Develop Reference

Building Android application inside android OS

Im curious to know the what steps/tools need to build an android app from source code to apk inside android (i.e. inside an android powered smartphone).
Im actually curious how AIDE works. They give a whole integrated development environment as an android app. Without any root privilege, it compiles==>builds==>generates apk==>deploys/installs apk to host machine (i.e the smartphone).
Im guessing I need ANT/Gradle , keytool , jarsigner(to sign apk).
But:
What tools?
In what sequence?
How? :)
I dont know is it a good place to ask? If not, any suggestion of stackexchange network or any blog will be appriciated.

You don't need any extra tools, if you have AIDE installed...
Just wrap up your Android project code, hit the 'Build' button & it Compiles everything to a working Android App (.apk) :)

All you need is just AIDE .
IT HAS ALL REQUIRED TOOLS LIKE GRADLE, AAPT, SIGNER ETC
Just chill and start using AIDE, if you have problem with free version, try Pro. Am using Pro without any problem since 3 years

Is it possible to debug C/C++ in Android Studio?

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.

Use Sublime Text 2 to develop Phonegap applications for Android

I've been using eclipse to develop Android apps with phonegap until, a few weeks ago, I decided to try Sublime Text 2. I found it to be so much better than the eclipse editor so I would like to keep using it. Only thing I'm missing is a quick way to test the app on the device inside Sublime.
Luckily, someone else also had the same idea and developed a plugin for this:
https://github.com/Korcholis/Andrew
Sadly, I cannot get it to work, I installed ant and pointed the plugin to adb but then nothing happens when I try to create a new project (and there is no error message in the console).
I also found this other plugin:
https://bitbucket.org/ucomesdag/sublime-android
But I have no idea on how to install and run it.
Did someone else found a way to do this?

A quick update into 2014.
As of PhoneGap Cordova 3.0, it is no longer required to develop Android apps via eclipse. You are free to use any code editor or IDE you wish as app building is done independently from eclipse via a simple command line.
cordova run android to package the .apk and install on any active devices detected by adb or
cordova build android to package the .apk only.
In your case, you can keep using Sublime and pop in the cordova run android command whenever you ready to go on a test run.

While I agree with Insane Coder that you should stick with supported IDEs to develop for Android, according to this link and existing Sublime Text 2 Ant support, you could build and develop your android project with this IDE (It will just take some time to set it all up... as opposed to using a supported IDE like IntelliJ or Eclipse).
Using PackageControl, look for "Ant". That will install syntax highlighting for Ant. Another plugin that enables the build command (ctrl+b) to work for Ant files, "Super Ant". You should be able to code for android in sublime text 2 with those installed.
On another note... Do you use windows? The Andrew project you link to, seems to have Windows compatibility issues. Apparently related to locating the "SDK" (he says sdk in Andrew's github page but, probably he means JDK?) in your hard drive. Which is probably a hassle because Windows typically installs stuff to "Program Files" and in code, that turns into "Progra~1" because of the space. In the link I give you there is another approach to it, so when you install the JDK set a folder that has no spaces in its name, like c:\java\jdk1.6.0_02 or something else that strikes your fancy. The problem you could be having with Andrew is that it isn't finding the jdk in your hard disk.

Eclipse with ADT - JUnit Test Not Running With EclEmma

I am currently running Eclipse Juno with the Android Development Tools plugin so I can develop Android applications and test them. To get code coverage of the applications (and preferably the APIs of Android themselves), I installed EclEmma into Eclipse, but just when I was about to run it for the first time, it gives me an error:
Error while dumping coverage data (code 5013).
Socket closed
I don't know what might be causing this, and when I looked it up here, the workaround didn't seem to work or I'm just not sure where those directories it mentioned are when dealing with the Android SDK. Anyone deal with similar problems?

Latest versions of EclEmma use Jacoco, which as far as I know doesn't support off-line instrumentation.
You should try to find a pre-Jacoco version of EclEmma (it was working just one year ago, http://dtmilano.blogspot.ca/2011/07/eclipse-android-and-emma-code-coverage.html) and try to install it on Juno (very unlikely to work) or stick to the HTML reports, wich can be opened in Eclipse, so it's no such a big problem.

Opening android AOSP native applications in eclipse

I need to edit the original Android Apps from packages
in terms make my own distro/mod..
I want to make changes to the In Call screen, lock screen, contacts, calendar etc..
I understand that for doing this I will have to build everything from
source,
however I need to edit the source and to do so I need to open the OS provided apps as
eclipse projects,
When I did I saw that there are
missing imports which are hidden in the SDK (or missing)
hidden parameters within the classes..
I don't want to use reflection since the whole code is here and
available, but how do you build a platform development kit..
or PDK ?:)
Can any one help?

You start by reading the documentation.
EDIT:
If you are trying to download some single project from AOSP and compile it using the SDK, odds are very strong that it will not work, and that you will encounter problems like the ones you cite. You do not build Android by building individual apps; you build Android ("my own distro/mod") by building the entire firmware. Most AOSP applications are not designed to be compiled by the SDK, but need the whole firmware.

Please check Using eclipse to browse and edit AOSP. You can atleast edit your code using eclipse, but you will have to use AOSP build system to build your distro.
You might also check Debugging Android Java Framework services as that would help debug your changes.

Just open Eclipse,
then go to "window" +"preferences" +"android"
there you will get sdk location,then give the appropriate path of the android sdk for proper run...