Imagine you are in a giant amusement park with lots of rides. You start at the entrance, but you don’t want to stay there forever. You want to explore different rides! Just like in a theme park, when you create an app using MIT App Inventor, you don’t want to stay on just one screen. You need a way to move to different screens, just like moving to different rides in the park. That’s exactly what we are going to learn today: how to navigate from one screen to another in App Inventor!
Understanding Screens in App Inventor
In App Inventor, an app can have multiple screens. Each screen is like a different room in a house. The first screen is called Screen1, and if you want more screens, you can create them.
Why Use Multiple Screens?
To separate different features (like a home screen and a game screen).
To organize information better (like a main menu and a settings page).
To make the app look neat and user-friendly.
Now, let’s see how to create and move between screens!
Creating a New Screen
Step 1: Adding a New Screen
Open your App Inventor project.
Click on ‘Add Screen’ at the top.
Name your new screen (for example, GameScreen).
Click OK and now you have a second screen!
Step 2: Designing the Screens
On Screen1, add a button that says “Go to Game”.
On GameScreen, add a button that says “Back to Home”.
Now, let’s make these buttons actually do something!
Coding the Navigation (The Fun Part!)
To switch between screens, we use blocks in the Blocks Editor. Here’s how:
Moving to a New Screen
On Screen1:
Click on the Button in the Blocks section.
Drag the “when Button1 .Click” block.
Go to the Control category and drag the “open another screen” block.
Type the name of the screen inside the block (“GameScreen”).
Now, when you click the button, it will take you to the GameScreen!
Going Back to the Previous Screen
On GameScreen:
Click on the Button in the Blocks section.
Drag the “when Button1 .Click” block.
Go to the Control category and drag the “close screen” block.
Now, when you click the Back to Home button, it will take you back to Screen1.
Testing Your App
Click on Connect → AI Companion and scan the QR code with your phone. Now, click on the buttons and see the magic happen! Your app should now switch between screens just like moving from one ride to another in the amusement park!
Congratulations! You have learned how to navigate between screens in App Inventor. Just like moving from one room to another in your house, switching screens in an app makes it more organized and exciting. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be building amazing apps with multiple screens!
Ready for your next challenge? Try adding more screens, like a scoreboard, settings page, or even a game over screen! Happy coding!