Question about developing an app

[Orrex]

I could Google this, but Donald Trump has tapped my wires, so I'm asking here in an effort to implicate all of you along with me.

I'm interested in developing an app that basically needs to select randomly from a large list and then present the selection in a visually engaging format. In other words, something a little more flashy than black text on white background. I'd prefer not to give details about the underlying subject matter, though.

It doesn't need to be terribly dynamic, but I'd kind of like to offer it for general distribution. However, at this point I know nothing about programming.

Can someone point me to a good online resource where can familiarize myself with the basics and perhaps work toward actual ability?

Thank you in advance for your helpful suggestions!

[PassingFair]

1. Google "Hello World"

Throw in objective C and apple for your choice of beginners tutorials.

Good Luck!

[Orrex]

2. Excellent--thank you very much!

[hunter]

3. Is it an actual application, say an .exe in Windows, or a web app?

If it's a web app and the list is kept up-to-date on your website, the easiest way to do it is a simple web page and a php script on your web site's server that selects items from your list randomly.

Javascript+html+css can do damned near anything these days, and will run on anything with a modern browser.

Creating true Android apps is a pain in the ass. It helps to know java, which is a programming language of great suckage unrelated to javascript.

https://developer.android.com/training/index.html

I wouldn't mess around developing native Mac or Windows apps in some flavor of C (C, C++, C#, Objective C, Rust...) unless you really want to know that stuff, and learn the various irritating quirks of each operating system and their various compilers.

Python is a fairly straightforward way to create desktop apps that will work on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux machines.

Here's an example that showed up on a google search:

http://sebsauvage.net/python/gui/

For really fancy graphics you might use Python with Pygame.

http://pygame.org

There are various ways of creating Android apps in Python too.

If I was looking for code to steal adapt to your purpose, I'd start looking at "Magic Eight Ball" type programs.

[Orrex]

4. Wow--great answer. Thanks!

I should have been more clear. The intent is to make it an Android app.

Thanks also for Googling it. In addition to my fears about Trump tapping my wires, at this point I don't even know enough to do a good search or assess the quality of the hits.

[BlueStateLib]

5. Most apps are developed with the help of a RAD (rapid application development system)

Plenty of Android RAD's available, some for under $100.

B4X Rad
https://www.b4x.com/b4a.html

Google has everything you need to set up a development environment
https://developer.android.com/training/basics/firstapp/index.html

You can always get a bid for your project from an freelance android developer
https://www.upwork.com/hire/android-developers/

[hunter]

6. Droidscript looks like an interesting lightweight tool and the basics are free.

http://droidscript.org

Reading and writing HTML and JavaScript is a useful skill.

(I'm one who thinks Java is hideous.)