Wish Compile APK without Run

[mfstuart]

Hi,
1) Can we have an option to just build/compile the APK/IPK without having to run it to a device or emulator?
There's many a time after compiling in debug mode and it running on the device, but now that I'm done debugging, I just want to create the APK. It's annoying having to run it to the device again.

2) I notice when a Compile & Run in debug mode option is selected, it deletes the existing .APK file. Not good. To avoid this, can you create a sub folder structure (Debug and Release) and put the appropriate .APK in the relative folder? Then the release .APK file will not get deleted.

Thanx,
Mark Stuart

 

[eps]

As far as I know, for point 1) you don't have to have a device or emulator in place - it does 'complain' about there not being a device, but the APK is created, but you have to 'unlink' it first.

That's for version 6.8 B4A and those before it, it might have changed more recently.

2) is quite a good idea - but it's not really the APK you want it's the source code to generate the APK..?

 

[mfstuart]

1) Sounds OK, but not up to professional standard.
2) Yes, when ever the user is compiling the code in debug mode, we don't to lose the existing release .apk file. Hence the reason for Debug and Release folders.

 

[eps]

Ah, so you just want a last generated Debug version and a Release version..? I guess - although I personally don't like those in Visual Studio but see where you are coming from.

 

[mfstuart]

Actually, I wouldn't care about the debug .apk getting overwritten as it really isn't worth keeping, right?
But the release .apk, don't delete it when generating a debug .apk.
That is, when generating a release mode .apk, sure delete it and regenerate it - no problem there.

 

[eps]

I see what you mean now - but surely if you've generated one, you are looking to make a fix for the other one? or do you mean you've generated a debug apk and then found no problem so deploy the release apk?

 

[mfstuart]

Hi eps,
Correct on the 2nd question.

I don't use the emulator, too slow and to me it's not a true representation of the device. That's the whole reason for "don't delete my release apk when I'm in debug mode of the development life cycle.
I may just want to load the project onto the device and be looking at the code, run the app and then decide everything is OK, so then no need to regenerate a release apk.
With what happens now, my current release apk gets deleted. Again, not good. Sure, I could have made a copy of the release apk, but what if I forget to do that? Hmm. Not good.

BTW. thanx eps for the discussion.

Mark S.

 

[Erel]

Note that you can generate an APK with the command line builder.

 

[sorex]

With what happens now, my current release apk gets deleted. Again, not good.

I have a Published folder in my projects folder.

Each time I publish an update I create a new folder there like 1.57 and put the apk there and the zip file created with file > export to zip

I only keep the latest 5 versions or so just in case I need to look back at something or to do a roll back to the latest after a screw up.