Log In Screen On First Start

how would you create an activity that only runs when the application is started for the first time ever and provides the user with a screen to input a pin and 'unlock' the applicat

Solution 1:

You can use android preferences for show login screen only for the first time.

You can set flag in preference and check it when application start.

Solution 2:

You can always start with something like "splash screen" activity, that will only check in database/ shared preferences if user is logged in. Then you can run login activity or not. Or in first activity you can show popup window with request of login.

Solution 3:

You can use sharedPreferences:

boolean firstTime = prefs.getBoolean("firstTime", true);
if(firstTime) {
    SharedPreferences.Editor editor = prefs.edit();
    editor.putBoolean("firstTime", false);
    editor.commit();

    //do your first time "operations" here E.G read configuration, show user guide
}

Solution 4:

By "application starting for the first time ever" I am assuming you mean the first time an Activity appears on the display.

I usually test for the existence of a user preferences database. If it does not exist, then the application has not ever been active, and then I could prompt the user for a configuration update.

Look at the documentation for a PreferenceManager to get started.