mathstuff/MathHomeworkHelper/QUICKSTART.md

Quick Start Guide

Getting Started with Math Homework Helper Android App

Prerequisites

• Android Studio installed (download from https://developer.android.com/studio)
• Android SDK 21+ installed
• Java 11+ installed

Step 1: Open the Project

1. Launch Android Studio
2. Select "Open an existing Android Studio project"
3. Navigate to and select the MathHomeworkHelper folder
4. Wait for Gradle to sync (this may take a few minutes on first load)

Step 2: Set Up an Emulator (or use a physical device)

Option A: Using Android Emulator

1. In Android Studio, go to Tools → Device Manager
2. Click "Create Device"
3. Select a device (e.g., Pixel 4)
4. Select an API level (API 30 or higher recommended)
5. Click "Finish"
6. Click the play button to start the emulator

Option B: Using Physical Device

1. Enable Developer Mode on your Android device:
   • Go to Settings → About Phone
   • Tap "Build Number" 7 times
   • Go back to Settings → Developer Options
   • Enable "USB Debugging"
2. Connect your device via USB cable
3. Android Studio will detect it automatically

Step 3: Build and Run

1. Click the green "Run" button (or press Shift+F10)
2. Select your emulator or device
3. Click "OK"
4. Wait for the app to build and install (first build takes longer)

Step 4: Test the App

Once the app launches:

• You should see the Math Homework Helper interface
• Try selecting a difficulty level
• Solve a multiplication problem
• Click "Check Answer" to verify
• Use the language selector to change languages

Troubleshooting

Gradle Sync Issues

• Click "File" → "Sync Now"
• If that doesn't work, try "File" → "Invalidate Caches" → "Invalidate and Restart"

Emulator Won't Start

• Make sure you have enough disk space (at least 5GB)
• Try creating a new AVD with a different API level
• Check that virtualization is enabled in BIOS (for Windows/Linux)

App Crashes on Launch

• Check the Logcat (View → Tool Windows → Logcat)
• Look for red error messages
• Common issues:
  • Missing assets (check app/src/main/assets/)
  • JavaScript errors (check browser console in WebView)

WebView Not Displaying Content

• Ensure all HTML files are in app/src/main/assets/
• Check that the file path in MainActivity matches: file:///android_asset/index.html
• Verify JavaScript is enabled in WebView settings

Project Structure Overview

MathHomeworkHelper/
├── app/                          # Main app module
│   ├── src/main/
│   │   ├── java/                # Java source code
│   │   ├── res/                 # Android resources (layouts, strings, styles)
│   │   ├── assets/              # Web app files (HTML, CSS, JS)
│   │   └── AndroidManifest.xml  # App configuration
│   └── build.gradle             # App build configuration
├── build.gradle                 # Project build configuration
└── settings.gradle              # Gradle settings

Building for Distribution

Debug APK (for testing)

./gradlew assembleDebug
# Output: app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk

Release APK (for distribution)

./gradlew assembleRelease
# Output: app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk

Next Steps

• Customize the app icon (replace files in app/src/main/res/mipmap/)
• Modify the app name in app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
• Update the theme colors in app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml
• Add more features by modifying MainActivity.java

Need Help?

• Android Documentation: https://developer.android.com/docs
• WebView Guide: https://developer.android.com/guide/webapps/webview
• Gradle Documentation: https://gradle.org/

Happy coding! 🚀