Andromo App Maker for Android v5.0 Released

Andromo App Maker for Android version 5.0 has been released.

Here is a list of changes in this major version release:

  • Modern and consistent Material Design styling.
  • Optional navigation drawer (replaces previous action bar navigation).
  • Activity images (feature, wide, square).
  • Global/parent/per-activity theming.
  • Modern dashboard styles (48 choices!).
  • Toolbar styles (standard, compact, expanded).
  • Automatic color selection based on an image.
  • Automatic icon color tinting.
  • Large selection of navigation drawer activity icons to choose from (900+).
  • New permission handling on Android 6.0 (API level 23) or higher.
  • Activity list optimizations and styling.
  • Updated and improved build framework used to generate Andromo apps.
  • Updated server technology stack.
  • Double the server resource capacity!
  • Apps target Android 7.0 (API level 24).
  • Minimum Android version requirements – Android 4.0 (API level 14).
  • Improved handling of large project builds.
  • Static area for banner ads with content separation (recommended by AdMob).
  • Google Play Services updated to 10.2.0 (where applicable).
  • Updated AdMob SDK to version 10.2.0.
  • Optional AdMob App ID (for better ad initialization performance).
  • Updated Facebook Audience Network to version 4.23.0.
  • Updated Amazon Mobile Ads to version 5.8.1.1.
  • Updated the YouTube activity’s Data API SDK version.
  • Updated AppLovin SDK to version 6.4.2.
  • Removed Airpush, LeadBolt, Millennial Media and Mobpartner from Andromo’s monetization options.

«1

Comments

  • HELPFUL TIPS

    DO NOT JUST CLICK "BUILD" AND ASSUME YOU ARE DONE AND READY TO UPLOAD TO GOOGLE PLAY!

    Your apps will take on a new and greatly improved material design look, but will of course require you to adjust graphic assets and project settings to ensure your app looks just the way you want.

    Since things will look so different, you will of course also want to try out your apps and verify the results before updating in Google Play.

    Take your time. There is no good reason to update all your apps right away. Update one app. Try it out on a real Android device. Make sure you like the options you have selected. Test it out. When you are happy, then and only then should you upload it to Google Play.

    Then wait a couple of days before updating another app. Get some feedback. Learn the ropes. What looks best for your app will not be the same for everyone. We have given you a *ton* of new choices to play with. Learn them over time...
  • We have updated a lot of the Knowledge Base for v5, but it is not yet 100% complete. It's still the best place to learn what a particular feature or option does though.

    Start here:

    http://support.andromo.com/kb

    Work your way over to here:
    http://support.andromo.com/kb/application-settings


  • Screenshots of the different dashboard item styles will be coming over the next few weeks. Want to contribute to the community? Make a new thread and post some images as you make your apps and try out the new dashboard item styles...
  • Hi, I've seen some bugs, in gallery the option "Set image as" doesn't work.
  • > Hi, I've seen some bugs, in gallery the option "Set image as" doesn't work.

    Do you mean "Set picture as"? Were you trying to set it as a wallpaper or a contact photo?

    Can you provide more information? Especially, the exact steps you followed, what type of device and android version, what image you used, etc.

    (You might want to open a support ticket so we can continue this discussion there.)

  • My app crash every time I enter the about tab. I have built the app multiple times but it doesn't help.
  • edited June 2017
    Please open a support ticket to report any bugs you find.

    Some bugs are going to be expected as 5.0 is now being used on a much wider range of projects and devices than we can test ourselves. Please provide as many details as you can (especially detailed descriptions of every step you took leading up to the point where the bug occurs) so we can fix these bugs as quickly as possible.
  • I want to know app duplication option available in latest version
  • edited June 2017
    what is the function of drawer icon? all my activity icon has been replaced.. can u create a tutorial on how to use the new andromo 5. i like the previous one.
  • yeah whats the deal with activity Icons? how to we add them back??
  • 1. How to setup a simple image as Background of the Dashboard, and how to setup a simple image as background of a radio activity?
    2. (I think this is possible now) How to to set it up that way that we upload one image for background of a radio activity and then set all radio activities to use that image as background?

    Sorry for the questions. You should actually expect many of them soon, because the new style has a huge learning and testing curve. I know it will eventually be for the good of our apps, but I still am overwhelmed at all the testing we need to do and at all the things seemingly gone from our apps. Quite stressed now :S
  • edited June 2017
    OMG.. you have changed everything, what about the people who has hundred or thousand apps in the account.. lucky im new and i just got a few only!
  • edited June 2017
    Sorry to say this version is very dangerous especially for those who use 1 andromo account for many google developer account.  The "ABOUT" button in HOME directly shown developer name. Please make an option for your client to use old version or new version and don't use your autocratic power to enforce all to use your new version. Thank you! Im also stress @anteos ;
  • Andromo used to be great, but now you rushed things a bit.

    You should make a video tutorial on how to use the new app builder and how does it all work, or make a preview before a build is made because now we have A LOT to learn (basically, nothing is the same anymore). We are now all under a lot of stress because some of us are making apps for clients and are on a deadline.

    I believe that now the apps will look much better and that is awesome!

    What is not awesome is that you don't make it user friendly. Make tutorials, BEFORE the new release is placed in our hands.
  • We all know that change can seem stressful at first. The thing to remember is that there is no need to update 500 apps "today". Your Andromo v4 apps do not expire or stop working. You have all sorts of time to make the transition to much, much better looking, modern material design apps.

    Read my hints up at the top again before doing anything. Then follow the links to the Knowledge Base and get an overview of what the new options do.

    We'll work on putting together some sort of walkthrough to help you guys get acquainted with things quicker. Everything is actually much more logical and easier to work with if you are brand new to Andromo. For the "old timers" though, you are just very used to the quirks you got used to and knew your way around. Take it one step at a time and your apps will be much better for it.
  • Oh, and for those of you who just don't want to let go of the antiquated icon styles, we did not forget about you.

    Lorne's post (https://forums.andromo.com/discussion/2007/andromo-scheduled-maintenance-june-28-2017#latest) at the bottom describes how to do that. Again, take it a step at a time. Do a few activities and see how it looks. Then move on. Don't just convert 10 full apps without trying them...

    We will be getting screenshots etc of the different Dashboard item styles together shortly as well.
  • Yes, the dashboard style screenshots are very important, because there are plenty to choose from and we have no idea how they look like. 
  • As Colin mention, screenshots and finished documentation will make things clearer, however for now, don't be too scared by the number of styles to choose from. They are essentially just variations of 3 main styles, card, grid and list.

    The item descriptions may change, but here's some additional notes about the terms in their names:

    card = card interface
    grid = grid interface
    list = list interface
    auto = Automatic text background coloring based on colors in the image
    desc = Description (ie. it shows the activity's description if provided)
    title = Title (ie. it shows the activity's title)
    subtitle = Subtitle (ie. it shows the activity's subtitle if provided).
    wide = uses activity's Wide image, or primary color if not provided.
    4x3 = uses activity's Wide image or primary color if not provided.
    square = uses activity's square image or primary color if not provided.
    scrim = text over top of image
    icon = uses activity's drawer icon
    dest = for list_icon styles, tints the icon to the destination activity's primary color.
    primary = for list_icon styles, tints the icon to the dashboard's primary color.
    grey = for list_icon styles, tints the icon to grey
    2col = 2 column grid
    3col = 3 column grid
  • edited June 2017


    How do we change the colors of the activity icons in the navigation bar? Or add our own icons?

    I did read Lorne's post (https://forums.andromo.com/discussion/2007/andromo-scheduled-maintenance-june-28-2017#latest) And I tried to use the square image to try to supply an icon, but it did not work.



  • The navigation drawer text and icons are tinted to the "Text Color" of the Global Theme. If you would like to change that go to the Theme tab, select "Custom" as the "Body Style" and select a different color as the "Text Color". Keep in mind that this is a global theme color, so it will be reflected anywhere else you use the global theme.

    As for custom drawer icons, we don't currently support that, only the ones available in the list (activity settings, Images, Drawer Icon). The requirements/format for the drawer icons is pretty specific for tinting, so it's unknown at this point if we'll expose a custom option there or not.
  • is there a way to have a background images show in dashboard and also in each activities?
  • Thanks for the new style and material design!
    How can we make sub-levels of dashboards with activities? For example I need to make groups of activities that have the same purpose. I thought you were going to give us that function...

    Is its not possible for our users to make favorites, right?
  • @casan9va Activity "groups" are fully completed on the back-end app builder. However, we still need to do the coding to hook them into the website so you can make use of them.

    You'll see some of that peeking through as you use Andromo 5 already though. References to "inheriting" theme settings and such from either the "Global" theme or the "Parent". Well, right now the only "parent" an activity has is the main project Dashboard. However that could also be a "group"... A bit more work before it's out though...
  • Thanks for your quick answer and congrats for your excellent work!
  • All my button images are gone. I don't even know how to set them like I had them before. How to I change the button images? 
  • Looking forward to the activity groups. Will it be possible for the user to have "favorite activities"? And I would love a search function where you can search for activities.

    Also, it would be nive if the user can refresh the page by pulling down like on most of the other new apps in tje Play Store.
  • Thank you for providing answers to our questions because it is CRUCIAL in these STRESSFUL times.
    How do we add a background? Please see the image below.


  • edited June 2017
    paraglajder
    I also wish from the administration to add that :'(
  • Great. There are no social media icons in the Drawer Icon list. Just great. This is a BIG disappointment for me, and a reason big enough to stop using Andromo.
  • @paraglajder Considering that there was no navigation drawer before at all, it's hard to see why you are disappointed in the 900+ icon choices that didn't exist at all before. Don't like the nav drawer? Turn it off. Frankly, using "social media" logos in your apps is a violation of Google Play policy - which is why Google does not make them available.
This discussion has been closed.