I am building a multi-platform SDK for real time 3D applications. This SDK is programmed in C++ and works under Windows, Apple's iOs, MacOS, Linux and Android.
The project structure is complex, it consists in 3 native C++ static libraries, linked with some external static libraries in a complete shared library. This is very simple under all the managed OSes, except for Android.
The major problem in Android is bi-directional communication/calls between native code and Java code. I got this solved some time ago using SWIG to wrap the shared library's classes. To achieve that I wrote our my own build scripts (Makefiles) to handle native compilation with the ndk r4, swig code generation, java pre-compilation and jar creation.
Lately we added some callback/listener classes in the C++ layer, that we wanted to be derivable/overloadable in Java, for this we used SWIG's directors feature. But it appears that it needs JNI features (weak global references) that were not in the NDK r4b. So we need to switch to a newer Android NDK (r6b) that has these features. But since our custom build scripts were written for NDK r4b they won't work anymore.
My concern is to have everything built properly through Android's NDK/SDK (eventually through Eclipse) with Android.mk files so we don't have to rewrite everything from scratch each time we switch to a new NDK.
I'd like to know if there is a way to manage such complex project structure with standard Android.mk, ndk-build, ant and eclipse (including the SWIG part). And if so, how ?
Don't hesitate to ask for precisions, I am not sure I am being really clear.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Florent Lagaye.
I've been looking for a similar thing and, although I haven't figured it out yet, there is a good example with building gstreamer on Android.
http://cgit.collabora.com/git/user/derek/androgenizer.git/
It supposedly works with any libtoolized application.
Here is the directions for how to build:
http://gstreamer.freedesktop.org/wiki/GstreamerAndroid_InstallInstructions
What we ended doing is writing specific rules in the Android.mk file to manage swig interface generation.
Remember to add the generated c++ source to the list of source files before including BUILD_STATIC_LIB or BUILD_DYNAMIC_LIB, and to instruct swig to generate the java source in folder accessible by your Android java project.
Related
I have looked at Use prebuilt JNI library in Android Studio 3.1 and How to use .so in a second project in Android?. The first is trying to get a library file without headers working and the other seems to be focusing on a specific issue with his build (although there's some useful information there). I'm relatively new to app development and especially to native development on android. I've gotten a build with the JNI library and some c++ code working, but that seems to be just for building from source.
It's probably a simple answer, but I haven't been able to find documentation on this specifically in the android developers documentation. I'm interested in understanding the correct (or most conventional) place to put and way to use a precompiled library (module/lib/*.so and module/include/*.h) in an android project. Would I even need to use JNI or the NDK if the library is built with another build tool? Another project I have has a native library source object (*.so) in ./obj/local, ./libs, and in many other folders related to JNI. I'm guessing it would be somewhere in there, but I'd like to know what is conventional.
For some context, I'm trying to work with the essentia library. I have followed the guide on compiling for Android and have a build with the general hierarchy mentioned above (essentia/lib and essentia/include) that seems to be working.
I'm having a hard time finding an up-to-date answer to this question. Many existing answers refer to older versions of AS, and are now obsolete.
I want to use a precompiled debug build of a C++ shared library. I also want to be able to step through calls to this library.
I have successfully created a basic app with NDK support and some JNI code. I can step through the JNI code in the debugger.
Two questions:
How do I add the shared library and its headers to the app?
How can I reference the source code of the precompiled library so that it can be accessed in the debugger?
I am not a C++ expert, so please explain in noob terms. Thanks.
I have created a Non-Qt C++ (CMake) project using Qt, and I am able to build it using MinGW, MSVC compiler.
So in short, when I am opening my test project I can select the generators under Run CMake Window. I have issue with other platforms.
When I am trying to Add a kit for Android, there are no generators available in the list. I tried the same thing on Macbook, there also the same problem.
I need help on this issue, I couldn't get the proper steps to build the CMake based project for Android/iOS using QtCreator.
P.S. Installed CMake version is 3.2.1 and Qt Version is 5.5, I have installed Android SDK, NDK , and and Java
I would love to tell you "just check this box in the options dialog and it will work", but, unfortunately, there is no generator that you can use to build an Android/iOS project from a CMakeLists.txt file.
I found alternatives, in all cases, I don't think your have a chance to port a whole huge CMake-based project that used to work on Windows (with lots of libraries and 3rd party libraries) work on Android in less than a few days of work....;-)
Personnaly, I wrote a small CMake function generating the .pro file manually from my CMake scripts. It started small but is now huge and it's difficult to share it with you. But, basically, I started from this post on a Qt forum. It creates a simple .pro file that does not work that bad and then you can extend it for your own needs. I like this solution because I have full control on generated .pro file (mine can now build on PC, Android and iOS...but I had a hard time to have this fully work).
Apparently, there's also a way to add a Qt-android CMake support using this open source stuff: https://github.com/LaurentGomila/qt-android-cmake. But I never tried it. You may want to have a look to it. If it works, it may be more convenient that writting your own script generating .pro files. Apparently, it builds an Android apk using androidqtdeploy but without using QtCreator. There's also an iOS support.
Finally, the best may be to have CMake propose a QtCreator "generator" (it would generate .pro files, like CMake generates sln/vcproj files when using Visual Studio generator or makefiles for g++ generator....), but there is no such generator supported. I reported this to CMake team some time ago hoping they could fix that. I understood that there was and would be no plan to do that because CMake targets only "compilers" as "generators" and "QtCreator" is not really a "compiler", it's a "IDE" using external "compilers" to build (MinGW, MSVC, CLang, Android's NDK g++...). It's a shame because CMake known all your project information and could easily generate a .pro file....so, as, CMake is opensource, one may extend CMake with a custom QtCreator file generator...and share it with the whole world,it would be wonderful!
Hope this will help you!
We have developed an iPad application where the core logic is written in CPP code, so that we can use the same code files/libraries to other platforms.
Now I want to use those files and develop similar Android application, but unable to create .so files and integrate paths in Android.mk files and all. I am basically an iOS developer, this is first time I am looking into Android NDK.
Can anyone help and guide if there is any straight forward steps to it.
I have already gone through android developers site and few other tutorial sites. But none of those worked for me.
Require easy-clear steps to call cpp method in java, if I do have few cpp files and .a libraries with me already.
You aren't very specific at the step you are stuck at.
Here's a very quick explanation on how to call native code from java (android) :
first create a method to be exported by the native and called by java (this uses JNI, so google JNI , JNIEXPORT)
once you have this method defined in your native code, it's time to create a shared library (.so) file , using the compiler that comes in the NDK (because you are compiling for android ). You will need to compile for the correct architecture of the device (armeabiv7s is the most common now days).
you need to add the library file in your app.apk inside the armeabi folder (more details in NDK tutorials).
inside your java code you will need to load the shared library via the System.loadLibrary(LIBRARY_NAME);
inside your java code you will need to have defined static native methods that are in pair with the methods you exported from your CPP code
Quick tips :
use C functions,not CPP , since CPP will be mangled in the resulting shared library. In other words, you will need to create a C wrapper that will call your cpp code.
look over a hello world tutorial for NDK , and work yourself from there . Here's a link to such tutorial http://trivedihardik.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/hello-world-example-using-ndk-in-android/
You will bump later on into compilation issues with the makefiles, but by then you will probably be able to be more specific with your question.
Easiest way is to use the hello-jni Android studio sample project.
There are a lot of settings and configurations, you get them from the sample that is a working unit, always easiest when starting from something working.
First run (and modify) the hello-jni and learn how the interactivity between the Java and C parts works. About everything works except environmental ANSI C/C++ stuff. You have to get things like language, country etc from Java and transfer it to the C-code. You are in US in English with "inches and gallons" in JNI.
Then to an own project you create with android studio, copy and modify from it bit by bit from hello-jni. When you have our own branded hello-JNI you can add bit by bit your own code. Often using C-dummies for testing the interactivity with the Java part is easier, then change it to the real C/C++ code of yours.
Read the Android/Android studio documentation and learn and understand. Use the Android emulators, much easier and they are good.
The project configuration stuff is by far the hardest to handle at the start. If I would make a new project today, I would start from the Hello-JNI once again.
I want to use some function calls(commands) designed for linux. I can use them by enter the key words in adb(Android CML).
Here I found some works some people did.
wget (because it isn't included in most Android device )
Iperf
But after reading their methods or suggestions, I can only understand that I need to use Android NDK and write the correct makefile. I have no idea about building others source code (most of them are C/C++) for linux(only need to use 'make' command mentioned in their README file). The official NDK document is for Java environment to call C lib mainly.
Are there some HOWTO, courses or suggestions for this. Thanks!
I have compiled single cpp file program. I try to compile a alternative version iperf
https://github.com/tierney/iperf
It seems to be relative to lib ,some header files, and multiple c files. I failed to compile by enter all c files normally. Is there anything I missed?
yeah you need the NDK, it offers an C/C++ compiler for Android.
In general the steps are all the same:
Setting up the NDK (I wrote a small how-to, but it's for Arch-Linux and the fish-shell, Windows how-to)
Adjusting your make file (instead of gcc compiler use Android NDK compiler, and so on)
Remember that Android uses Bionic C library, so only use functions supported by it
Run make, push the program to your device and make it executable
Of course, this is just an overview how it is done. You should try it and then ask specific questions if you run into troubles.
NDK is mostly intended to extend the Java apps, but you can download NDK and create a standalone toolchain from it (see http://www.kandroid.org/ndk/docs/STANDALONE-TOOLCHAIN.html). Now you have a cross-compilation environment which is very similar to standard Linux dev environment.
In addition, for small executables and for testing only, you can also cross-compile and link statically to the libc. This way you don't have to worry about Bionic which could be a loss of time.