Installation

Set up your development environment for TecNM Control Escolar

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following tools installed on your development machine:

Required Software

Android Studio

Android Studio Iguana (2023.2.1) or newer

Download from developer.android.com

Java Development Kit

JDK 11 or newer

Included with Android Studio or download separately

Android SDK

Android SDK Platform 24-36

Installed via Android Studio SDK Manager

Git

Git 2.0+

For cloning the repository

System Requirements

Recommended Specs for Optimal Development Experience:

• 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended)
• 8 GB of available disk space
• 1280 x 800 minimum screen resolution
• Windows 10/11, macOS 10.14+, or Linux (64-bit)

Installation Steps

1. Install Android Studio

   Download and install the latest version of Android Studio from the official website.

   During installation, make sure to install:

   • Android SDK
   • Android SDK Platform
   • Android Virtual Device (for emulator)

   The first launch will download additional components. This may take 10-15 minutes depending on your internet connection.

2. Configure Android SDK

   Open Android Studio and navigate to Settings → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Android SDK.

   Ensure the following are installed:

   • Android 14.0 (API 36) - Target SDK
   • Android 7.0 (API 24) - Minimum SDK
   • Android SDK Build-Tools 34.0.0 or newer
   • Android SDK Platform-Tools
   • Android Emulator

   Click “Apply” to download and install any missing components.

3. Clone the Repository

   Open a terminal and clone the TecNM Control Escolar repository:

   HTTPS

   git clone https://github.com/your-org/tecnm-control-escolar.git
   cd tecnm-control-escolar
   

   If you don’t have repository access yet, contact the project maintainers or request access through your campus IT department.

4. Open Project in Android Studio

   1. Launch Android Studio
   2. Click File → Open
   3. Navigate to the cloned tecnm-control-escolar directory
   4. Select the root folder and click OK

   Android Studio will automatically detect the Gradle project and begin syncing.

   The first Gradle sync may take 5-10 minutes as it downloads all dependencies. Ensure you have a stable internet connection.

5. Wait for Gradle Sync

   Android Studio will automatically run a Gradle sync to download dependencies and configure the project.

   You’ll see a progress indicator at the bottom of the IDE:

   Gradle sync in progress...
   Resolving dependencies...
   

   Once complete, you should see:

   Gradle sync completed successfully
   

   The project structure will appear in the Project panel on the left.

6. Verify Project Configuration

   Check that the project is properly configured by opening:

   app/build.gradle.kts

   android {
       namespace = "com.example.appcontrolescolar"
       compileSdk = 36
       
       defaultConfig {
           applicationId = "com.example.appcontrolescolar"
           minSdk = 24
           targetSdk = 36
           versionCode = 1
           versionName = "1.0"
       }
       
       buildFeatures {
           compose = true
       }
   }
   
   dependencies {
       implementation("androidx.compose.material:material-icons-extended")
       implementation("androidx.navigation:navigation-compose:2.7.7")
       implementation(libs.androidx.compose.material3)
       // ... other dependencies
   }
   

   Verify that:

   • minSdk = 24 (Android 7.0)
   • targetSdk = 36 (Android 14)
   • Compose is enabled
   • Navigation Compose is included

Alternative Installation Methods

Using Android Studio’s VCS Integration

You can clone the repository directly from Android Studio:

1. Open VCS Dialog

   In Android Studio, click File → New → Project from Version Control

2. Enter Repository URL

   Paste the repository URL:

   https://github.com/your-org/tecnm-control-escolar.git
   
3. Choose Directory

   Select where you want to save the project and click Clone

Manual Dependency Installation

If Gradle sync fails due to network issues, you can manually download dependencies:

./gradlew build --refresh-dependencies

For Windows:

gradlew.bat build --refresh-dependencies

Troubleshooting

Gradle Sync Failed

Error: SDK location not found

Solution: Set the SDK path manually.

Create a local.properties file in the project root:

sdk.dir=/path/to/Android/Sdk

Common paths:

• Windows: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
• macOS: /Users/YourName/Library/Android/sdk
• Linux: /home/YourName/Android/Sdk

Error: Unsupported Gradle version

Solution: Update Gradle wrapper.

./gradlew wrapper --gradle-version=8.2

Then sync again in Android Studio.

Error: Failed to resolve dependencies

Solution: Check your internet connection and proxy settings.

1. Go to Settings → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → HTTP Proxy
2. Configure proxy if behind a firewall
3. Click File → Invalidate Caches → Invalidate and Restart

Error: Java version incompatibility

Solution: Ensure you’re using JDK 11 or newer.

Check your Java version:

java -version

In Android Studio:

1. Go to Settings → Build, Execution, Deployment → Build Tools → Gradle
2. Set Gradle JDK to Java 11 or newer

Build Errors

Common Build Issues:

• Kotlin version mismatch: Ensure you’re using Kotlin 1.9+ (check libs.versions.toml)
• Compose version conflicts: All Compose libraries should use the same BOM version
• Missing Android SDK platforms: Install required SDK versions via SDK Manager

If you encounter persistent build errors:

# Clean the project
./gradlew clean

# Rebuild from scratch
./gradlew build --refresh-dependencies

Emulator Issues

If you can’t create or run the Android Emulator:

1. Enable virtualization in your BIOS (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)
2. Install Intel HAXM (for Intel processors) via SDK Manager
3. Increase RAM allocation for the emulator (4 GB recommended)
4. Use a system image with Google APIs for better compatibility

Physical Device Alternative:

If the emulator is too slow, use a physical Android device:

1. Enable Developer Options on your device
2. Enable USB Debugging
3. Connect via USB and authorize your computer
4. Select your device from the device dropdown in Android Studio

Verify Installation

To verify everything is set up correctly:

1. Open MainActivity.kt in Android Studio
2. Check that syntax highlighting works properly
3. Look for the green play button (▶️) in the toolbar
4. No red error indicators should appear in the file

Your development environment is now ready!

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Run the app and explore its features

Project Structure

Learn how the codebase is organized