How to install an application with mapactivity on a real machine that does not support Google map add-on

Not all android real machines contain Google map add-on.

If we develop an android application that uses Google map add-on ),

You will find that this program cannot be successfully installed on a real machine without the built-in Google map add-on.

Applications cannot be installed, which is a tough problem.

At least tell the user why not install it.

The following is a solution: (not the best. The best thing is that if Google map is not found in the real machine, I will add it to the program !)

There are two methods:

1) maintain two code branches:

One branch is for Android real machines with built-in Google map add-on,

The other branch is an android real machine with no built-in Google map add-on.

However, this will increase maintenance costs, and careless users may install mismatched branches on their own machines,

This reduces the software friendliness.

2) keep only one code Branch:

A foreign Daniel pointed out that the tag also contains an unpublished attribute "Android: required ",

You can set this attribute of the COM. Google. Android. Maps library to false, that is:

<! -- The "Android: required" attribute was added in API Level 5 (Android 2.0) -->
<Uses-library Android: Name = "com. Google. Android. Maps"Android: required = "false"/>

This means that if Google map add-on is built into the target machine,

The application can be used normally;

If the target machine does not have a built-in Google map add-on, you can also install the application.

However, developers must determine whether Google map add-on is available in the code,

Example:

Try {

Class. forname ("com. Google. Android. Maps. mapactivity ");

} Catch (exception e ){

Toast. maketext (mainactivity. This, "Oop! Google map unavailable ", Toast. length_short). Show ();

Return;

}

Intent intent = new intent ();

Intent. setclass (mainactivity. This, mymapactivity. Class );

Startactivity (intent );

Reference website:

[1] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3909903/disable-mapview-if-it-is-not-supported

[2] http://androidforums.com/application-development/140147-does-all-android-devices-support-map-api.html