Offline Build HowTo

[jon....@gmail.com]

I've searched google but I can't seem to find any info / howto on offline builds.

I'm specifically looking for iOS offline building tips.

Thanks!

[Shai Almog]

The process is very complex and not officially supported, the source code is out in our repository but we just don't want to support all the questions/problems people will run into.

[jon....@gmail.com]

Understood. I just read the FAQ and saw the line "Please note that we do not provide instructions or support for offline building however plenty of resources exist on the internet for doing that." -- I couldn't find anything.

I'll take a peek at the src to see if I can figure it out for myself but if you have a link to one of these resources you mentioned in the FAQ I would greatly appreciate the help.

[Shai Almog]

There are lots of instructions for building for devices only not for iOS. Check out Eric's posts/blog and I answered some questions on this here as well.
However, iOS is just much harder.

[jon....@gmail.com]

I've seen a few mention's of Eric's blog -- is this the one: http://gadgets.coolman.ca/

Thanks for responding to me n00b questions!

[jon....@gmail.com]

I've poked around the src and I think I'm getting closer.

I've built a skeleton project using xmlvm from the cn1 repo.

I grabbed the relevant source from a HelloWorld cn1 project and I'm able to get it to compile in xcode but when I run it in the native emulator I am just seeing a white screen which givez a null pointer exception if I click / touch it.

I could be wrong but I believe I'm just missing some bootstrap code to tell the IOSImpl / CodenameOne_GLAppDelegate which class to load (in this case I left everything default in the cn1 HelloWorld app so it would be something like "com_mycompany_myapp_MyApplication").

I've taken a few shots in the dark but I'm getting no where fast.

I've tried every method that looked remotely useful on "com_codename1_impl_ios_IOSImplementation" to feed it a reference to my "com_mycompany_myapp_MyApplication" class.

I also looked at the sample xmlvm demo projects and they don't actually use a MainWindow xib (they take care of initing the UIApplication separately) so it isn't much help for properly initing my cn1 app.

I understand and appreciate that you're not wanting to support the build process but I'd certainly appreciate any guidance.

Once I get this working I'll certainly share detailed instructions with the rest of the community here.

[Shai Almog]

In the main(String[]) you need to call Display.init() with a runnable instance. This method will block but your run code should just call the init()/start() methods.

That's the gist of it.

[jon....@gmail.com]

That did it! Thanks so much for your help!

With your permission I'll post detailed steps in a separate thread.

[Raanan Nevet]

Hi, did you make that post with the steps? I am very interested in the offline build process for IOS as well.

Regards,

Raanan

[jon....@gmail.com]

I didn't actually get the nod from the CN1 team yet. I'm happy to share my steps if Shai and team approve (I don't want to undercut their service offering / source of income).

@Shai - is it OK to post the steps here?

[Shai Almog]

Our concern isn't lost revenue, the amount of money we charge for subscription is negligible and doesn't come close to cover our costs.

The concern is about support and overflowing the forum with people trying to "figure this out". I helped you go through because you figured it out by yourself hence you don't need much support here (sort of trial by fire). Personally, I'm more in favor of that approach. Its not a process for the faint of heart.

What I don't want is:
1. This developing into many long threads about this that will drown out other discussions.
2. People turning to us expecting help on this from us or complaining on why we didn't support them here.

If you want to write down the steps that's fine, I suggest you define clear boundaries and expectations though.

[jon....@gmail.com]

Fair enough. Here it is for all to try then ...

=== Disclaimer ===

    1) I don't work for CN1 (in fact I'm very much a n00b)

    2) I've not tested these steps from start to finish -- it took many hours of trial and error to get this working and some of this is from memory

    3) The CN1 team has explicitly stated that they do NOT support this process so use at your own risk (or just use their build server)

    4) I'm not prepared to answer a lot of questions about this process but as a good OSS citizen I'll do my best to help you along if you get stuck

    5) You probably want to avoid this unless you've used tools like ant, Xcode, Netbeans and xmlvm before

=== Prerequisites ===

    1) OSX with Xcode 4.4 (don't forget to install the command line tools)

    2) JDK 7 with Netbeans 7.2 + the CN1 plugin

    3) subversion

=== Procedure ===

    1) Grab the latest CN1 trunk

        $> svn co https://codenameone.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ cn1-trunk-read-only

    2) Install xmlvm

        $> cd cn1-trunk-read-only/Ports/iOSPort/xmlvm/

        $> ant

        $> echo "xmlvm.install=/opt/xmlvm" >> properties/local.properties

        $> ant install

    3) Create an iOS skeleton

        

        $> cd ../../../../

        $> /opt/xmlvm/bin/xmlvm --skeleton=iphone --out=tester --app-name=Tester

        - edit 'tester/xmlvm.properties' and change 'xmlvm.backend=objc' to 'xmlvm.backend=c'

    4) Copy CN1 java src files into iOS skeleton

        $> cp -a cn1-trunk-read-only/CodenameOne/src/* tester/src/java/

        $> cp -a cn1-trunk-read-only/Factory/src/* tester/src/java/

        $> cp -a cn1-trunk-read-only/Ports/iOSPort/src/* tester/src/java/

    5) Put CN1 native files in an xmlvm plugin

        $> mkdir tester/src/objc/ && cp -a cn1-trunk-read-only/Ports/iOSPort/nativeSources/* tester/src/objc/

        $> cd tester/src/ && jar cvf cn1_native.jar objc && mv cn1_native.jar ../ && cd -

    6) Add the cn1_native.jar to the runtime classpath of the iOS skeleton

        

        - Open the Netbeans project generated by xmlvm (you should be able to simply open the 'tester' folder)

        - Right-click on the Tester project and go to 'Properties > Libraries > Run' and add the cn1_native.jar

        

    7) Give ant extra memory to build the Xcode project in the iOS skeleton

        - edit tester/nbproject/build-Xcode.xml and change '<jvmarg value="-Xmx512m"/>' to something like '<jvmarg value="-Xmx2G"/>'

    8) Create a new HelloWorld CN1 project in Netbeans

        - This is the porject where you can write and test you CN1 project using the Java emulator

        - There will a few java src files automatically generated

        - You need to add one additional java src file with a main method as follows:

        package com.mycompany.myapp;

        import com.codename1.ui.Display;

        public class Main implements Runnable{

            

            private MyApplication ma;

            

            public static void main(String agrs[]){

                Display.init(new Main());

            }

            public void run() {

                ma = new MyApplication();

                ma.init(this);

                ma.start();

            }

            

        }

    9) Copy the java src from your CN1 project to the iOS skeleton

        $> cp -a ~/NetBeansProjects/HelloWorld/src/* tester/src/java/

    10) Build Xcode project

        $> cd tester

        $> ant

        - it will try to open the Xcode project automatically and sometimes fails (just open the 'tester/dist/Tester.xcodeproj' file)

    11) Remove duplicate symbols (if you figure out how to get rid of this please share)

        - edit org_xmlvm_iphone_NSString.m and change method signatures:

            'JAVA_OBJECT fromNSString(NSString* str)' to 'JAVA_OBJECT hide_fromNSString(NSString* str)'

            'NSString* toNSString(JAVA_OBJECT o)' to 'NSString* hide_toNSString(JAVA_OBJECT o)'

    12) That's it! Run your project in the native emulator like any normal Xcode project

If you have any constructive criticism or suggestion to improve this process please share.

[Raanan Nevet]

I'm actually going to do this process once to prove that I can do it, the reason being, I want to use CN1 commercially for projects and I want to be sure that I can fully support these projects, therefore I need to be able to compile them myself without a blackbox server. 

After this one attempt I'm going to continue using the server which is very convenient and elegant solution for this complicated process.

I'm going to try and achieve this without questions, I hope I can contribute more after. 

Thanks both of you.

[balt...@gmail.com]

Hi, there!

I've searched google but I can't seem to find any info / howto on offline builds.

I'm specifically looking for iOS offline building tips.

I've already read a lot about this issue, I understand that online building is great for iOS releases. However, I haven't found any info on Eric Coolman's blog. Also, I am more interested in Android releases than in iOS.

I know I can browse the free repository, but, before doing that, would it be simple/sane to build the android apk from a codenameone project?

Thanks !

[jon....@gmail.com]

Android isn't too bad at all (it is all Java).

This is really all you need: http://www.codenameone.com/discussion-forum.html?place=topic%2Fcodenameone-discussions%2FE-yVJMbBMB4%2Fdiscussion

[Eric Coolman]

It is relatively straightforward, but there's few other things, classes need to be converted to DEX, resource files go into the asset/ directory, jars zipaligned, and packaged to apk, all those tools included in the ADT under 'tools'.  Some, such as apkbuilder, has been deprecated since I last used them so I'm not sure what the current replacements are.

I haven't blogged about building the binaries yet, I use Maven for that, so it'd be too much to describe.  I will be releasing something that will help, but don't have a timeframe at the moment - partly due to a google code bug.

Eric

[shannah]

I have created an ANT target for building CodenameOne apps locally based on these instructions.  I have posted the target and build instructions in my blog.

http://sjhannah.com/blog/?p=227

Thanks for posting the instructions as I wouldn't have known where to begin without them.

-Steve

[ST.RE]

Hi Steve,

i followed your instruction for the offline build but the build in xcode failed.

d: warning: ignoring file /Users/xxx/NetBeansProjects/ProjectOne-Mobile/dist/app/resources/libzbar.a, missing required architecture i386 in file /Users/xxx/NetBeansProjects/ProjectOne-Mobile/dist/app/resources/libzbar.a (2 slices)

Undefined symbols for architecture i386:

  "_OBJC_CLASS_$_ZBarReaderViewController", referenced from:

      objc-class-ref in IOSNative.o

  "_ZBarReaderControllerResults", referenced from:

      -[ScanCodeImpl imagePickerController:didFinishPickingMediaWithInfo:] in ScanCodeImpl.o

ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture i386

collect2: ld returned 1 exit status

Do you know a solution for that problem?

Thanks

[Steve Hannah]

Building for the simulator doesn't work.  You need to build for device.

Unless you comment out all of the references to libzbar.

Steve

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[ST.RE]

Hi Steve,

you said it is only possible to build for device. I had never used xcode before, so please can you give me a hint how i can do that!?

I can't find a xcode menu option like "Build for device..."

Thanks!

codenameone-discussions+unsub...@googlegroups.com

[Steve Hannah]

Short answer: If you have your appropriate developer keys installed
in your keychain, and you have the provisioning profile set up on your
phone properly, then you can just plug in your phone, and Xode will
list your iPhone (or iPad or whatever) in the list of build targets.
Just select that.

The long answer is that I you should go through the documentation in
Apple's developer section (or any of the many tutorials on the net)
that describe how to set up your device for development in Xcode if
you run into problems. I spent almost en entire day fighting with
Xcode and provisioning profiles, etc... the first time I set up my
iPhone for development in Xcode. But I'm guessing you already have
the keys and provisioning profiles sorted out if you were already
building for your device on the build server... so it should be much
easier.

-Steve

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[ST.RE]

Great, thanks!

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[bouwme...@gmail.com]

 

After building and opening the project in XCode I get the following result:

#include "org_xmlvm_iphone_NSString.h"

and the error is "Org_xmlvm_iphone_NSString.h: No such file or directory"

The full section is located in native_org_xmlvm_runtime_XMLXMUtil.m:

#ifdef __OBJC__
#ifndef XMLVM_NEW_IOS_API
#include "org_xmlvm_iphone_NSString.h"
#else
#include "org_xmlvm_ios_NSString.h"
#endif
#endif

Why is that library not included in my project?

(I followed the Steve Hannahs blog on offline building codenameone )