Creating a seamless user experience in your app can be a game-changer, and the Android Floating Tutorial Activity offers a fantastic solution. This lightweight framework makes it simple to present tutorials and alerts without obstructing the user interface. In this guide, we will explore how to implement this framework creatively and share some troubleshooting tips along the way.

What is the Android Floating Tutorial Activity?

This innovative framework enables you to craft tutorials or alerts that do not interfere with user activity. Whether you’re guiding users through a login page or prompting them for feedback, this solution is user-friendly and visually appealing. It can be tailored to fit your unique design requirements, ensuring flexibility across multiple use cases.

Including it in Your Project

To get started, integrate the framework into your Android application. Simply add the following line to your app’s build.gradle file:

dependencies {
    implementation 'com.klinkerapps:floating-tutorial:1.1.0'
}

Usage Instructions

The framework is centered around a core class called FloatingTutorialActivity. To use it, create a new activity that extends this class and implements the getPages function.

class ExampleActivity : FloatingTutorialActivity() {
    override fun getPages(): List {
        ...
    }
}

Now, let’s use an analogy to visualize this setup. Imagine you are a tour guide showcasing a beautiful estate. The FloatingTutorialActivity serves as your tour guide role; it leads users through various sections (pages) of your application. Each room (tutorial page) is designed differently and can be customized according to your theme. Visitors will experience a smooth tour with progress indicators (like a hallway guide) and a next button (like a door to the next room). You have the freedom to design each room as you see fit, ensuring an enjoyable walkthrough.

Customizing the Tutorial Pages

Customization is crucial for achieving the desired user experience. You can alter aspects such as:

  • Background color
  • Next button color and text
  • Progress indicator color

Here’s a helpful snippet for customization:

object : TutorialPage(this@SimpleDialogExample) {
    override fun initPage() {
        setContentView(R.layout.simple_layout)
        val view = findViewById(R.id.example_view)
        view.setBackgroundColor(Color.RED)
        view.setOnClickListener { 
            hideNextButton() 
        }
        setNextButtonColor(Color.WHITE)
        setProgressIndicatorColor(Color.WHITE)
        setBackgroundColor(Color.BLACK)
    }
}

Animating the Layouts

For a more engaging experience, consider adding animations when users first view a page. You can achieve this by overriding the animateLayout function:

override fun animateLayout() {
    val view = findViewById(R.id.example_view)
    AnimationHelper.quickViewReveal(view, 300)
}

Handling Results from Tutorial Pages

Sometimes, you’ll want to track user interactions, such as confirming a login process. This can be done by providing the calling activity with the tutorial’s results. A practical example of this can be seen in the SelectionDialogExample.

Troubleshooting Tips

As with any programming task, challenges may arise. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

  • Ensure that all dependencies are correctly included in your build.gradle file.
  • Double-check your layout files to confirm that the IDs match those referenced in your code.
  • If animations aren’t displaying, review the animation logic and ensure it’s triggering as intended.
  • If pages are not appearing, make sure your getPages function is returning a valid list.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

About the Author

Hemen Ashodia

Hemen Ashodia

Hemen has over 14+ years in data science, contributing to hundreds of ML projects. Hemen is founder of haveto.com and fxis.ai, which has been doing data science since 2015. He has worked with notable companies like Bitcoin.com, Tala, Johnson & Johnson, and AB InBev. He possesses hard-to-find expertise in artificial neural networks, deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative adversarial networks. Proven track record of leading projects and teams for Fortune 500 companies and startups, delivering innovative and scalable solutions. Hemen has also worked for cruxbot that was later acquired by Intel, mainly for their machine learning development.

×