I'm building a cross-platform Xamarin app and it has been working fine. However, I need to implement some logic in C++ and therefore created a shared Android/iOS project.
The C++ Android project targets the same Android API version as the app project.
If I reference the C++ project (to get the .so file in my Android app project) the app fails to start.
It seems to build fine, and I see Starting Android application ... in the Visual Studio output, but then it just seems to exit without any additional info. In other words, the app is deployed, but it isn't started and the debugger isn't attached.
If I remove the reference again, the app starts normally.
I'm targeting x86 with the C++ library, same architecture as the emulator.
The environment...
I have a brand new Visual Studio 2015 Android NDK Solution.
This contains 2 projects (the default template code that is generated by visual studio):
A native activity. This is where I want to put Android specific code. It has some default code which fades the screen colour between green and black.
A 'Packaging' project to help with deployment.
I have deployed this successfully to an Intel HAXM virtual device as well as to a real device connected via USB. All good so far.
I then added an Android dynamic library project (.so) - this is where I want to put core code (platform agnostic).
I added a reference to this Core library from the native activity project.
Everything compiles and links fine. I can still create an .APK file.
Other info:
Android SDK 5.1 (Android-22)
Android NDK 21
x86
Clang 3.8
C++ 11
Not using Make files or Gradle
The problem...
Now whenever I deploy to the virtual/real device I get the following error (taken from logcat)
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.NATester/android.app.NativeActivity}: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Unable to load native library: /data/app/com.NATester-2/lib/x86/libNATester.so
Things I have tried...
changing the Core library to static (.a)
checked the android device to see if the file exists - it does exist.
Manually deploying the .APK to the android device.
Some articles have suggested using Java code to load the libraries - I want to avoid calling Java code e.g. System.LoadLibrary as this seems like a hack - I feel that it should be possible to to have a pure C++ application on android. I can't be the only person to run into this issue?!
This looks relevant but old and again an unnecessary hack for what must be very common situation
- Can't load native shared library with dependencies in a native activity app
- https://github.com/ikonst/android-dl
For what its worth, I am a seasoned C# developer with Visual Studio (15 years).
I therefore take a lot of things for granted when developing apps - this is my first project using C++/Android and it seems more of a manual battle to get everything to work!
Been struggling for a while but managed to deploy the libraries, quite easy in the end.
Right click on the project [theProject (Andorid-xx)] in the Solution Explorer and select add new item, add your .so library.
Right click on the newly added library and select properties, item type should be library, set Content to Yes, this will deploy the lib.
I'm writing an Android app that includes C/C++ code that is compiled alongside the Java code. My app is crashing during the execution of the native code.
Is there a way to step through Android C/C++ source and inspect variables as it is possible with Java source?
I am not necessarily looking for a way to step through the source from within Android Studio. That is obviously the ideal solution, however, if I need to use an external tool after starting the app from Studio, that's fine. I want to be able to step through the execution line-by-line and inspect variables.
Android Studio 1.0.2
Android NDK r10d
Edit: Stemming from the immediate response of, "Use Eclipse with ADT plugin", let me add more requirements.
This project started as an Eclipse ADT project. However, I have now migrated to Android Studio. My project is now built using Gradle, and my project directory structure reflects this. I am willing to use Eclipse; I am not willing to change my project structure in order to revert to Eclipse from Android Studio. If there is a way to open the Android Studio project in Eclipse and debug it that way, please elaborate on the process.
[UPDATE]
As of July 2015, Android Studio DOES support NDK.
You can learn more about it on this link.
[OLD]
NDK is not yet supported in Android Studio.
When we have to deal with NDK, the only solution is to use Eclipse.
EDIT
We basically keep Eclipse project with NDK feature (map in our case) and Gradle project with other (non-map) features. So everything that has to be done with NDK, we do in Eclipse and then include changes into Gradle project.
To be more precise, inside directory /src/main/ we created another directory called jniLibs and put the compiled *.so file inside architecture-specific folders (armeabi-v7a, armeabi, x86...). Then in the main class of Gradle project simply added a line
static {
System.loadLibrary("OurNDKLibName");
}
You can add this line only once per project. Maybe I am wrong but we did not have any issues for doing so.
As of version 1.3+ Preview Android Studio supports C++ debugging, quoting Android M Developer Preview & Tools:
Most notable is a much requested feature from our Android NDK & game developers: code editing and debugging for C/C++ code. Based on JetBrains Clion platform, the Android Studio NDK plugin provides features such as refactoring and code completion for C/C++ code alongside your Java code. Java and C/C++ code support is integrated into one development experience free of charge for Android app developers.
It isn't wasn't isn't working very well.
hello-jni fails failed with:
Starting LLDB server: run-as com.example.sample
/data/data/com.example.sample/lldb/bin/start_lldb_server.sh
/data/data/com.example.sample/lldb
/data/data/com.example.sample/lldb/tmp/platform.port1442695333842 "lldb
process:gdb-remote packets"
Error while launching debug server on device:
com.android.tools.ndk.run.DebuggerContext$StartServerException:
java.lang.IllegalStateException: Failed to read platform port
/data/data/com.example.sample/lldb/tmp/platform.port1442695333842
I'm using 1.4RC1
compileSdkVersion 23
buildToolsVersion "23.0.1"
And the "app-native" run configuration #Gerry mentioned. It's nearly there, but I can find no trace of an lldb directory in my app's private data folder. I do find a 400kb gdbserver in the lib directory linked from there, with my own *.so right besides. Unfortunately the option for debugging with gdb instead of lldb has gone with the upgrade from 1.3 to 1.4. NDK 10e ships a 400kb gdbserver binary in ndk\prebuilt\android-arm\gdbserver which it is (I guess). On September 15th the gdb debug howto https://github.com/mapbox/mapbox-gl-native/wiki/Android-debugging-with-remote-GDB was updated. This is harder than logcat debugging IMO, but a current topic, sorry to be so negative but I don't believe lldb actually works yet.
I have run hello-jni and reached the same conclusion.
So in answer to your question, it is not yet possible to debug C/C++ in Android Studio. Sorry this wasn't the answer you hoped for and I hope to be proved wrong with conclusive evidence to the contrary, but right here, right now, no chance!
UPDATE I raised an issue where I was given a fix for one phone.
UPDATE2 Too early to tell, it is experimental after all, but I am occasionally failing to connect, often if not always getting out of order stepping and breakpoints with nonsense parameter values. I just set a conditional breakpoint that didn't fire but the logcat shows it should. Initially I assumed it was my logical error, but it goes deeper.
Simply hitting breakpoints at all is very helpful but it is still a million miles short of Java debugging, or Vis Studio C++ debugging.
UPDATE3 Gone back to stable 1.3.1 as the canaray channel version was pausing for a toilet break every keystroke. While native debug build at least launches with my "fixed" phone, no breakpoints are hit even in hellojni, or a slightly extended version to give more opportunity. I'm used to logcat now but have had better degbugging experiences with Android, NDK and Eclipse. A more elaborate solution is also easier to break, but at least it works.
Yes, Android Studio does support C++ debugging at least with Android studio 1.5.1 and android-ndk-r10e.
In the old days, you will have to write make files Android.mk and Application.mk in order to build the C++ code in Android Studio. You don't need them any more. As long as you put them under the jni folder, gradle will be able to pick it up and compile it. You should see something like the following:
And also allow you to set break point and debug it.
You should follow this step-by-step tutorial and learn more about it. And read more about the documentation here. I've uploaded a complete working example so that you can download and try it out on GitHub.
With Android Studio 1.4 from tools.android.com, debugging is possible. When you open/create a project with C++[jni] code in it, Android studio would create a new configuration, something like $(module_name)-native
I would select this configuration, sync gradle, build, set breakpoint etc and run it with Android Studio. After a long wait, my debugger is connected, app is broken in[I think you could also set breakpoint at this time]; this break is not at my set break points, I let it go in android studio and my breakpoint is hit. Hope this helps
Some samples are supposed to work with android debugger
yes! it is possible to debug native code in android studio. As from the updates Android Studio 2.2+ support in built tools for debugging native code.
I'm trying out the new official Eclipse NDK plugin on Windows. After solving problems with NDK_MODULE_PATH (which were the only problems, surprisingly) the "Debug as Android native application" configuration works as intended. However, it only hits native code breakpoint while I want to debug Java as well. Is it possible to edit this configuration so that Java breakpoints are also hit?
I have not been able to trigger breakpoints set in Android source files (framework source files, as opposed to my application's source files). I have attached the Android source files, so I can see them and set breakpoints, but when I run in debug mode, these breakpoints are not triggered. I have also tried adding Class Loader breakpoints: this works fine on Android source classes. I am using Eclipse 3.7.2, and I've tried with several different Android SDK versions.
Robguinness,
It looks like what you would like to do is debug Android framework, right? The best method of doing this, from what I understand, is to import the AOSP project into Android Studio (only recognizes Java files) by running "make idegen && development/tools/idegen/idegen.sh" and then opening the android.ipr file that it generated in Android Studio. You can then hook up your emulator and set breakpoints in the Java code.
There are also a wide selection of tools to debug the Kernel, C native code, etc. but there it is such a long topic to cover on this site. If you are interested in more specifics, I would highly recommended Karim Yaghmour's class on Android Debugging (http://www.opersys.com/training/android-debug-and-performance). He has also given several talks at AnDevCon that should be freely available on Youtube about AOSP and Android Internals.
Best Wishes!