Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

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rumplestiltskin
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by rumplestiltskin » Sat Oct 25, 2014 1:11 am

One more piece of the puzzle, maybe...

I eMailed the app that LC7 created to myself, received it on my (Android) phone, and changed the settings to permit the installation of apps from sources other than the PlayStore. My app works perfectly. Of course, it's just a "Hello World" app but this success gives me hope.

When I "Save to Standalone Application", the ".apk" file is created (and that's what I emailed to my phone and it does run on the physical device). However, when I use the "Test" command, it apparently doesn't create the ".apk" file (which is probably what the error message means - LC can't provide the ".apk" file to the emulator if it failed to create it).

I can continue development but, without the emulator, it's going to be a PITA.

Barry

Elia
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by Elia » Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:54 pm

Hi to all,
a small step forward , the image shows the result of "standalone application" . I can copy and install the APK file created manually on my smartphone or email it as an attachment of a e-mail.
If I run the test directly on the device I get the same error "Missing APK file"

Thanks so much
Elia

rumplestiltskin
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by rumplestiltskin » Sat Oct 25, 2014 3:45 pm

Elia wrote:Hi to all,
a small step forward , the image shows the result of "standalone application" . I can copy and install the APK file created manually on my smartphone or email it as an attachment of a e-mail.
If I run the test directly on the device I get the same error "Missing APK file"

Thanks so much
Elia
Don't see any image.

LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Sun Oct 26, 2014 12:34 pm

Hi All,

To test this further, I downloaded a fresh version of the latest Android SDK and set it up from scratch. Across both Mac & Windows, I am able to replicate the "Missing APK file" error. This would suggest that there are even more changes present in this revision of the SDK other than the mentioned build tools issue.

I was able to workaround this issue by downloading an older revision of the Android SDK. After I downloaded all required packages and linked it to LiveCode, deploying to emulators and direc to to phone worked as expected.

You will be able to download an older version of the SDK from here-

Mac

https://dl.google.com/android/android-s ... macosx.zip

Win

https://dl.google.com/android/android-s ... indows.zip

Linux

https://dl.google.com/android/android-sdk_r22-linux.tgz

The following screenshot shows my full SDK setup-
Screen Shot 2014-10-25 at 23.11.56.png
Please keep me posted on how you get on

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
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rumplestiltskin
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by rumplestiltskin » Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:23 pm

Neil,

Does your advice about downloading/installing the older SDK apply if I am using LC7? I am able to create the standalone without a problem (using the command in the File menu) but the "missing .apk" error occurs when using the Test command.


By the way, when I tried using LC6.6 and LC6.7, neither app would let me choose the SDK folder that LC7 accepted; so I could never make an Android standalone with those older versions. Perhaps this is related to your discovery?

Barry

LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:42 pm

Hi Barry,

If you are looking to directly test on emulators and devices then using an older revision of the Android SDK should provide a solution for all current versions of LiveCode.

Android recently updated their SDK which broke linking in older versions of LiveCode. We implemented a fix for this in LiveCode 6.7 & 7.0 but the manifest/missing apk errors seems to be new issues that we will need to look into.

More information on the original SDK issue can be found in the following bug reports-

http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=12719

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
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rumplestiltskin
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by rumplestiltskin » Sun Oct 26, 2014 9:42 pm

Neil,

I trashed the old SDK folder and reinstalled using the older SDK for which you provided the link. I then launched LC7 and, in the prefs, re-linked the SDK in the Mobile screen. No problem.

However, when using the "Test" menu command, I still end up with the "missing APK" error. I still can create the standalone app using that menu command.

Maybe there's another way of telling the running emulator to use this successfully compiled .apk?

By the way, I found a relatively painless way of getting the .apk over to my phone. There's a free app at the PlayStore called "GO Transfer" that, when run, turns the phone into a web server. The app provides an instruction screen which directs you to your computer's web browser where you enter a particular URL and then a 4-digit password (that changes each time the app is run). You then have a webpage (which apparently uses Flash) permitting you to upload/download files to/from the phone. I just upload my .apk to the phone's Downloads directory and use ES File Explorer (there are many other apps of this type at the PlayStore) to tap the newly uploaded file which prompts me to install the app. It actually takes longer to read this paragraph than it does to do the transfer. Do note, however, that you'll need to change a setting on your Android device to permit apps to be installed from sources other than the PlayStore and, in LC's Standalone Settings, you need to set the signing "for development only" (or your key) in order for the app to be installed.

Barry

LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:47 pm

Hi Barry,

Thanks for letting us know of your method for getting APKs to your device :)

A few other methods that I know our users use are emailing direct to their devices, FTP'ing the APK to some websapce and using online storage services (e.g. Google Drive & Dropbox). The later are particularly popular as there are both desktop and mobile apps for each platform.

I will do some more investigations into the missing APK error tomorrow when I return to the office as I'm currently at home but will post any findings I have asap

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
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LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Mon Oct 27, 2014 11:45 am

Hi All,

I've had a chance to investigate this further and there is certainly something funky going on with the latest SDK. I've informed our QC team about it and they should be taking things further. You will be able to keep up to date with developments regarding this issue via its bug report here-

http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=13800

@Barry, I attempted to replicated the missing APK issue with the older SDK but was unable to do so on both Windows and Mac. To test this, I deleted my existing Android SDK and then re-set this up form scratch. After the initial setup and linking, deployment worked as expected. I also recorded my SDK setup process for your reference. Please find this at the following link-

http://techsupport.on-rev.com/AndroidSDKExample.mp4.zip

I hope this gives you some leads

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
--

rumplestiltskin
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by rumplestiltskin » Mon Oct 27, 2014 9:06 pm

Neil,

Thanks for your suggestions. I removed the entire sdk folder and used the older version, then installed it exactly as you had suggested. (I am doing this on a Mac running Mavericks.) When I went back into LC7 and configured things properly, I -was- able to get my app installed into the emulator. However, my app seemed to crash immediately upon launch and I was back to the emulator's Launch screen. I tried launching it again and got the same results.

I noticed you were running in Windows; perhaps that is a workaround? I'll fire up my Acer and give it a shot, then will report back.

Regards,
Barry

LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Tue Oct 28, 2014 11:48 am

Hi barry,

I tested on both Windows and Mac with the same results but I do have some good news :)

Out dev guys have tracked down the issue and a fix will be implemented in the next release of LiveCode. More info on this can be found in the relevant bug report here-

http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=13800

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
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samuel.vannesteBUSGvXT
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by samuel.vannesteBUSGvXT » Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:31 pm

Same problem here without installing Android 5.0. Following the ticket

LCNeil
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by LCNeil » Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:46 pm

Hi Samuel,

The workaround does involve not installing Android 5.0

For now, the workaround is to use an older SDK , ensure you do not update the Android SDK tools and ensure that you you do not install any Android SDK build tools above version 20.

The screenshot in my previous response shows a working SDK setup.

Kind Regards,

Neil Roger
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LiveCode Support Team ~ http://www.runrev.com
--

francof
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by francof » Thu Oct 30, 2014 5:23 pm

Hi all,

following the Neil's suggestions in this topic, I have, finally, installing and run on android emulator a very simple "hello" app. :D
just one thing, with only the Android 2.2 packages, when try to run the app on emulator, I got a black screen. no error show, but nothing was happening.
I solved this problem installing also Android 2.3.3 packages.
Now I have, only, to test my app... tell me good luck.

could be of assistance, group all the details in one post, to avoid turning on the forum like crazy?

thanks, soon
ciao
franco

p.s.: sorry for my bad English

morrell
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Re: Unable to build app for testing - manifest ERROR

Post by morrell » Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:58 am

I'm trying to follow the instructions on here http://techsupport.on-rev.com/AndroidSDKExample.mp4.zip but the film runs so fast it's practically impossible to follow, so a text 'How to' would be much better. However I have done this:-

I'm running Window 7 64 bit
Installed livecode 7.0.0
Installed jdk-8u25-windows-x64
Copied this file https://dl.google.com/android/android-s ... indows.zip
Run SDK Manager and installed 2.2 and 2.3.3
However in SDK Android Manager when I go to Tools/Manage AVDs under Target Name is No AVD available and also a Rex Cross warns me an Android Virtual Device failed to load
If I then select New the CPU/API is greyed out

So guess there is something I have not installed. Any ideas?

Regards,

Ruth

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