Blitzmax and android

markcwm · April 30, 2020, 21:18:54

Well the only thing to go on there is "Error creating apk" which isn't really enough, I don't know. You need to see what happens with the android firepaint port sample.

You should read the Android developer docs to know what to do in general. For example, you need to set an app package name inside a ".android" file that is used by Google Play store to identify the app when published but is also used to name the resource class.

There's an old BB thread @Android 5.1 error which you might want to read.

kamashin · May 01, 2020, 00:03:48

I will delve into this, but the firepaint port gives me the exact same error, which, as you said, isn t much to try and dig out a solution, it's very vague and i'm not sure where the problem comes from.

Thanks or all the help anyway, it was fun in its own way

markcwm · May 01, 2020, 16:37:25

Well it must be a problem with the Blitzmax setup then, so double check everything.

To check Java is installed okay open Cmd and type "java -version".
Rebuild all modules, using Cmd use -a to force a rebuild "bmk makemods -a -w brl".
Make sure your paths to Android SDK and NDK are correct. You have declared your Apache Ant path twice.

kamashin · May 01, 2020, 17:51:31

Java version says "1.8.0_20"
i've tried rebuilding all the modules, but from Blitzmax IDE itself, not using your command line, i'll try it

and yes, i ve seen my double pathing to Apache Ant, and deleted it, though it didn t change anything

Steve Elliott · May 01, 2020, 18:15:42

All I ever hear on this website is BlitzMax of various flavours don't work...It doesn't even compile, I'm getting there though! I'm down from 147 errors to 42. It doesn't work with Android, it does work, but you need to re-compile XYZ Modules, but not ABC Modules...Why do you guys even bother?! A language should always work, out of the box.

Something like AGK works out of the box and allows a code-based approach, rather than a code-based/menu system approach, and runs on Windows OS, Mac OS and Linux perfectly, it runs on mobile platforms too. I haven't tried mobile on AGK, but I hear it also runs as seamlessly. 3D support isn't so great though so you're gonna have to get your hands dirty, but no change if you're picking up after Sibly.

Derron · May 01, 2020, 19:52:01

it works on the major three platforms - and it works on raspi. Android target needs to get overhauled as Android stuff changed and so did requirements.

For now nobody complained as nobody was really using that target - this is why it might currently need adjustments or fixes.

And please do not compare commercial software (in which I expect things to work if sold as feature) with FOSS software when it comes to bugs/non-working features. Too few are using to get bug reports for every thing within 48 hours.
People want to use BlitzMax for a reason - maybe the language looks way sweeter than this procedural AGK stuff (yes BMX has this too - if you want). Maybe they like some specific module or the fact it is free or they used it 20 years ago and do not want to change as they are stubborn or or or.

If AGK works with "mobile" out of the box then it provides a runtime and some "your application package". Then it should compare with Godot and unity. If it compiles to native code then it will mostly have to piggypack the android toolchain too - and to integrate it in some way.

I accept the fact that currently NG misses a proper "help" to setup the android tool chain (paths, configs ...). This could be tackled once the current system is overhauled - maybe Hezkores VS Code extension could be extended to provide such stuff too.

bye
Ron

GW · May 01, 2020, 20:14:29

I'll also point out that It's possible for BMax to have more bugs because it has such a larger surface area.
AGK has a very narrow scope and feature set so it can optimize that feature set well. With Bmax, the language can make a game just as easily as it can make a webserver or a audio production software or financial trading apps.

Steve Elliott · May 01, 2020, 20:22:04

Quote
And please do not compare commercial software (in which I expect things to work if sold as feature) with FOSS software when it comes to bugs/non-working features

So you're saying paid for software works and free software doesn't? I'd rather pay.

BMax can make a game as easily? People here can't even compile a game! So what chance has the average Joe?

GW · May 01, 2020, 20:23:48

What game?

Derron · May 01, 2020, 21:00:48

in FOSS (free open source, not just free) it is a matter of having people commiting their time to fix stuff and to code features. In commercial software you pay for stuff and are able to expect things.

Nonetheless: using and supporting FOSS is a personal standing / opinion - some do it, some avoid it. Each one decides on their own.

bye
Ron

kamashin · May 01, 2020, 21:59:35

This topic was about compiling for android, I got no problem whatsoever compiling and running my game on pc, it actually runs great and smooth even with more than 4000 particles sometime.

markcwm · May 01, 2020, 23:20:42

No he means you can't compile the game for Android. Actually, you should be able to as I've done it.

Yes AGK would be more sensible but it's the FOSS idea that keeps me with Blitzmax. I would have left if Brucey was not around.

kamashin · May 02, 2020, 01:07:05

Could you try compiling my project or android then? you wouldn t have the images and sounds and all, but it should compile since i m not using "incbin"

GW · May 02, 2020, 02:42:09

Quote from: markcwm on May 01, 2020, 23:20:42
No he means you can't compile the game for Android. Actually, you should be able to as I've done it.

I made a game for android too with NG, but it was years ago. https://mojolabs.nz/posts.php?topic=106403
Dont give up!

markcwm · May 03, 2020, 00:40:26

No, I only meant I'd personally compiled successfully for Android, not written a game for it.

Yes, don't give up, you're very close. It's so much better to have your own system running.

I've just spent this evening setting up android to see what you might be missing. You're using Java 1.8_20 whereas I have 1.8_251, I had 1.7_79 but wanted to check 8 works and it does. Are you sure the environment variable for Java is okay?

I installed Blitzmax NG 0.87 (with GCC 5.1) and edited bin/custom.bmk to set correct paths. I installed an older Android Studio SDK Manager (r24.4.1) but I don't think that's available now but you should be okay with commandlinetools-win-xxxxxxx_latest.zip. Then the Android NDK I used was r11c-win-x86_64 (which the SDK Manager doesn't install) the latest is r20b. For Apache Ant I used 1.9.7 their page says you should have 1.10.7 for Java 8 but I was fine with 1.9.7. I installed Android 4.4.2 and 5.1 APIs which took ages.