App Template to get started

I am new to AppSheet. Very little programming skills. I attempted to use Android Studio but it was over my head.

My interest is to create a simple Android App that would do two things:

  1. Display Images from a data source (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. or device storage)
  2. Play background music while displaying these images. Again from same data source as above.

My intent is to have the images and music played PURELY at random so each time a person launches itโ€ฆit will be a brand new adventure.

My goal is to use this app for memory care (Dementia and Alzheimer patients) as a means to refresh, bring back, revisit, etc. their lives. So the images and music would be their own custom library that is personal to them.

My ideal plan is to have the app on an HDMI Android device plugged into their TV so anyone can launch the app at any time right on their TV (for the best viewing device available). But am open to other ideas.

I just donโ€™t know how to get started and hoping that someone could direct me or help me with a starting template that I could tweak to my liking. Or better yet, if someone would be kind enough to create an app for me.

I have tried to find an app in the Play Store that would do this but after downloading dozens and dozens of apps only to find out they are filled with glitches and/or so many ads that the experience is just awful.

Thanks so much!
Raymond Resch

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  • UX
6 REPLIES 6

MultiTech
Participant V

Hey @RayR, welcome to the community.

First: you might check out the following post; itโ€™s full of tons of helpful tips to help you get stared with using the community to find answers.


To answer your question

  • Unfortunately AppSheet will only be able to provide 1/2 of what youโ€™re looking for.

AppSheet cannot play music files in the background

  • Honestly, AppSheet may not be the best fit for your scenario.

I love the idea, and as someone who has people close to me that suffer from mental decline I fully support efforts such as these - so itโ€™s hard to shoot you down like this.

Limitations I can see that youโ€™ll face:

What you could do in AppSheet:

  • Build a table that people can upload images into
    • But this means each image must be uploaded, 1-by-1 (no bulk uploading), into the table through the app. But this will give you a way to see the actual images in the app.
  • Screen cast/HDMI connect a tablet to a TV
  • Play music in the background of the room
  • Create a system to randomly pull images from the table of uploaded images (for that person of course)
    • The system created is entirely up to your design, but it could include something like:
      • Tap the image to learn more, or dive deeper into related images
      • Swipe to the left to look at another image

Ultimately the resulting app would be an image viewer, with a few extra capabilities to make interaction smooth. Like I said before, Iโ€™m not sure AppSheet is the appropriate platform for this kind of app, but you could make something kinda work.

Thank you for your input/suggestions, etc. Disappointed with the limitations. I thought AppSheet was a โ€œdrag & dropโ€ approach to creating an typical Android App that could be put in the Play Store.

I think I will continue my search elsewhere.

Ray

Well, itโ€™s not
Itโ€™s mainly for small-medium size business that need to make better solutions for their internal processes. (Among other similar things)
You can check out this page to understand the platform better:

MultiTech
Participant V

Unfortunately, some videos and misc articles written said this around the time when Google purchased AppSheet - and theyโ€™ve gotten a lot of views, spreading that misinformation to the world.

Supposedly it was on their Road Map as of 2019 and many requests for this feature have gone unanswered. Itโ€™s a shame because I have had to now employ Click Up in order to get Drag & Drop/KanBan functionality.

MultiTech
Participant V

There might be light on the horizon, with the anouncment of dasktop detail view enhancements.

  • Everything is still very new, not even available to play with yet, but it looks like creating your own specific view setup will become easier in the coming months.
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