a few Android related question

Solar2D Android
#1

haven’t tried building for Android yet - can i ask:

Q1 - What constraints are there on the Android building with Corona under trial mode? Could I load it on an Android device and do a true test if I bought one?

Q2 - What are the security constraints with Android markets? Like with IOS you have to go through the Apple process for your application to work, and to do this with Corona you have to go via Corona as it uses their servers. Does this imply you can only deploy to the various Android market places via Corona also? (i.e. would make sense if you were Corona so that people don’t just take a trial build and bypass them)

Q3 - Is there an Ad Hoc testing distribution mechanism available with Android (like in IOS) that is secure, such that those doing testing couldn’t just mail your app out to their friends and they would get a free copy?

Q4 - How does the process of selling on the various app stores work? Do you just pick the ones you wish to try to sell your Android apps through and setup agreements/logins with them, but then how does the publish part work with Corona? i.e. guess this is closely related to Q2

[import]uid: 140210 topic_id: 29767 reply_id: 329767[/import]

#2

Q1, while I am sure there are other constraints I do know that you notifies you in your app that you are using the trial. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could only use the android debug key as well, which wouldn’t let you really do real deployment.

Q2. There are quite a few Android app stores out there. Google Play, Appia, Slideme. Each has their own system for approval. Google Play’s approval process is pretty much non existance while I believe both Appia and Slideme has something more similar to apple. Anyways, using Corona or any other engine doesn’t make a difference in how you submit your apps. You build your app via corona and then upload it from your computer to the respective dev center. Aside from building your app, Corona’s servers have nothing to do with the submission process.

Q3. Maybe someone with more experience in beta testing w/ android can chime in here! Off the top of my head you could easy setup something so that after this date the app will no longer function.

Q4. I think this was answered mostly in Q2. You do just pick whatever markets you want to sell to and then go through whatever sign up process have. Some of them have an approval process, some are free and some you have to pay. Corona itself doesn’t come into play here at all, really. [import]uid: 147305 topic_id: 29767 reply_id: 119438[/import]

#3

Q1. I believe it’s just nag-ware. You will get a native alert that pops up when the app starts saying it was built with an unregistered version of the software.

Q2. For the 3 android builds, Corona SDK spits out a .apk file that can be loaded like any other .apk file. If you signed it with a development build, none of the app stores will allow it to be published. If you build a .apk file with a release key, then any one who can get their hand on the .apk file could upload it on their own. Amazon and Barnes and Noble apply DRM to your .apk file to copy protect them. Google used to and is deprecating it in favor of another scheme.

Q3. That is what the debug release is for. You can build a debug release and share those files with whom ever. No store will take a debug release.

Q4. @budershank answered that in his Q2 response. Not much more to add there. [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 29767 reply_id: 119442[/import]

#4

robmiracle: in response to your " If you signed it with a development build, none of the app stores will allow it to be published. If you build a .apk file with a release key, then any one who can get their hand on the .apk file could upload it on their own."

How exactly do I build an .apk file with a release key? Do I create my own keystore for that? [import]uid: 160496 topic_id: 29767 reply_id: 119491[/import]