can i use livecode on a chromebook with intel?

[markhinnebusch]

I'm trying to port my LC code that runs on Mac and Windows to the Chromebook. I built for the Android and side loaded the .apk onto the Chromebook. When I install the .apk, I get an error that the package appears to be corrupt. In digging around on the forum and the docs, I came across comments like:

"Select an Arm image from other images, because livecode creates Arm apps (that works on quite every Android device)"

and

"I've read about issues with tablets using intel processors instead of arm processors."

Since some chromebooks are ARM but some are intel, does that mean that I will not be able to build an .apk from LC that will run on all Chromebooks?

Or do these references only apply to emulators?

thanks for any info,

mark

[sphere]

they (monte) are working on x86 support for android.
I don't know when it will be implemented.
I also don't know if it will work as an Android app on a Chrome book, i know google supports something like that.
But you could just try a linux package and see if that works.
Chrome is based on Linux.

http://forums.livecode.com/viewtopic.ph ... 15#p171310
https://github.com/livecode/livecode-ide/pull/1990

[bogs]

But you could just try a linux package and see if that works.

Just curious if you have tried this yourself sphere? I did in a few ways, best compromise I came up with was using crouton (or like) and loading an app that way, however there were caveats, and I haven't tried it using the later versions of Lc you are using.

I also sent a friend of mine an html test (very simple hello app), thinking perhaps that would be a sideways way to run apps on chromebooks. The results there were kind of iffy as well.

Chrome is based on Linux.

Taken with a large dose of salt

*Edit ~ by the way, I should also mention that you can load a vm with Neverware's CloudReady, which will give you a ChromeOS-alike vm to test on (Much faster and easier than dealing with separate machines). I use it all the time. Also happens to be useful if you provide tech support for tech-illiterate family members (if you make it their prime OS), and it runs great on almost nothing.

[FourthWorld]

I believe Android apps can run on Chrome OS now, yes?

[bogs]

Maybe, but I don't know if it applies to side-loaded apps, or how Lc's compiler process uses the android studio sdk. If it only targets ARM, for instance, even if the OP has a machine capable of running apps, it may not work out if their processor is an Intel, per their quote

Since some chromebooks are ARM but some are intel, does that mean that I will not be able to build an .apk from LC that will run on all Chromebooks?

It also appears to be somewhat limited in scope (at the moment).

[AxWald]

Hi,

my tablet is a Lenovo Yoga Tab 2 830L with Android 5, and an Intel Atom CPU.

Compiling for Android (without any additional actions for Intel support) I never had any problems running my LC apps on it - it behaves just like any other ARM Android devices.

Sure, it's not Chrome OS. But Android at least seems to encapsulate the CPU sufficiently.

Have fun!

[jacque]

I've been looking into this recently and found that only some ChromeBooks can run Android apks, mostly newer ones. There are lists online that show which models are compatible (sorry, I don't have a link.)

[markhinnebusch]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. AxWald's post is quite encouraging, so I am going to try to locate an Intel based Chromebook (the one that I have is ARM) and see what happens. I will post my findings.

I do know that older Chromebooks cannot run Android apps, so that is a caveat that we will have to make to potential users.

[markhinnebusch]

So, I got an Intel chromebook and everything works great! It appears that the warning about LC building only for ARM is for the emulators, not actual devices. (actually, I didn't try an emulator, so maybe it isn't really an issue there either.)

[sphere]

[/quote]
Just curious if you have tried this yourself sphere?

Chrome is based on Linux.

Taken with a large dose of salt
[/quote]
Nope, i don't have a chrome book. You can't download the original OS as far as i could see. But you can download Chromium OS and another getchrome.eu one also based on linux.
Chrome OS is based on a Linux-kernel and was first build on Gentoo also a Linux Variant (Android is also based on a Linux-Kernel)

[bogs]

Chrome is based on Linux.

Taken with a large dose of salt

Chrome OS is based on a Linux-kernel and was first build on Gentoo also a Linux Variant (Android is also based on a Linux-Kernel)

Yes, but the kernel itself is only a small part of what you'd need to run a built-for-linux application on chrome. In addition to that (as applies to Lc) you need the correct *x11 server , as well as several libraries that couldn't be *installed on chrome directly , as well as an ability to *store downloaded apps and then launch them, something chrome wasn't natively designed to do at the time I was testing this out.

As I mentioned eariler, I did do *some* testing with a friend of mine who had a *chrome book, the *Windows versions Lc put out all appeared to run fine on the crouton distro with Wine installed, go figure

To get a somewhat appropriate 'nix setup though, in addition to crouton with an appropriate distro flavor, we had to beef that up with some additional libraries. We did eventually get it all working through trial and error with apps made in Lc 6.x to 8, but I suspect most people wouldn't be up to getting it done, even my friend who is technically competent almost gave up.

At the end, there were still issues we couldn't get resolved mostly dealing with appearance, however it looks like the OP has found their own way, at least on new chrome-books

____________________________
* chrome uses a custom x11.
** there may be a workaround to this, I didn't investigate it.
*** can be worked around in dev mode.
**** I don't own a chrome book either, but I did download and also use Neverware's 'Cloud-Ready', mentioned above.
***** Wine installed on the crouton distro.