MIT App Inventor - A couple of Emulator issues I'm stuck with...

[IcedBreeze]

Hi guys,

 

I'm having a few problems with MIT App Inventor and I wondered if anyone might be able to help. I've deployed an msi to a computer suite of 30 computers and problems keep cropping up. Some work, some don't. The main issues stem from the emulator.

 

First error is:

Companion Version Check

 

The Companion you are using is out of date.

 

This version of App Inventor should be used with Companion version 2.23ai2zx1

 

However this is the version I have already installed!

 

 

 

 

The second problem is:

Launch the aiStarter program on your computer and then try again.

 

I've tried launching aiStarter before and during whilst using App Inventor and still receive the same error.

 

 

 

Has anyone encountered something similar?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[EDIT]

 

Whilst I'm still having an issue with problem 1, I have since solved the issue to problem 2. The reason that aiStarter isn't registering as open is because it (a) hasn't opened properly or (b) wasn't closed down correctly. I was initially closing down the command box by clicking the red 'X'. However you need to hit Ctrl-C to fully kill the application. Once reopened it works fine.

 

[EDIT 2]

 

I found a work around for problem 1

 

You need to obtain the latest emulator .apk (which for me currently is 2.22ai2zx1) - D/L Here

 

1) Copy and paste the .apk into the root of App Inventor which is typically C:\Program Files\AppInventor\commands-for-Appinventor.

 

2) Launch the command prompt and change directory to C:\Program Files\AppInventor\commands-for-Appinventor (or wherever it's installed).

 

3) Now in Google Chrome, log-in to App Inventor and run the emulator as normal, ensure the emulator is running during step 4.

 

4) In command prompt, with the 'commands-for-appinventor' folder selected, paste the following: adb -e install -r YourFile.apk

 

5) The emulator will upgrade using the .apk and will work right away.

 

Edited November 25, 2014 by IcedBreeze
Fix found.

[JJonas]

I'm having the second problem as well, the emulator refuses to start complaining that aiStarter is not running - but it is

 

So far I have tried reinstalling and I have tried clicking on Connect... and Hard reset then restarting the browser(Chrome)

[RichCowell]

I had the second issue, turned out to be proxy/firewall related... We had an old pac file and PCs were set to automatically detect proxy settings, so I disabled that and it worked... I doubt that'd be the solution for others with the same issue, but I heard someone else say it was proxy related when they had the same...

[IcedBreeze]

I had the second issue, turned out to be proxy/firewall related... We had an old pac file and PCs were set to automatically detect proxy settings, so I disabled that and it worked... I doubt that'd be the solution for others with the same issue, but I heard someone else say it was proxy related when they had the same...

 

Thanks Rich, I did suspect it could be proxy/firewall related. All of the PCs are identical and have the same proxy settings, so not too sure!

[RichCowell]

Thanks Rich, I did suspect it could be proxy/firewall related. All of the PCs are identical and have the same proxy settings, so not too sure!

 

Try disabling the proxy once you're logged into the App Inventor site and see if it works?

[deKay]

Have you enabled access to the command line? If you don't, it won't work.

[IcedBreeze]

Have you enabled access to the command line? If you don't, it won't work.

 

Hi deKay, as this is for students to use, by default command line is blocked by group policy (I'll double check). However when they run aiStarter the command line box does appear with the emulator settings and this does work on a number of PCs.

[AXE]

I have a solution if anyone is interested.

No need to enable command prompt for students, or run AIstarter as a service.

Also includes a tool to update the client in the emulator for deployment.

[IcedBreeze]

I have a solution if anyone is interested.

No need to enable command prompt for students, or run AIstarter as a service.

Also includes a tool to update the client in the emulator for deployment.

 

Hi AXE, that would be great if you're able to help?

[deKay]

I would be very interested in the same thing - I've come across several "solutions" that negate needing command line access, but none of them work.

[AXE]

I would be very interested in the same thing - I've come across several "solutions" that negate needing command line access, but none of them work.

 

Just send me a PM . I have both vanilla and CC4 packages.

[IcedBreeze]

Just send me a PM . I have both vanilla and CC4 packages.

 

Thanks for sending that through AXE, I've also found a working solution for the problem - I've edited my original post.

[tg12]

I have a solution if anyone is interested.

No need to enable command prompt for students, or run AIstarter as a service.

Also includes a tool to update the client in the emulator for deployment.

 

Hi AXE, would you mind me sending you a PM about this solution? I've been trying to create a working package for our CC4 network without much success so far so it'd be good to see how you've solved this without command prompt.

 

Thanks

[AXE]

Hi AXE, would you mind me sending you a PM about this solution? I've been trying to create a working package for our CC4 network without much success so far so it'd be good to see how you've solved this without command prompt.

 

Thanks

 

Feel free. Happy to help.

[davidallan]

I also would be interested in the CC4 solution. Iv'e been working on this for weeks.

[MOCS]

Hi Axe

 

Can I PM you too please?

 

Mocs

[mketteley]

Hi Axe

 

Can you just post the solution here for everyone to see? It would mean that you won't keep being hassled by people to send you the solution.

 

Thanks

[chilbs]

Hi Axe

 

Can you just post the solution here for everyone to see? It would mean that you won't keep being hassled by people to send you the solution.

 

Thanks

 

+1 for that

[ful56_uk]

Yes please have the same issue with ai saying not started but it is. It's very random

[AXE]

Hi Axe

 

Can you just post the solution here for everyone to see? It would mean that you won't keep being hassled by people to send you the solution.

 

Thanks

 

OK.

 

AXE's MIT AppInventor V2 Package.

- Updated for v2.3

Try it out. Suggestions welcome.

 

Main benefits:

- Launcher with two big buttons, 'Open Website' and 'Run Emulator'

- No command prompts.

- One window for the emulator, all extras are hidden.

- Config is reset each time. No pin codes, wallpapers, deleted shortcuts, etc.

- Included in the package is a client app update tool for the emulator, which can be used to update the package when the android client app updates.

 

It's available to download from:

Vanilla Version

CC4 Version

 

Common issues:

AppInventor runs a web service on 127.0.0.1, this can sometimes be blocked by firewall or proxy config.

 

AXE

[mketteley]

Thanks for that Axe.

 

For the record i have used the vanilla version, used it to update the Appinventor-emulator-data file, saved it to a central location and then used our own script to copy it to all the computers in our labs.

 

I had tried to do this by updating my install of AI, and copying the Appinventor-emulator-data file, which had worked on the previous update, but for some reason wouldn't work this time.

 

Good work Axe.

[Valyyn]

Thank you for this, it looks so much nicer than what I was doing before! One question though, launching the emulator works fine as admin, but as a student I get the below error.

 

Any one got any ideas as to what is causing this? Google gave me some solutions, but they all involved installing the .NET Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit on each machine and manually changing settings or running a tool called caspol (off the top of my head) at logon.

 

[jxh]

Thanks @AXE

I was about to ask if there was an update but here it is

[jxh]

@AXE Updated now having a similar issue on new desktops Old ones okay Erm. Help?

[AXE]

Thank you for this, it looks so much nicer than what I was doing before! One question though, launching the emulator works fine as admin, but as a student I get the below error.

 

Any one got any ideas as to what is causing this? Google gave me some solutions, but they all involved installing the .NET Framework 2.0 Software Development Kit on each machine and manually changing settings or running a tool called caspol (off the top of my head) at logon.

 

Ideally, I need to see the error details.

It could be that students don't have write access to the Program Files\AppInventor\Working folder.