How to publish your Android app yourself

Question

Hi, I am wondering what process I must follow in order to publish the application on my website myself. Is it just putting the .apk file on the website and providing a link to the user to go (from the phone) to the application and install it?

• Can the user gain additional knowledge in order to be able to install the application?
• Can a user install it with one click?
• What about updates, can a user be notified when there is a new version?
• Will the user have to unistall and reinstall the application when upgrading to a newer version?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

• No additional knowledge, and they can be installed with one click. However, they need to install the installation of "non-market applications" in the settings.
• The update notification can only work if you program it in your application. Request some kind of flag from your site or something like that. Therefore no basic support for this
• You do not need to uninstall and reinstall. Pay attention to your version of Number.

Answer 2

/* * Code Prepared by Muhammad Mubashir. * Analyst Software Enggineer. Emial Id : [e-mail] Skype Id : muhammad.mubashir.ansari Code: August, 2011. Description: Get Updates(means New .Apk File) from IIS Server and Download it on Device SD Card, and Uninstall Previous (means OLD .apk) and Install New One. and also get Installed App Version Code & Version Name. All Rights Reserved. */ package com.SelfInstall01; import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream; import java.io.File; import java.io.FileOutputStream; import java.io.IOException; import java.io.InputStream; import java.net.HttpURLConnection; import java.net.MalformedURLException; import java.net.URL; import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.List; import com.SelfInstall01.SelfInstall01Activity; import android.app.Activity; import android.app.AlertDialog; import android.app.Dialog; import android.app.AlertDialog.Builder; import android.content.DialogInterface; import android.content.Intent; import android.content.pm.PackageInfo; import android.net.Uri; import android.os.Bundle; import android.os.Environment; import android.view.View; import android.view.View.OnClickListener; import android.widget.Button; import android.widget.TextView; import android.widget.Toast; public class SelfInstall01Activity extends Activity { class PInfo { private String appname = ""; private String pname = ""; private String versionName = ""; private int versionCode = 0; //private Drawable icon; /*private void prettyPrint() { //Log.v(appname + "\t" + pname + "\t" + versionName + "\t" + versionCode); }*/ } public int VersionCode; public String VersionName=""; public String ApkName ; public String AppName ; public String BuildVersionPath=""; public String urlpath ; public String PackageName; public String InstallAppPackageName; public String Text=""; TextView tvApkStatus; Button btnCheckUpdates; TextView tvInstallVersion; /** Called when the activity is first created. */ @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.main); //Text= "Old".toString(); Text= "New".toString(); ApkName = "SelfInstall01.apk";//"Test1.apk";// //"DownLoadOnSDcard_01.apk"; // AppName = "SelfInstall01";//"Test1"; // BuildVersionPath = "http://10.0.2.2:82/Version.txt".toString(); PackageName = "package:com.SelfInstall01".toString(); //"package:com.Test1".toString(); urlpath = "http://10.0.2.2:82/"+ Text.toString()+"_Apk/" + ApkName.toString(); tvApkStatus =(TextView)findViewById(R.id.tvApkStatus); tvApkStatus.setText(Text+" Apk Download.".toString()); tvInstallVersion = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.tvInstallVersion); String temp = getInstallPackageVersionInfo(AppName.toString()); tvInstallVersion.setText("" +temp.toString()); btnCheckUpdates =(Button)findViewById(R.id.btnCheckUpdates); btnCheckUpdates.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View arg0) { GetVersionFromServer(BuildVersionPath); if(checkInstalledApp(AppName.toString()) == true) { Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Application Found " + AppName.toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); }else{ Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Application Not Found. "+ AppName.toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } } }); }// On Create END. private Boolean checkInstalledApp(String appName){ return getPackages(appName); } // Get Information about Only Specific application which is Install on Device. public String getInstallPackageVersionInfo(String appName) { String InstallVersion = ""; ArrayList<PInfo> apps = getInstalledApps(false); /* false = no system packages */ final int max = apps.size(); for (int i=0; i<max; i++) { //apps.get(i).prettyPrint(); if(apps.get(i).appname.toString().equals(appName.toString())) { InstallVersion = "Install Version Code: "+ apps.get(i).versionCode+ " Version Name: "+ apps.get(i).versionName.toString(); break; } } return InstallVersion.toString(); } private Boolean getPackages(String appName) { Boolean isInstalled = false; ArrayList<PInfo> apps = getInstalledApps(false); /* false = no system packages */ final int max = apps.size(); for (int i=0; i<max; i++) { //apps.get(i).prettyPrint(); if(apps.get(i).appname.toString().equals(appName.toString())) { /*if(apps.get(i).versionName.toString().contains(VersionName.toString()) == true && VersionCode == apps.get(i).versionCode) { isInstalled = true; Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Code Match", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); openMyDialog(); }*/ if(VersionCode <= apps.get(i).versionCode) { isInstalled = true; /*Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Install Code is Less.!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();*/ DialogInterface.OnClickListener dialogClickListener = new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { switch (which) { case DialogInterface.BUTTON_POSITIVE: //Yes button clicked //SelfInstall01Activity.this.finish(); Close The App. DownloadOnSDcard(); InstallApplication(); UnInstallApplication(PackageName.toString()); break; case DialogInterface.BUTTON_NEGATIVE: //No button clicked break; } } }; AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this); builder.setMessage("New Apk Available..").setPositiveButton("Yes Proceed", dialogClickListener) .setNegativeButton("No.", dialogClickListener).show(); } if(VersionCode > apps.get(i).versionCode) { isInstalled = true; /*Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Install Code is better.!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();*/ DialogInterface.OnClickListener dialogClickListener = new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { switch (which) { case DialogInterface.BUTTON_POSITIVE: //Yes button clicked //SelfInstall01Activity.this.finish(); Close The App. DownloadOnSDcard(); InstallApplication(); UnInstallApplication(PackageName.toString()); break; case DialogInterface.BUTTON_NEGATIVE: //No button clicked break; } } }; AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this); builder.setMessage("NO need to Install.").setPositiveButton("Install Forcely", dialogClickListener) .setNegativeButton("Cancel.", dialogClickListener).show(); } } } return isInstalled; } private ArrayList<PInfo> getInstalledApps(boolean getSysPackages) { ArrayList<PInfo> res = new ArrayList<PInfo>(); List<PackageInfo> packs = getPackageManager().getInstalledPackages(0); for(int i=0;i<packs.size();i++) { PackageInfo p = packs.get(i); if ((!getSysPackages) && (p.versionName == null)) { continue ; } PInfo newInfo = new PInfo(); newInfo.appname = p.applicationInfo.loadLabel(getPackageManager()).toString(); newInfo.pname = p.packageName; newInfo.versionName = p.versionName; newInfo.versionCode = p.versionCode; //newInfo.icon = p.applicationInfo.loadIcon(getPackageManager()); res.add(newInfo); } return res; } public void UnInstallApplication(String packageName)// Specific package Name Uninstall. { //Uri packageURI = Uri.parse("package:com.CheckInstallApp"); Uri packageURI = Uri.parse(packageName.toString()); Intent uninstallIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_DELETE, packageURI); startActivity(uninstallIntent); } public void InstallApplication() { Uri packageURI = Uri.parse(PackageName.toString()); Intent intent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW, packageURI); // Intent intent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW); //intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK); //intent.setFlags(Intent.ACTION_PACKAGE_REPLACED); //intent.setAction(Settings. ACTION_APPLICATION_SETTINGS); intent.setDataAndType (Uri.fromFile(new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/download/" + ApkName.toString())), "application/vnd.android.package-archive"); // Not open this Below Line Bcuz... ////intent.setClass(this, Project02Activity.class); // This Line Call Activity Recursively its dangerous. startActivity(intent); } public void GetVersionFromServer(String BuildVersionPath) { //this is the file you want to download from the remote server //path ="http://10.0.2.2:82/Version.txt"; //this is the name of the local file you will create // version.txt contain Version Code = 2; \n Version name = 2.1; URL u; try { u = new URL(BuildVersionPath.toString()); HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) u.openConnection(); c.setRequestMethod("GET"); c.setDoOutput(true); c.connect(); //Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "HttpURLConnection Complete.!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); InputStream in = c.getInputStream(); ByteArrayOutputStream baos = new ByteArrayOutputStream(); byte[] buffer = new byte[1024]; //that stops the reading after 1024 chars.. //in.read(buffer); // Read from Buffer. //baos.write(buffer); // Write Into Buffer. int len1 = 0; while ( (len1 = in.read(buffer)) != -1 ) { baos.write(buffer,0, len1); // Write Into ByteArrayOutputStream Buffer. } String temp = ""; String s = baos.toString();// baos.toString(); contain Version Code = 2; \n Version name = 2.1; for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++) { i = s.indexOf("=") + 1; while (s.charAt(i) == ' ') // Skip Spaces { i++; // Move to Next. } while (s.charAt(i) != ';'&& (s.charAt(i) >= '0' && s.charAt(i) <= '9' || s.charAt(i) == '.')) { temp = temp.toString().concat(Character.toString(s.charAt(i))) ; i++; } // s = s.substring(i); // Move to Next to Process.! temp = temp + " "; // Separate wrt Space Version Code and Version Name. } String[] fields = temp.split(" ");// Make Array for Version Code and Version Name. VersionCode = Integer.parseInt(fields[0].toString());// .ToString() Return String Value. VersionName = fields[1].toString(); baos.close(); } catch (MalformedURLException e) { Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Error." + e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); e.printStackTrace(); } catch (IOException e) { e.printStackTrace(); Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Error." + e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); } //return true; }// Method End. // Download On My Mobile SDCard or Emulator. public void DownloadOnSDcard() { try{ URL url = new URL(urlpath.toString()); // Your given URL. HttpURLConnection c = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection(); c.setRequestMethod("GET"); c.setDoOutput(true); c.connect(); // Connection Complete here.! //Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "HttpURLConnection complete.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); String PATH = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/download/"; File file = new File(PATH); // PATH = /mnt/sdcard/download/ if (!file.exists()) { file.mkdirs(); } File outputFile = new File(file, ApkName.toString()); FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(outputFile); // Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "SD Card Path: " + outputFile.toString(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); InputStream is = c.getInputStream(); // Get from Server and Catch In Input Stream Object. byte[] buffer = new byte[1024]; int len1 = 0; while ((len1 = is.read(buffer)) != -1) { fos.write(buffer, 0, len1); // Write In FileOutputStream. } fos.close(); is.close();//till here, it works fine - .apk is download to my sdcard in download file. // So plz Check in DDMS tab and Select your Emualtor. //Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Download Complete on SD Card.!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show(); //download the APK to sdcard then fire the Intent. } catch (IOException e) { Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Error! " + e.toString(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show(); } } } 

XML permissions.

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" package="com.SelfInstall01" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0"> <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="7" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"></uses-permission> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INSTALL_PACKAGES" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.DELETE_CACHE_FILES" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.DELETE_PACKAGES" /> <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name"> <activity android:name=".SelfInstall01Activity" android:label="@string/app_name"> <intent-filter> <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter> </activity> </application> </manifest> 

Answer 3

. Can the user gain additional knowledge in order to be able to install the application? Yes. You cannot install an unsigned application without authorizing the installation of "Unknown sources" in the application settings.

. Can a user install it with one click? Nope. He must get your site, download it, open it and approve that he wants to install it.

-What about the updates, can the user get a notification when a new version appears? I think update support is only for applications on the market. You need to write something

- Do you need to unistall and reinstall the application when upgrading to a newer version? See the answer above - it depends on how you implement it.