DroidScript on the Remix Mini

[Dave Smart]

Hi Guys,

If you want to know what we are up-to regarding Remix OS + DroidScript, then check out this video:-

https://youtu.be/8-Ladok1Z2U

(alpha versions of DS for the Remix Mini coming very soon:)

[Dave Smart]

Also, please re-tweet the following tweet (if you use twitter) as it might help us find some funding for DroidScript :)

https://twitter.com/android_script/status/725087340289511425

[Dave Smart]

Hi Guys,

I've just put up the first alpha version of DroidScript for the Remix Mini (DroidScript_135a6_remix_mini.apk) here:-

http://androidscript.org/alpha

There are a few issues to sort out with the editor still (like Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V and scroll bars), but it is pretty use-able for small projects.

Please let me know what you think.

[Charles Wilt]

I go wrapped up working on my second app. Will get the mini hooked up this week and give it a test.

[Steve Garman]

It's looking pretty good, given that it is working on a brand new type of device.

Resizeable windows sometimes cause it a bit of confusion but I haven't pinned it down to a report yet.

I will test resizeable windows in some of my apks on the remix mini later but it would be really nice to have some way of building apks directly on the device.

[CANE LUPO]

Hello, the remix os droidscript vesrion is the coolest hting ever, but.. Is it possible to get apk builder plugin ported too?

[Dave Smart]

Hi Cane, that is on the 'Todo' list, but it depends if enough people start using the Mini.

Since Google is adding Android Apps to Chrome very soon, I expect that we will make chrome version and the Remix version behave in the same way (with the embedded web IDE editor) and will add the plugins etc as soon as we can find the time.

Note: I've just released a newer version of the Remix APK (DroidScript_135a10_Remix_mini.apk) into the alpha folder.

androidscript.org/alpha

[Alex F]

What is the mini version? Is it a smart version of DS?

[Dave Smart]

It runs DroidScript in desktop mode, which means you get the WiFi IDE interface instead of the mobile interface (because you have a larger screen, a mouse and a keyboard)

[Dennis Phillips]

Could this be modified to run on a Chromebook that is running the ChromeBeta that allows Android APPs?

I have tried running the current version and it does not see DS at the address reported in the APP. 

I have also tried running the Chrome Extension and it also does not see DS at the address reported.

My thought is a Chromebook with a large 15 inch screen and a keyboard would make a great development platform :)

[Dave Smart]

Absolutely... we have just been waiting (impatiently) for Android apps to arrive on our N22 chrome book so we can test.

We realize that the potential for DS on Chrome books is HUGE and it is a major part of our strategy going forward, especially as Chrome books are now out-selling Mac Books in the US :)

Some screen shots of what DS looks like on your Chrome book might help us... do you get the wifi editor on your chrome book or do you get the normal Android UI for DroidScript?

[Chris M]

Dear Gods, I've got to get one of these. I was wondering should I get a better phone, a tablet... this is cheaper than both and infinitely more fit-for-purpose.

[Dennis Phillips]

Chrome Version 56.0.2924.53 beta  Acer R13 Chromebook

See screenshot attached. Note: This could still be operator error. I am still getting up to speed on Android Apps on Chromebook. File Sharing and a few other things are not 100% the same as on an Android Device.

Some APPs like ASTRO file explorer that work fine on Android devices can not find my Windows local network when the APP runs on Chromebook.

[Dennis Phillips]

Here is a screenshot running the DS  Chrome Extension on Chromebook with the DS APP running on the same device. I used the IP address with and without the port added and received the same message.

[Dennis Phillips]

Don't know if this is of any value but I found a few developer notes that leads me to think that the network is handled a little differently in Chromebook than pure Android:

https://developer.android.com/topic/arc/index.html

https://developer.android.com/training/connect-devices-wirelessly/nsd.html

[Dave Smart]

Thanks Dennis,

Actually that is not how it should run anyway.  Like on the Remix Mini, you should get the Wifi editor and DS app all in one. (You don't use a separate browser).

If you send the resulting string from the app.GetModel() method, then I might be able to put a hack in for you.

[Dave Smart]

OK, finally got DS working on my N22.. Yay!  First task it to switch DS to full WiFi editor mode. Will let you know how things go :)

[Warren Downs]

Don't know if it's related, but (DroidScript_15a11.apk tested) I likewise get a failure to connect when I tried on RemixOS for PC Android M 32 bit, B2016101201 (in VirtualBox).  The app starts in the initial portrait mode, then switches to a full screen interface but all that appears is the upside down droid icon with a message:

Webpage not available

The webpage at http://127.0.0.1:8088/ could not be loaded because: 

net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED"

I tried and got the same issue in the older RemixOS 2.0.202 (based on Android 5.1.1)

I'm attaching the logcat I captured.

[Dave Smart]

Hi Warren,

I've found that on the real Remix devices, the Wifi or network must be connected or I get the same problem.  The local loop back address does not seem to work unless a network is present.  That's not a problem on Chromebooks tho.

Is the networking enabled on Remix inside the VirtualBox?

[Warren Downs]

Networking was enabled, but not WiFi.  Since VirtualBox doesn't emulate WiFi, I had to plug in a WiFi dongle with USB passthrough, and connect through it.  Now it works.

I guess a future request for enhancement would be to find a way to make it work on devices which don't have WiFi (using the wired network at a minimum, or better yet, supporting the loopback device, if possible).

[Steve Garman]

Warren,
At first glance, this appears to be a limitation of RemixOS

DroidScript doesn't care whether there is a WiFi as long as the local loopback address 127.0.0.1 works. On any other platform I have tried, that does not require a WiFi connection.

[Warren Downs]

On further investigation, it turns out that no WiFi is needed after all-- if the config.json has "useADB": true set.  Also, the local loopback address is available before WiFi is enabled, at the Linux API level.  So it appears that DroidScript is still trying to detect an available WiFi network before listening on all addresses.  If the WiFi is found at startup, it could probably be disabled thereafter, as long as the connection is made over one of the other addresses.

But the useADB code path working demonstrates that this is not an issue of RemixOS not working without WiFi, though perhaps it works differently than DroidScript expects.  It would be nice to get this fixed so it works out of the box, but in the meantime, here's the config.json I'm using for RemixOS on VirtualBox:

{

"headless": false,

"autoWifi": true,

"usePass": true,

"password": "(My Password)",

"orientation": "Portrait",

"useADB": true

}

With this configuration, both the internal editor and remote connections to the wired IP address work.  In summary:

• Without "useADB": true, DroidScript currently can be made to work with a WiFi dongle (tested EDIMax N 150, the one recommended for Raspberry Pi).  In that case, apps run full screen (Landscape orientation).
• With "useADB": true, DroidScript works with only a wired connection (local or remote).  In that case, apps run windowed in Portrait orientation, as they would appear on a phone.  (Which is actually nice for testing).
  

[Warren Downs]

One more note, for anyone else trying to use RemixOS on VirtualBox.  There are a bunch of tutorials out there that can help you with the mouse pointer (Hint: Turn "Integration" off), and the startup video mode (vga=791 on the Linux command line may be needed).

But none I found mentioned the problem I seem to have discovered: The 64-bit versions don't work properly though running on a 64-bit system.  Instead, they hang forever on the RemixOS startup screen.  But the 32-bit version works once you get past all the other issues.

[Dave Smart]

Hi Warren,

Thanks for that investigation work.  I've just put a new alpha up (1.51a1) which should solve the no wifi issue hopefully.

androidscript.org/alpha