Direct APK generation from Gideros

hgy29

Well I just figured out that it may possible to add an export option to Gideros so that it could output an android APK directly, without the need for Android Studio or Eclipse and not even Java stuff, and that could also integrate user selected prebuilt plugins.

How much people would be interested in such a feature ?

SinisterSoft

yes

ar2rsawseen

If I understand correctly what you are going to do (basically build "compiler" to convert java to dex), then I would say it sounds like a great overkill

Maybe we could bundle parts of Android SDK with Gideros Studio?
Or having Android SDK is a good prerequisite itself to export apk, only need to provide path to it.

But well, hey, what ever sounds interesting to you. If it would be interesting for me to implement such thing, I would do it either way, no matter what everyone else say

hgy29

@ar2rsawseen, what I am thinking about is somehow simpler: just taking precompiled files (.dex, .so and so on) from the plugins, and mixing them with the precompiled player in an APK. So no compilation phase at all, just APK mixing and perhaps signature...

SinisterSoft

not perhaps signature, signature will have to go in somehow.

totebo

All for this. +1

jdbc

May be the point is to enable select your Android project as Template from Gideros Studio or command line including signature process.

Or may a configuration file with plugins to generate Android project and then use Ant to export APK with signature.

Anyway you will need Android SDK and some Java build tool (ant or gradle).

https://developer.android.com/tools/building/building-cmdline-ant.html

jdbc

It seems than Google is moving to Android Studio and Gradle instead of Eclipse and Ant.

So to generate APK with signature, you will need Android project template, Gideros plugins to install, Android SDK and Gradle in order to avoid Android Studio.

Xman

The simpler the better.
Currently, I use ant.

jdbc

The simpler the better.
Currently, I use ant.

Ant + Android SDK I guess

Xman

The simpler the better.
Currently, I use ant.

Ant + Android SDK I guess

Exactly

hgy29

Thanks all, but perhaps I was not clear enough about what I suggest/propose (provided that I can actually do it, tests going on right now): I mean to generate a signed APK file from gideros WITHOUT android-sdk installed nor anything else except from gideros itself! No other step further for the user, just take apk generated by gideros studio and upload it to the store!
Cool ? :P

SinisterSoft

very cool

petec

godot engine has a very neat Android export (amongst others) that allows you to sign, set version number, permissions and so on direct from the engine. Would be good if gideros had something similar.

jdbc

Thanks all, but perhaps I was not clear enough about what I suggest/propose (provided that I can actually do it, tests going on right now): I mean to generate a signed APK file from gideros WITHOUT android-sdk installed nor anything else except from gideros itself! No other step further for the user, just take apk generated by gideros studio and upload it to the store!
Cool ? :P

It sounds like Corona. You will need Android SDK if you build locally or a remote build service similar to Corona does.

If you only use Gideros to generate APK file then two things are needed:

- Configuration file to provide plugins
- Path to Android SDK

vitalitymobile

@hgy29 It is awesome feature! Please bring it to ios too :P

In corona sdk and in unity, they have similar feature for android (Build or build and run), and user need to input:

- Path to android sdk
- Application Name
- Version Code
- Version Name
- Package Name
- Keystore
- Key alias
- Save to folder
- Plugins List
- Added Manifest Permission
- googlePlayGamesAppId for google play services (maybe input in plugin)
- Regex config for include and exclude files and folders

Hope that help for you to build that feature to Gideros

john26

I think the Corona approach is slightly different however. In Corona you upload your project to their servers and they compile and download it back to you. @hgy29 is suggesting Gideros will do all this without needing a server. So Gideros Studio will have all the code signing code needed. That should be possible for Android, but maybe not iOS and Windows Phone.

john26

Out of interest, would people be prepared to pay for this feature by supporting a Kickstarter project for example?

keszegh

me personally i don't mind using eclipse or android studio, so among the things concerning gideros apk-generation is low on my list of things that i would like to have. i'm not saying that it wouldn't be very helpful, but probably i'm not eager now to pay for it e.g.

simwhi

@keszegh I agree with you on this. I think that it's a great idea but I would rather have improved export options in Gideros for Eclipse/Android Studio.