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| author | The Android Open Source Project <initial-contribution@android.com> | 2009-03-03 19:31:44 -0800 |
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| committer | The Android Open Source Project <initial-contribution@android.com> | 2009-03-03 19:31:44 -0800 |
| commit | 9066cfe9886ac131c34d59ed0e2d287b0e3c0087 (patch) | |
| tree | d88beb88001f2482911e3d28e43833b50e4b4e97 /docs/html/guide/appendix/glossary.jd | |
| parent | d83a98f4ce9cfa908f5c54bbd70f03eec07e7553 (diff) | |
| download | frameworks_base-9066cfe9886ac131c34d59ed0e2d287b0e3c0087.zip frameworks_base-9066cfe9886ac131c34d59ed0e2d287b0e3c0087.tar.gz frameworks_base-9066cfe9886ac131c34d59ed0e2d287b0e3c0087.tar.bz2 | |
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diff --git a/docs/html/guide/appendix/glossary.jd b/docs/html/guide/appendix/glossary.jd new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef81631 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/html/guide/appendix/glossary.jd @@ -0,0 +1,293 @@ +page.title=Glossary +@jd:body + +<p>The list below defines some of the basic terminology of the Android platform. </p> + <dl> + <dt id="apk">.apk file</dt> <dd>Android application package file. Each + Android application is compiled and packaged in a single file that + includes all of the application's code (.dex files), resources, assets, + and manifest file. The application package file can have any name but + <em>must</em> use the <code>.apk</code> extension. For example: + <code>myExampleAppname.apk</code>. For convenience, an application package + file is often referred to as an ".apk". + <p>Related: <a href="#application">Application</a>.</p> +</dd> + + <dt id="dex">.dex file </dt> + <dd>Compiled Android application code file. + <p>Android programs are compiled into .dex (Dalvik Executable) files, which + are in turn zipped into a single .apk file on the device. .dex files can + be created by automatically translating compiled applications written in + the Java programming language.</dd> + + <dt id="action">Action</dt> + <dd>A description of something that an Intent sender wants done. An action is + a string value assigned to an Intent. Action strings can be defined by Android + or by a third-party developer. For example, android.intent.action.VIEW + for a Web URL, or com.example.rumbler.SHAKE_PHONE for a custom application + to vibrate the phone. + <p>Related: <a href="#intent">Intent</a>.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="activity">Activity</dt> + <dd>A single screen in an application, with supporting Java code, derived + from the {@link android.app.Activity} class. Most commonly, an activity is + visibly represented by a full screen window that can receive and handle UI + events and perform complex tasks, because of the Window it uses to render + its window. Though an Activity is typically full screen, it can also be + floating or transparent.</dd> + + <dt id="adb">adb</dt> + <dd>Android Debug Bridge, a command-line debugging application included with the + SDK. It provides tools to browse the device, copy tools on the device, and + forward ports for debugging. If you are developing in Eclipse using the + ADT Plugin, adb is integrated into your development environment. See + <a href="{@docRoot}guide/developing/tools/adb.html">Android Debug Bridge</a> + for more information. </dd> + + <dt id="application">Application</dt> + <dd>From a component perspective, an Android application consists of one + or more activities, services, listeners, and intent receivers. From a + source file perspective, an Android application consists of code, + resources, assets, and a single manifest. During compilation, these files + are packaged in a single file called an application package file (.apk). + <p>Related: <a href="#apk">.apk</a>, <a href="#activity">Activity</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="canvas">Canvas</dt> + <dd>A drawing surface that handles compositing of the actual bits against + a Bitmap or Surface object. It has methods for standard computer drawing + of bitmaps, lines, circles, rectangles, text, and so on, and is bound to a + Bitmap or Surface. Canvas is the simplest, easiest way to draw 2D objects + on the screen. However, it does not support hardware acceleration, as + OpenGL ES does. The base class is {@link android.graphics.Canvas}. + <p>Related: <a href="#drawable">Drawable</a>, <a href="#opengles">OpenGL + ES</a>.</p></dd> + + <dt id="contentprovider">Content Provider</dt> + <dd>A data-abstraction layer that you can use to safely expose your + application's data to other applications. A content provider is built on + the {@link android.content.ContentProvider} class, which handles content + query strings of a specific format to return data in a specific format. + See <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/content-providers.html"> + Content Providers</a> topic for more information. + <p>Related: <a href="#uri">URI Usage in Android</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="dalvik">Dalvik</dt> + <dd>The Android platform's virtual machine. The Dalvik VM is an + interpreter-only virtual machine that executes files in the Dalvik + Executable (.dex) format, a format that is optimized for efficient storage + and memory-mappable execution. The virtual machine is register-based, and + it can run classes compiled by a Java language compiler that have been + transformed into its native format using the included "dx" tool. + The VM runs on top of Posix-compliant operating systems, which it relies + on for underlying functionality (such as threading and low level memory + management). The Dalvik core class library is intended to provide a + familiar development base for those used to programming with Java Standard + Edition, but it is geared specifically to the needs of a small mobile + device.</dd> + + <dt id="ddms">DDMS</dt> + <dd>Dalvik Debug Monitor Service, a GUI debugging application included + with the SDK. It provides screen capture, log dump, and process + examination capabilities. If you are developing in Eclipse using the ADT + Plugin, DDMS is integrated into your development environment. See <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/developing/tools/ddms.html">Dalvik Debug Monitor + Server</a> to learn more about the program.</dd> + + <dt id="dialog">Dialog</dt> <dd> A floating window that that acts as a lightweight + form. A dialog can have button controls only and is intended to perform a + simple action (such as button choice) and perhaps return a value. A dialog + is not intended to persist in the history stack, contain complex layout, + or perform complex actions. Android provides a default simple dialog for + you with optional buttons, though you can define your own dialog layout. + The base class for dialogs is {@link android.app.Dialog Dialog}. + <p>Related: <a href="#activity">Activity</a>.</p></dd> + + <dt id="drawable">Drawable</dt> + <dd>A compiled visual resource that can be used as a background, title, or + other part of the screen. A drawable is typically loaded into another UI + element, for example as a background image. A drawable is not able to + receive events, but does assign various other properties such as "state" + and scheduling, to enable subclasses such as animation objects or image + libraries. Many drawable objects are loaded from drawable resource files + — xml or bitmap files that describe the image. Drawable resources + are compiled into subclasses of {@link android.graphics.drawable}. For + more information about drawables and other resources, see <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/resources/resources-i18n.html">Resources</a>. + <p>Related: <a href="#resources">Resources</a>, <a href="#canvas">Canvas + </a></p></dd> + + <dt id="intent">Intent</dt> + <dd>An message object that you can use to launch or communicate with other + applications/activities asynchronously. An Intent object is an instance of + {@link android.content.Intent}. It includes several criteria fields that you can + supply, to determine what application/activity receives the Intent and + what the receiver does when handling the Intent. Available criteria include + include the desired action, a category, a data string, the MIME type of + the data, a handling class, and others. An application sends + an Intent to the Android system, rather than sending it directly to + another application/activity. The application can send the Intent to a + single target application or it can send it as a broadcast, which can in + turn be handled by multiple applications sequentially. The Android system + is responsible for resolving the best-available receiver for each Intent, + based on the criteria supplied in the Intent and the Intent Filters + defined by other applications. For more information, see <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/intents/intents-filters.html">Intents and + Intent Filters</a>. + <p>Related: <a href="#intentfilter">Intent Filter</a>, <a + href="#broadcastreceiver">Broadcast Receiver</a>.</p></dd> + + <dt id="intentfilter">Intent Filter</dt> + <dd>A filter object that an application declares in its manifest file, to + tell the system what types of Intents each of its components is willing to + accept and with what criteria. Through an intent filter, an application + can express interest in specific data types, Intent actions, URI formats, + and so on. When resolving an Intent, the system evaluates all of the + available intent filters in all applications and passes the Intent to the + application/activity that best matches the Intent and criteria. For more + information, see <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/intents/intents-filters.html">Intents and + Intent Filters</a>. + <p>Related: <a href="#intent">Intent</a>, <a + href="#broadcastreceiver">Broadcast Receiver</a>.</p></dd> + + <dt id="broadcastreceiver">Broadcast Receiver </dt> + <dd>An application class that listens for Intents that are broadcast, + rather than being sent to a single target application/activity. The system + delivers a broadcast Intent to all interested broadcast receivers, which + handle the Intent sequentially. + <p>Related: <a href="#intent">Intent</a>, <a href="#intentfilter">Intent + Filter</a>.</p> </dd> + + <dt id="layoutresource">Layout Resource</dt> + <dd>An XML file that describes the layout of an Activity screen. + <p>Related: <a href="#resources">Resources</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="manifest">Manifest File</dt> + <dd>An XML file that each application must define, to describe the + application's package name, version, components (activities, intent + filters, services), imported libraries, and describes the various + activies, and so on. See <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/manifest-intro.html">The + AndroidManifest.xml File</a> for complete information.</dd> + + <dt id="ninepatch">Nine-patch / 9-patch / Ninepatch image</dt> + <dd>A resizeable bitmap resource that can be used for backgrounds or other + images on the device. See <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/resources/available-resources.html#ninepatch"> + Nine-Patch Stretchable Image</a> for more information. + <p>Related: <a href="#resources">Resources</a>.</p></dd> + + <dt id="opengles">OpenGL ES</dt> + <dd> Android provides OpenGL ES libraries that you can use for fast, + complex 3D images. It is harder to use than a Canvas object, but + better for 3D objects. The {@link android.opengl} and + {@link javax.microedition.khronos.opengles} packages expose + OpenGL ES functionality. + <p>Related: <a href="#canvas">Canvas</a>, <a href="#surface">Surface</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="resources">Resources</dt> + <dd>Nonprogrammatic application components that are external to the + compiled application code, but which can be loaded from application code + using a well-known reference format. Android supports a variety of + resource types, but a typical application's resources would consist of UI + strings, UI layout components, graphics or other media files, and so on. + An application uses resources to efficiently support localization and + varied device profiles and states. For example, an application would + include a separate set of resources for each supported local or device + type, and it could include layout resources that are specific to the + current screen orientation (landscape or portrait). For more information + about resources, see <a + href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/resources/index.html"> Resources and + Assets</a>. The resources of an application are always stored in the + <code>res/*</code> subfolders of the project. </dd> + + <dt id="service">Service</dt> + <dd>An object of class {@link android.app.Service} that runs in the + background (without any UI presence) to perform various persistent + actions, such as playing music or monitoring network activity. + <p>Related: <a href="#activity">Activity</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="surface">Surface</dt> + <dd>An object of type {@link android.view.Surface} representing a block of + memory that gets composited to the screen. A Surface holds a Canvas object + for drawing, and provides various helper methods to draw layers and resize + the surface. You should not use this class directly; use + {@link android.view.SurfaceView} instead. + <p>Related: <a href="#canvas">Canvas</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="surfaceview">SurfaceView</dt> + <dd>A View object that wraps a Surface for drawing, and exposes methods to + specify its size and format dynamically. A SurfaceView provides a way to + draw independently of the UI thread for resource-intensive operations + (such as games or camera previews), but it uses extra memory as a result. + SurfaceView supports both Canvas and OpenGL ES graphics. The base class is + {@link android.view.SurfaceView}. + <p>Related: <a href="#canvas">Surface</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="theme">Theme</dt> + <dd>A set of properties (text size, background color, and so on) bundled + together to define various default display settings. Android provides a + few standard themes, listed in {@link android.R.style} (starting with + "Theme_"). </dd> + + <dt id="uri">URIs in Android</dt> + <dd>Android uses URI strings as the basis for requesting data in a content + provider (such as to retrieve a list of contacts) and for requesting + actions in an Intent (such as opening a Web page in a browser). The URI + scheme and format is specialized according to the type of use, and an + application can handle specific URI schemes and strings in any way it + wants. Some URI schemes are reserved by system components. For example, + requests for data from a content provider must use the + <code>content://</code>. In an Intent, a URI using an <code>http://</code> + scheme will be handled by the browser. </dd> + + <dt id="view">View</dt> + <dd>An object that draws to a rectangular area on the screen and handles + click, keystroke, and other interaction events. A View is a base class for + most layout components of an Activity or Dialog screen (text boxes, + windows, and so on). It receives calls from its parent object (see + viewgroup, below)to draw itself, and informs its parent object about where + and how big it would like to be (which may or may not be respected by the + parent). For more information, see {@link android.view.View}. + <p>Related: <a href="#viewgroup">Viewgroup</a>, <a href="#widget">Widget + </a></p></dd> + + <dt id="viewgroup">Viewgroup</dt> + <dd> A container object that groups a set of child Views. The viewgroup is + responsible for deciding where child views are positioned and how large + they can be, as well as for calling each to draw itself when appropriate. + Some viewgroups are invisible and are for layout only, while others have + an intrinsic UI (for instance, a scrolling list box). Viewgroups are all + in the {@link android.widget widget} package, but extend + {@link android.view.ViewGroup ViewGroup}. + <p>Related: <a href="#view">View</a></p></dd> + + <dt id="widget">Widget</dt> + <dd>One of a set of fully implemented View subclasses that render form + elements and other UI components, such as a text box or popup menu. + Because a widget is fully implemented, it handles measuring and drawing + itself and responding to screen events. Widgets are all in the + {@link android.widget} package. </dd> + + <!-- + <dt id="panel">Panel</dt> + <dd> A panel is a concept not backed by a specific class. It is a View of + some sort that is tied in closely to a parent window, but can handle + clicks and perform simple functions related to its parent. A panel floats + in front of its parent, and is positioned relative to it. A common example + of a panel (implemented by Android) is the options menu available to every + screen. At present, there are no specific classes or methods for creating + a panel — it's more of a general idea. </dd> +--> + + <dt id="panel">Window</dt> + <dd>In an Android application, an object derived from the abstract class + {@link android.view.Window} that specifies the elements of a generic + window, such as the look and feel (title bar text, location and content of + menus, and so on). Dialog and Activity use an implementation of this class + to render a window. You do not need to implement this class or use windows + in your application. </dd> + + +</dl>
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