
All the command will be execute on the project folder
First, you have to install Node.js, don't forget to add Node on your system PATH if is not already set. After that, you can install Cordova with this command : npm install -g cordova.
Then you can run this command : npm install, to install all dependencies which define in the package.json file.
The app is guarrantee with the google chrome browser and android >= Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (API 16). You don't have any platforms on your project yet. So you have to add anything you want between the two.
-
Browser : No specific requirement except Google Chrome. Run this command to add the platform :
cordova platform add browserand to run the app on the browser :cordova run browser. -
Android : To run the app on android platform, you must have some prerequisites.
-
First, you must have the Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or later.
-
Second, you must have the android SDK, the most simple way is to install Android Studio, after the installation launch android studio and you can run the SDK manager and install the android target API you want (minimum API 16). Follow this link to have more details about SDK Manager. If you want to run in an android virtual device, you can add a new AVD via android studio, follow this link to have more details about that.
-
Then, if you defined a custom installation path for your JDK or Android Studio, you may have some troubles when you will run some cordova android commands. So you must have severals specific environnement variables on your system. Set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to the location of your JDK installation, the ANDROID_HOME environment variable to the location of your Android SDK installation. And 2 more variable on your PATH system :
<android-sdk-path>\platform-toolsand<android-sdk-path>\tools. -
Finally, you can add the android platform to your project with this command
cordova platform add androidand to run the app on your android phone linked to the computer or your android virtual device :cordova run android.
-
To build an android APK for development test (fully usable and no signature require), you must have the android platforms in your project and you just have to run this command cordova build android. As you can see, at the last line of your console, the link to the APK is displayed. So you just have to get this APK, transfert in your phone and install the app.
Be carefull, to install a "unofficial" you mustsetting up your device : Settings -> Security and lock screen -> Allow to installation from unknown sources
When you try to run the project in a platform, you may have this probem displayed : Error: Cannot find module . In this case, run this command : npm install. It will be install all module dependancies in a node_modules folder.
With cordova, you can find on the internet many plugins and install them easily. You have a "plugins" directory on your project directory. Here is all the plugins used :
-
Cordova Browser-Sync Plugin : This is a simple plugin to have a sync refresh on our browser / android virtual device when we save our code or refresh the page. The default address is : http://localhost:8000. Follow this GIT repo to see complete description and specific commands.
-
Cordova Sqlite Storage : This is a plugin to use Sqlite database in the project. I use it to store all the books, and the settings. You can follow this Git repo to have more detail about the plugin.
-
Phonegap Barcode Scanner : This is a very easy to use plugin which will enable you to use the camera and scan barcode to find the isbn number of books. You can follow this Git repo to have more detail about the plugin.