Apps New to android, how to design this properly?

[technoViking]

Hi,

I'm creating the following application for an android tablet.

It will have a button bar on the bottom of the tablet screen.
it will have a few buttons, lets say 3.

If a user clicks one of the buttons another application will apppear in the middle of the screen. THe user can interact with this other application in the middle of the screen.

If the user clicks another button, another application will appear and the user can interact with that one as well. Basically the application has 3 mini applications inside it. For example, 1 button could open up a small note taking app. Another button would open up a dialer, etc.

So the question is what is the best way to design such a app?

I know I need to use fragments. But should I just have 1 activity, with several fragments?

For example:
1 activity would take up the whole screen and act as a container/background.
1 fragment would be the button bar (inside the main actiivity)
each button the user presses would create a new fragment?
so if i have 3 buttons, that means there will be 3 seperate applications the user can interact with.

Would these separate applications that appear be activities or fragments?

Thanks!

 

[alostpacket]

There are about 5 ways to solve this (none of which are wrong)

- Fragments are good (newest method, will help you learn fragments for tablets)
- TabHost is easy and does what you need but not super pretty
- You can always call setContentView() again
- You can have multiple activities
- You can just dynamically change content in a certain area on your own

Really, my best advice is just to pick a road and go down it -- they are all worthwhile learning. If you find some part doesnt suit your needs, back track and try the other road.