Part 3 of 4: Introduction to Consuming Azure Mobile Services from Android


Next Steps

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  1. The next post will cover these topics:
    • Interacting with Azure Mobile Services using a web proxy client
    • This can give you an in-depth knowlege of REST and HTTP
    • Downloading and configuring Fiddler
    • Using Fiddler to issue GET requests

Previous Posts

Part 1 of 4: Introduction to Consuming Azure Mobile Services from Android https://blogs.msdn.com/b/brunoterkaly/archive/2012/10/03/part-1-of-5-introduction-to-consuming-azure-mobile-services-from-android.aspx
Part 2 of 4: Introduction to Consuming Azure Mobile Services from Android https://blogs.msdn.com/b/brunoterkaly/archive/2012/10/03/part-2-of-5-introduction-to-consuming-azure-mobile-services-from-android.aspx
Part 3 of 4: Introduction to Consuming Azure Mobile Services from Android https://blogs.msdn.com/b/brunoterkaly/archive/2012/10/03/part-3-of-4-introduction-to-consuming-azure-mobile-services-from-android.aspx
Part 4 of 4: Introduction to Consuming Azure Mobile Services from Android https://blogs.msdn.com/b/brunoterkaly/archive/2012/10/03/part-4-of-4-introduction-to-consuming-azure-mobile-services-from-android.aspx
Download Android Source Code https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=98B7747CD2E738FB&resid=98B7747CD2E738FB%213151&authkey=AN1ukGyTBgIY76Q
No obligation free trial for Azure Mobile Services https://www.microsoft.com/click/services/Redirect2.ashx?CR_CC=200114759

You will need a trial account for Windows Azure

002

  1. Please sign up for it here:

Using Fiddler

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  1. We want to use Fiddler to look at HTTP requests for the Mobile Service we just created.
    • We should be able to see the two rows of data returned in JSON format.
    • We added:
      • Eat Lunch
      • Finish Blog Post
  2. What is Fiddler?
    • Fiddler is a Web Debugging Proxy which logs all HTTP(S) traffic between your computer and the Internet.
    • Fiddler allows you to inspect traffic, set breakpoints, and fiddle with incoming or outgoing data.
  3. Downloading Fiddler

Starting Fiddler

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  1. From Internet Explorer
  2. From the menu:
    • Choose, TOOLS/FIDDLER
  3. You can also start Fiddler outside of a browser

Properly configuring Fiddler

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  1. Note that we need to click
    • Capture HTTPS CONNECTs
    • Decrypt HTTP traffic

Issuing a GET request from Fiddler

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  1. This is how data is retrieved from Azure Mobiel Services.
  2. Once in Fiddler, perform the following:
    • Step 1
      • Click the COMPOSER tab
    • Step 2
      • Make sure the GET verb is selected
    • Step 3
      • Type in your URL
        • Yours may differ from mine
    • Step 4
      • Type in the REQUEST HEADER
        • Note the application ID, as specified at the portal
          • X-ZUMO-APPLICATION: QTzCMahnudqOCvnBSEfxdTUdSCqMUQ86
    • Step 5
      • Click EXECUTE

Inspecting the results

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  1. Right mouse click the request and choose INSPECT IN NEW WINDOW
    • A Windows will pop up

Viewing the JSON data

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  1. Once the INSPECTOR WINDOW appears, do the following:
    • Click on RESPONSE at the top
    • Click on JSON to view the data
    • Take note of Eat Lunch and Finish Blog Post
      • We entered the data previously at the portal
  2. The goal is to get this data to appear inside of an iOS application.

How to perform a POST (not needed for this post, just extra credit)

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  1. This is how you would ADD data.
    • Basically, this is an insert into the database.
  2. Fiddler can also perform a POST, in addition to the GET.
  3. Fiddler supports all the http verbs.
  4. POST is used to insert data into the Mobile Service.

Next Steps

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  1. The next post will cover:
    • Creating a new Android Application
    • How to name your application and modules
      • Application Name
      • Project Name
      • Package Name
    • Creating a simple hello world application
    • How to add a listview control
    • Understanding and adding import statements
    • Adding java code to populate the listview control with strings
    • Download the httpclient library from the Apache Foundation
    • Adding the httpclient library to our Android project
    • Adding code to call into Azure Mobile Services
    • Adding permissions to allow our Android app to call into Azure Mobile Services
    • Adding all the java code needed to call into Azure Mobile Services

Thanks..
I appreciate that you took the time to read this post. I look forward to your comments.