Posted by Joshua Hale – Software program Engineer

As massive screens change into more and more essential throughout the Android app ecosystem, we’re dedicated to reinforce instruments to assist Android builders adapt their apps for these massive display screen kind elements. In doing so, we try to make sure that we will deliver impactful instruments to reinforce the general expertise for constructing for all massive screens comparable to foldables, tablets, and Chromebooks.

During the last 12 months, the group has labored on bringing Android 13 to the Desktop AVD, together with some further enhancements to enter help throughout the emulator. The Android 13 launch of the Desktop AVD is now accessible inside Android Studio. To check utilizing this emulator, create a brand new digital gadget.

What’s the Desktop AVD?

Android Studio comes bundled with numerous digital units that run on completely different API ranges and architectures. These emulators assist builders check Android apps throughout quite a lot of units, permitting for testing throughout completely different display screen sizes, kind elements, and APIs.

When an Android app runs on a Chromebook, it makes use of performance that mirrors desktop behaviors, comparable to minimizing, maximizing, or resizing to a user-specified dimension. The Desktop Android Digital Gadget (AVD) is an emulator that enables testing in a freeform windowing mode, much like a Chromebook, to help this performance.

For a deeper dive into the Desktop AVD, take a look at Desktop AVD in Android Studio.

What enhancements include the Android 13 desktop AVD?

Most laptops use a keyboard—and it’s a standard enter gadget for elevated productiveness with tablets and foldables. Previous to Android 13, the Desktop AVD relied solely on uncustomizable enter mapping constructed into Android Studio, which may trigger friction factors for customers who depend on bodily units for mapped enter and shortcuts. The Android 13 launch of the Desktop AVD provides help for frequent keyboard interactions with Android apps. Now you can check shortcuts, help keys, and mouse help that will help you adhere to the massive display screen app high quality pointers.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Nearly all of apps inside Google Play are designed for cell utilization and as such don’t all the time help keyboard interactions. In Android 13, the Desktop AVD provides help for generally used shortcuts, comparable to Ctrl+C (Copy) and Ctrl+V (Paste). These shortcuts can be utilized when copying textual content from a TextView/Textual content composable or pasting textual content into an EditText/TextField. These shortcuts are intercepted by the system and routinely utilized.

Customized shortcuts (which aren’t intercepted by the system) are additionally included on this launch. An instance of the sort of shortcut: a media participant app that makes use of the Spacebar to play or pause media. You should use the brand new {Hardware} Enter characteristic inside Android Studio Hedgehog to make use of customized shortcuts. This can permit Android Studio to move customized shortcuts on to the emulator. If this isn’t enabled, Android Studio could eat the important thing mixture.

Help keys

Android 13 helps further keymappings for help keys. These keys are mapped to controls which are much like experiences for keyboard shortcuts on a desktop. Some examples of those help keys embrace:

• Esc: Dismisses pop-ups and notifications.
• Delete / Backspace: Deletes textual content inside an EditText or TextField
• Arrow Keys: Offers in-app navigation (Arrow Up/Right down to scroll).

Mouse help

Along with enhanced keyboard help, there are further mouse controls built-in into the Desktop AVD. Utilizing the scroll wheel sends a mouse scroll occasion to the app that has enter focus. Proper-clicking the mouse sends a right-click occasion—which can be utilized to point out context menus if the app helps it.

The place are you able to begin?

Massive display screen app high quality supplies steerage round creating prime quality massive display screen apps throughout all kind elements, outlining a complete set of high quality necessities for many kinds of Android apps. Not all necessities have to be met, nevertheless it’s finest follow so that you can adhere to the necessities that make sense on your apps.

Create a desktop emulator in the present day in Android Studio Hedgehog to see how your Android app responds to keyboard and mouse inputs and freeform window resizing.