Installing AIR and AIR applications on mobile devices
End users of your app can install the AIR runtime and AIR
applications using the normal application and distribution mechanism
for their device. On Android, for example, users can install applications
from the Android Market. Or, if they have allowed the installation
of apps from unknown sources in the Application settings, users
can install an app by clicking a link on a web page, or by copying the
application package to their device and opening it.
If a user attempts to install an app, but doesn’t have the AIR
runtime installed yet, then they will be automatically directed
to the Market where they can install the runtime.
While developing AIR applications, you can use ADT to install
and uninstall both the runtime and your apps. (Your IDE may also
integrate these commands so that you do not have to run ADT yourself.)
Install the AIR runtime and applications for development
You can install AIR runtime on a device or emulator using
the AIR ADT utility. The SDK provided for the device must be installed.
Use the following command:
adt -installRuntime -platform android -platformsdk path-to-android-sdk -device deviceID -package path-to-runtime
If the -package parameter is not specified,
the runtime package appropriate to the device or emulator is chosen
from those available in your installed AIR SDK.
To install an AIR application, use a similar command:
adt -installApp -platform android -platformsdk path-to-android-sdk -device deviceID -package path-to-app
If only a single device or emulator is attached and running,
then you can omit the -device flag. If the AIR_ANDROID_SDK_HOME
environment variable is set, then you can omit the -platformsdk flag.
The value set for the -platform argument should
match the device on which you are installing. Currently, the only
supported value is android.
Note: Existing versions of the AIR runtime or the AIR application
must be removed before reinstalling.
Running AIR applications on a device
You can launch installed AIR applications using the device
user interface. You can also launch applications remotely using
the AIR ADT utility:
adt -launchApp -platform android -platformsdk path-to-android-sdk -device deviceID -appid applicationID
The value of the -appid argument must be the
AIR application ID of the AIR app to launch.
If only a single device or emulator is attached and running,
then you can omit the -device flag. If the AIR_ANDROID_SDK_HOME
environment variable is set, then you can omit the -platformsdk flag.
The value set for the -platform argument should
match the device on which you are installing. Currently, the only
supported value is android.
Removing the AIR runtime and applications
In addition to the normal means for removing applications
provided by the device operating system, you can use the AIR ADT
utility to remove the AIR runtime and applications. To remove the
runtime, use the following command:
adt -uninstallRuntime -platform android -platformsdk path-to-android-sdk -device deviceID
To uninstall an application use this command:
adt -uninstallApp -platform android -platformsdk path-to-android-sdk -device deviceID -appid applicationID
If only a single device or emulator is attached and running,
then you can omit the -device flag. If the AIR_ANDROID_SDK_HOME
environment variable is set, then you can omit the -platformsdk flag.
The value set for the -platform argument should
match the device on which you are installing. Currently, the only
supported value is android.
Setting up an emulator
To run your AIR application on a device emulator, you must
typically use the SDK for the device to create and run an emulator
instance on your development computer. You can then install the
emulator version of the AIR runtime and your AIR application on
the emulator. Note that applications on an emulator typically run
much slower than they do on an actual device.
Create an Android emulator
Launch the Android SDK and AVD Manager application:
On Windows, run the SDK Setup.exe file, at the root of the
Android SDK directory.
On Mac OS, run the android application, in the tools subdirectory
of the Android SDK directory
Select the Settings option and select the "Force https://"
option.
Select the Available Packages option. You should see a list
of available Android SDKs.
Select a compatible Android SDK (Android 2.2 or later) and
click the Install Selected button.
Select the Virtual Devices option and click the New button.
Make the following settings:
A name for your
virtual device
The target API, such as Android 2.2, API level 8
A size for the SD Card (such as 1024)
A skin (such as Default HVGA)
Click the Create AVD button.
Note that Virtual Device creation may take some time depending
on your system configuration.
Now you can launch the new Virtual Device.
Select Virtual Device in the AVD Manager application.
The virtual device you created above should be listed.
Select the Virtual Device, and click the Start button.
Click the Launch button on the next screen.
You should see an emulator window open on your desktop. This
may take a few seconds. It may also take some time for the Android
operating system to initialize. You can install applications packaged
with the apk-debug and apk-emulator on an emulator.
Applications packaged with the apk target do not work on
an emulator.