hate to ask this but haven't found the answer to this question anywhere on forum or web when using google maps in android app you need 2 keys (debug and release) My question is, After setting everything up correctly for release and maps key matches signing certificate (i'm sure of it) for map tiles to load in release mode does the app have to be published to android market? when in debug mode i see map tile but not when in release...i have changed all appropriate files to point to the release string for map api key. unpublished .apk files have not been showing map tiles on android phone...thanks!! ian

i'm assuming that because you don't need to publish your .apk file to android market to share it with others that you should see map tiles in release mode without publishing....correct?

Maps work without the market - for sure. Simulators (AVD) sometimes don't show the map tiles no matter what you do but devices should. If you're seeing map tiles when running in debug mode, the only thing you should have to change is the value in screen_locationmap.xml so it looks for the release key in strings.xml instead of the debug key. Maps + Android = sucks!

Hey David, what's happening is i'm sending .apk files to a friend to load on his droid phone (i only have eclipse simulator)...is it possible something is wrong on his end when loading the file? have sent him a few diffent .apk files could it be the phone is confused or something? my understanding is that for the release key i just get api key that matches signing certificates fingerprint and that should be it right? besides changing this in the xml file android:apiKey=@string/googleMapsAPIKeyRelease

Sounds like you're doing it right. Do this: a) Make sure his/her phone is set to Allow Non-Market Apps. I'm thinking it must or nothing would work? b) See if you can have him/her install the app using the native browser. This means you'll need to plop the .apk on your website then explain to them how to enter the url in their browser on the device: http://www.ianssite/iansapp.apk Not sure if this will help but some devices and carriers do crazy stuff when it comes to what they allow and don't allow. The install-through-browser method seems most reliable. Also...you could send me the same URl and I can test at office tomorrow (Android stuff is piled on my desk at work, I don't pollute my house with it!) Funny.

cool...i'm compiling an app for them they built on BT...been working on this for a while now and seems it's probably on their phone's end...thinking i am going to just publish it..i'm sure i have it configured right....the chapter on classes, objects, and methods was easier than this!! cheers!! ian

Q1: In english, what's the difference between a Class and an Object? Without google! LOL Q2: Why is Garbage Collection such an important concept in Object Oriented Programming? No google, I'll be wathing. Like fricken school! All I remember about piano is Every-Good-Boy-Does-Fine and All-Cows-Eat-Grass (no google needed but don't remember what the hell that means!!!)

1. objects belong to classes ( i can give you the countless Car class example every book gives!) 2. haven't delved into GC much yet but i know it takes care of alot of memory usage problems in unused objects? i spent almost 2 whole days on just the chapter about classes, objects, and methods to get my head around the concept...me like!!

Pass. Garbage Collection: Yes, memory management stuff. Super important in iOS because iOS provides NOTHING automatic. Every object that gets created (instantiated) in our code must be destroyed by us (released) or the phone will run out of memory. Android / Java takes care of this for us. Some languages have 'built in' garbage collection and some do not. Objective C does not. For hard-core-coders this is good (for a few reasons) for most folks it's bad and leads to endless problems. The important concept to understand is that when you create a new Car object, or a long list of Cars (or songs, or buttons, or views, or movies, or any other stuff) the computer reserves some space in memory for the Car. This amount of space reserved is the same for a fancy Cadillac or a tiny Yugo. A place is set aside for the car. The 'pointer' to the car, also known as the reference takes up almost no resources but the car takes up tons: Car *myCar = [[Car alloc] init]; In english: 'Allocate some memory for a Car object and initialize the Car. Then, allocate another small peice of memory for the address of the Car. And, computer dude, allow me to reference the funky memory address, the location of the Car iteself using myCar instead of some crazy hexidecimal computer speak. Then...after I'm done telling the car to change colors, and drive away, get rid of the Car and the pointer to the car. [myCar setColor:blue]; [myCar driveAway]; [myCar release]; Another way to say the same thing the books are telling you ;-) out. night.

awesome!! i like hearing things from different perspectives, actually you just said in a paragraph what 10 pages said...gotta remember to release !!! thanks again!

David - seems I can help you out for a change!!!! Every_Good_Boy and All-Cows_eat_grass = placement of notes on the stave. Although you have mixed the line placement from the treble clef and the space placement from the bass see www.musictheory.net

Whoo hoo, sounds like my memory from 30 years ago was close! lol.

Ha!! Maybe I can play the buzztouch Christmas party!! I can teach the programmers some songs....cheers!!