AroundMe | Android Universal Geolocation Questions App Template

iOS and Android versions can share the same database on back4app

1 Sep 2020
• Google maps enhancements. Google maps key updated.

10 July 2020
• Edit Profile: empty image on cover bug fixed.
• APK file updated.
• Migrated to AndroidX. App version updated to 28. Gradle files updated.

4 Sep 2019
• Fixed an issue on the Google Play Services side

4 Sep 2019
• Fixed the issue of Login with Facebook.  
• Fixed an issue “Compatibility Issue with Facebook SDK 4.38.0”  so we have downgrade Facebook SDK to “4.37.0” still using the old constructor, so using that version fixes this particular issue.
• Fixed Back Stack issue from the entire application 
• Fixed the issue of play store API SDK 
• Updated Login, Signup, and Intro UIs design and enhance the user experience 
• Updated QuestionList.Java class by using recycler View, previously List view was implemented
• Improved the Question list screen design by using Card View.
• Updated Map, Activities and Setting UIs designs and enhance the user experience 
• Improved the layout and alignments of the Account screen.
• Updated found Ask Question, other user profile and Thankew Badges UIs designs 
• Applied Camel Notation in Edit Text Fields Hints.    
• Updated 'compileSdkVersion' and 'targetSdkVersion' to 28 in build.gradle

1 Sep 2018
• - Fixed pins not showing on map, if the location is disabled.

25 May 2018
• Accordingly to the new EU GDPR terms, I've updated the 'tou.html' file and Documentation.
IMPORTANT: This means that if a User asks for his/her Account deletion, you must do it within 24 hours, as the GDPR's "Right to be forgotten" Article states (LINK: https://gdpr-info.eu/art-17-gdpr/)

8 May 2018
• Changed Parse version in build.gradle into 1.16.0, due to some issue on the latest Parse SDK and FCM:
    implementation 'com.parse:parse-android:1.16.0'

• Edited 'getUserDetailsFromFB()' method in Intro.java, this line of code:
    } else { currUser.put(Configs.USER_EMAIL,  facebookID + "@facebook.com"); }

18 April 2018
• Added a 'showInterstitial()' method in Configs.java
• Replaced the AdMob banner code in QuestionsList.java,  Home.java, ActivityScreen.java and Account.java with a call to show interstitial ads | Adjusted views in their relative xml files
• Added a ADMOB_INTERSTITIAL_UNIT_ID string in strings.xml
• Added some code to save Activity in the QuestionDetails.java -> 'favoriteButt()' method, for favorite questions

17 April 2018
• Added new Firebase dependencies in build.gradle(Module: app)
• Removed the 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:+' implementation and updated all dependencies to the required ones only 
• Added the 'google-services' classpath in the dependencies{} list in build.gradle(Project:)
        classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:3.2.1'

• Added this Permission into Manifest.xml:
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

• Fixed Build issue in line 224 in the 'settings_screen.xml' file
• Fixed Build issue in line 19 in the 'splash_screen.xml' file
• Updated the Documentation (connect your App to Firebase for GCM and Ads)

15 April 2018
• Updated to Android Studio 3.1.1
• Removed all dependencies of play-services | left only this one in build.gradle:
     implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services:+'

10 April 2018
• Updated to Android Studio 3.1
• Updated 'compileSdkVersion' and  'targetSdkVersion' to 27 in build.gradle
• Replaced 'compile' with 'implementation' in build.gradle (Module: app)
• Updated classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.1.1' in build.gradle (Project:)

Jan 21th 2018
• Added this line in the dependencies list of build.gradle (Module: app):
    compile 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttps:+'

AroundMe is a Universal App Template where you can post and share geolocated questions on a Map and comment the questions sent by other users.

This app is useful for all those ones who need to find help nearby, lost something, looking for places around their area or just socialize and find new friends while you’re on vacation in a certain place.
Users can comment, favorite and share questions, as well as report inappropriate/offensive comments/posts.
AroundMe includes a Settings screen where you can edit your own Profile, rate the app on the App Store and follow your social networks pages, as well as read the terms of Use and contact the Admin of the app.

There’s also a nice set of Badges that will be shown on the top of the Profile screens based on the Thank You’s you’ve received for your own comments.
This app includes a Report inappropriate content feature, embedded Google Map and Terms of User HTML file.

Since its backend is by Parse you don’t have to buy any domain/hosting, there are NO PHP files to upload to a web server so you’ll save some money for server side.

AroundMe is a native Android Studio project, Java/XML language, Universal, Parse SDK hosted on https://back4app.com, super easy to customize.

About Parse SDK and back4app

Read this article for more info about back4app and Parse SDK:

Can I host Parse Server on my own server?

Yes, although I don’t provide support for the setup process, you can read the official Guide here: https://parseplatform.org

What about free support for this template?

I can offer free support for bugs encountered in the original code. Instead, if you’ve edited the code and messed something up with it, I may apply some fee to fix it either via TeamViewer or by checking your app project files directly on my computer.

How do I rename the app’s package name?

Read this tutorial to learn how to rename a package name:

Should I use the latest version of Android Studio to edit this template?

Yes, I always update my apps to the latest version of the IDE and you also should make sure you’ve updated the Android Tools to their latest version of the Android SDK manager.

The demo APK crashes on startup

Make sure that the minimum Android version of your device is the one listed in the FEATURES section below. If the problem persists, please contact me through my profile’s contact form and send me the Logcat message of you get when the app crashes along with the steps you made to reproduce the crash. Please note that not all real devices print an error Logcat message, in this case just run the APK into the Android Studio’s emulator and you’ll surely get the red messages about your issue.

How do I remove AdMob Interstitial ads?

Use the Find in Path tool of Android Studio and search for:

    showInterstitial

Comment all the lines found by the Find in path tool

• Android Studio 3.x project – Java/XML
• Universal – Android 5.0+
• AdMob Interstitial ads
• Works with Parse Server hosted on back4app
• Push Notifications for Comments and Thank you’s
• Settings screen
• Terms Of use HTML file (to be edited)
• Report inappropriate/offensive users/content
• ‘Thank you’ reward badges
• Documentation included
• PSD icon graphics included
• Easy to customize, well commented code

• Apple Mac or Windows PC with their latest OS version installed
• The latest version of Android Studio and some knowledge about its UI interface
• Photoshop or any other image editor software
• A Google Developer account to submit apps to the Play Store
• An AdMob account to generate your own banner UNIT ID
• A free account on back4app.com