Build instructions for Android Studio

[bjornoleh]

Hi, are there any build instructions generating an Xdrip APK with Android Studio available? I tried following what works for AAPS, but had build errors.

(Depending on build variant, one of them were: Unable to load class 'javax.xml.bind.JAXBException'.)

Hopefully it's not too different from building AAPS?
https://androidaps.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Installing-AndroidAPS/Building-APK.html#generate-signed-apk

I would just like to be able to build two instances of Xdrip with different app names and icon colours to easily differentiate an app for a left and right hand side transmitter. This is to be able to run overlapping transmitter sessions at day 9, and thus avoid poor data for looping.

I am aware of the build variants that are available on Google Drive. This will serve the purpose, but on a small screen (Jelly 2), I could not see the full app name under the icon. The only differentiation is then the location of the icon on the home screen.

https://github.com/Navid200/xDrip/wiki/Variants

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B6mvYVNVC-fOWkxnVF80dlFabjQ?resourcekey=0-ebguuiPuB1wUI9Rp2zjMNg

[Lupum1001]

I got started within the past month or so, but my memory of how I solved it isn't perfect. I believe the problem with 'javax.xml.bind.JAXBException' was that the JDK that comes bundled with Android Studio is too new.

I think you need to install Java 8 from Oracle.com (also known as 1.8, I think?). The file I ended up downloading was called:
jdk-8u321-windows-x64.exe
https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/downloads/#java8

I don't know what else I changed, but here are the settings that I'm currently using:

Hope this helps!

[bjornoleh]

Thank you! I will give it a try.

I forgot to mention my initial attempt was with AS on Mac. But I also have a working build environment on Windows, so I can test with both if needed.

[tolot27]

You can also merge #1876 or just cherry-pick 90ea672.

[bjornoleh]

Thank you @tolot27 ! I merged your Java11comp branch, and this allowed me to build on the Mac.

I would have tested cherry-picking the one commit too, but I'm a little fresh on Android studio (more familiar with Xcode and GitKraken for managing my git stuff).

[bjornoleh]

So I have managed to build Xdrip+ with AS now, but I have not been able to do what I intended to do when building. I hope it is ok to continue the conversation here, as it is included in the initial question.

My intention is to build my own build variants to have two instances of Xdrip that are easily distinguishable. This is in the context of running two Dexcom transmitters with overlapping sessions on the last day. I would like to have a second build with green icon (right hand side sensor) and possibly some distinguishing colouring inside of the app too. The original app with red icon can be for the left hand side.

I have tried adding productFlavour to build.gradle for both app and wear following these instructions:

https://developer.android.com/studio/build/build-variants#change-app-id

, and then adding new Image Assets with a green icon for both.

My changes are visible in this branch:

https://github.com/bjornoleh/xDrip/commits/variants-bo

When building, bollowing the instructions for AAPS (Generate signed APK) I got the following error:

> Task :app:processGreenReleaseGoogleServices FAILED
Parsing json file: /Users/xxxxxx/AS/xDrip/app/google-services.json

Execution failed for task ':app:processGreenReleaseGoogleServices'.
> No matching client found for package name 'com.eveningoutpost.dexdrip.green'

* Try:
Run with --stacktrace option to get the stack trace. Run with --info or --debug option to get more log output. Run with --scan to get full insights.

[bjornoleh]

With two apps on the phone, it is nice to immediately be able to tell them apart. On the very small Jelly 2 phone, I can not see the full name of the build variants, and the icons are the same.

[Navid200]

Thanks for the explanation.

I personally prefer if we add the capability to also change the color of the icon in the existing menu that allows changing other colors.
However, I don't know how practical this may be. @jamorham

[Navid200]

Actually, I don't know if we should change the icon color.

Can you please show a screenshot of your phone where you cannot see the name of the variant?
There may be an alternative solution.

[bjornoleh]

Changing icon colour from the app would be great. Alternatively offering some alternatives in the build variants in Google Drive.

Here is a photo of the tiny phone.

[Navid200]

Perfect. Thanks

@jamorham Can the variant identifier text precede xDrip in the title?

[Navid200]

There isn't an easy way to rename an installed app. But, there are ways to do it. I just did a search and got plenty of results. One is to use a launcher, which lets you rename the app on the home screen.
You can do this to get what you need.

It seems to me if you add something in front of xDrip in the name, it should show on your screen. For example, you can rename the variants to "L_xDrip" and "R_xDrip".

[Navid200]

If I think about the purpose of an icon, it is to represent some form of identity; the identity of an app.
Allowing the color of the icon to be changed kind of defeats the purpose of the icon to some extent.

I wish we could make the widget smaller.

I hope we can find a workaround.
Let's see if @jamorham has any suggestions.

[bjornoleh]

If you mean identity in terms of branding, then yes. But icons should also be easily distinguishable when two instances of an app can be installed side by side like here. If you look at my green version of the icon above, it is still pretty recognisable, and it carries some meaning with green vs red (right/ left or rather starboard/port). Not sure about a green drop of blood though, perhaps for diabetic lizards 😅 It would work for us anyways.

[bjornoleh]

For reference, this is what my versions of Xdrip4iOS looks like. It’s just my private modifications, I haven’t suggested it for the devs there yet:

The icon is originally white on blue background

[bjornoleh]

I tested a tool that only change the icon and name of installed apps:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alextern.shortcuthelper

This seems to work well. There is a workaround to avoid getting a supposed shortcut arrow-icon in the corner of the icon. This involved generating a widget instead of an icon (looks just like an icon). I tested the widget feature, and that works at least.

Icons can be added both as an icon and widget (perhaps both are technically widgets). These are displayed with different icon size, and the amount of visible text is slightly affected.

This is a screenshot of the tiny Jelly 2. Three icons/widgets are shown for each of the Xdrip+ variants (red = variant1, green = normal Xdrip+ install).

The smallest icons are the "widget" type.

I'd tweak the colouring of the Xdrip widget graphs if I were to use this, as these colours look too much like warning/OK colours when displayed together with CGM data. Currently this is just proof of concept.

The red/green colour coding inside of Xdrip seems fine:

For now I am happy to have achieved what I set out to do.

There are some talk about modified icons being reset by Android though, so I'll have to see if this works in the long run.

And I'd still be interested in some guidance on how to make build variants with different icons and names using Android studio. Alternatively have such variants included in the builds that are distributed on Google Drive. But this is low priority for me personally if my workaround proves reliable long term.

[bjornoleh]

Uploading the icons, in case anyone would like to reproduce this. I didn't spend too much time tweaking colours or anything, just consider this as an example.

[jamorham]

The variants already have launcher titles like xDrip+ va1 - I would suggest simply change the background color on the widget for one variant and tap the widget to enter the app. You don't need to use the launcher icon if you use widgets. I also recommend changing the Lower Button Bar Flair to the same color as the widget background (I use a purple color) so that when you are in the app there also cannot be any confusion as to which xDrip you are using.

[Navid200]

@jamorham

The variants already have launcher titles

Yes, but on his phone, what comes after xDrip is not visible

[jamorham]

Well I think just use the regular and a single variant that can be differentiated as there would be no v, but I would suggest just using the widgets is very clear.