Test and debug a mobile application on a device

You can use Flash Builder to test or debug a mobile application from your development desktop or from a device.

You test and debug applications based on a launch configuration that you define. Flash Builder shares the launch configuration between running and debugging the application. When you use Flash Builder to debug an application on a device, Flash Builder installs a debug version of the application on the device.

Note: If you export a release build to a device, you install a non-debug version of the application. The non-debug version is not suitable for debugging.

For more information, see Manage launch configurations.

    Debug an application on a Google Android device

    On an Android device, debugging requires Android 2.2 or later.

    You can debug in either of the following scenarios:

    Debug over USB
    To debug an application over a USB connection, you connect the device to the host machine via a USB port. When you debug over USB, Flash Builder always packages the application, then installs and launches it on the device before the debugging starts. Ensure that your device is connected to the host machine’s USB port during the entire debugging session.

    Debug over a network
    When you debug an application over the network, the device and the host machine must be on the same network. The device and the host machine can be connected to the network via Wi-Fi, ethernet, or Bluetooth.

    When you debug over a network, Flash Builder lets you debug an application that is already installed on a connected device without reinstalling the application. Connect the device to the host machine via a USB port only during packaging and while installing the application on the device. You can unplug the device from the USB port during debugging. However, ensure that there is a network connection between the device and the host machine during the entire debugging session.

    Prepare to debug the application

    Before you begin debugging over USB or over a network, follow these steps:

    1. (Windows) Ensure that the proper USB driver is installed.

      On Windows, install the Android USB driver. See the documentation accompanying the Android SDK build for more information. For more information, see Install USB device drivers for Android devices (Windows).

    2. Ensure that USB debugging is enabled on your device.

      In device Settings, go to Applications > Development, and enable USB debugging.

    Check for connected devices

    When you run or debug a mobile application on a device, Flash Builder checks for connected devices. If Flash Builder finds a single connected device online, Flash Builder deploys and launches the application. Otherwise, Flash Builder launches the Choose Device dialog for these scenarios:

    • No connected device found

    • Single connected device found that is offline or its OS version is not supported

    • Multiple connected devices found

    If multiple devices are found, the Choose Device dialog lists the devices and their state (online or offline). Select the device to launch.

    The Choose Device dialog lists the OS version and the AIR version. If Adobe AIR is not installed on the device, Flash Builder installs it automatically.

    Configure network debugging

    Follow these steps only if you debug an application over a network.

    Prepare to debug over the network

    Before you debug an application over the network, follow these steps:

    1. On Windows, open port 7935 (Flash Player debugger port) and port 7 (echo/ping port).

      For detailed instructions, see this Microsoft TechNet article.

      On Windows Vista, deselect the Wireless Network Connection in Windows Firewall > Change Settings > Advanced.

    2. On your device, configure wireless settings in Settings > Wireless and Network.

    Select a primary network interface

    Your host machine can be connected to multiple network interfaces simultaneously. However, you can select a primary network interface to use for debugging. You select this interface by adding a host address in the Android APK package file.

    1. In Flash Builder, open Preferences.

    2. Select Flash Builder > Target Platforms.

      The dialog lists all the network interfaces available on the host machine.

    3. Select the network interface that you want to embed in the Android APK package.

    Ensure that the selected network interface is accessible from the device. If the device cannot access the selected network interface while it establishes a connection, Flash Builder displays a dialog requesting the IP address of the host machine.

    Debug the application

    1. Connect the device over a USB port or over a network connection.

    2. Select Run > Debug Configurations to configure a launch configuration for debugging.

      • For the Launch Method, select On Device.

      • Select Debug via USB or Debug via Network.

        The first time that you debug the application over a network, you can install the application on the device over USB. To do so, select Install The Application On The Device Over USB, and connect the device to the host machine via a USB port.

        Once the application is installed, if you don’t want to connect over USB for subsequent debugging sessions, deselect Install The Application On The Device Over USB.

      • (Optional) Clear application data on each launch.

        Select this option if you want to keep the state of the application for each debugging session. This option applies only if sessionCachingEnabled is set to True in your application.

    3. Select Debug to begin a debugging session.

      The debugger launches and waits for the application to start. The debugging session starts when the debugger establishes a connection with the device.

      When you try to debug on a device over a network, the application sometimes displays a dialog requesting an IP address. This dialog indicates that the debugger could not connect. Ensure that the device is properly connected to the network, and that the computer running Flash Builder is accessible from that network.

      Note: On a corporate, hotel, or other guest network, sometimes the device cannot connect to the computer, even if the two are on the same network.

      If you are debugging via network, and the application was previously installed on the device, start debugging by typing the IP address of the host machine.

     Adobe Certified Expert in Flex, Brent Arnold, created a video tutorial about debugging an application over USB for an Android device.

    Debug an application on an Apple iOS device

    To debug an application on an Apple iOS device, deploy and install your debug iOS package (IPA file) on the iOS device manually. Auto-deployment is not supported for the Apple iOS platform.

    Important: Before you debug an application on an iOS device, ensure that you follow the steps described in Prepare to build, debug, or deploy an iOS application.

    1. Connect the Apple iOS device to your development computer.

    2. Launch iTunes on your iOS device.

      Note: You need iTunes to install your application on your iOS device and to obtain the device ID of your iOS device.

    3. In Flash Builder, select Run > Debug Configurations.

    4. In the Debug Configurations dialog, follow these steps:

      1. Select the application that you want to debug.

      2. Select the target platform as Apple iOS.

      3. Select the launch method as On Device.

      4. Select one of the following packaging methods:

        Standard
        Use this method to package a release-quality version of your application that can run on Apple iOS devices. The application performance with this method is similar to the performance of the final release package and can be submitted to the Apple App Store.

        However, this method of creating a debug iOS (IPA) file takes several minutes.

        Fast
        Use this method to create an IPA file quickly, and then run and debug the file on the device. This method is suitable for application testing purposes. The application performance with this method is not release quality, and it is not suitable for submission to the Apple App Store.

      5. Click Configure to select the appropriate code signing certificate, provisioning file, and package contents.

      6. Click Configure Network Debugging to select the network interface that you want to add in the debug iOS package.
        Note: Your host machine can be connected to multiple network interfaces simultaneously. However, you can select a primary network interface to use for debugging.

      7. Click Debug. Flash Builder displays a dialog requesting for a password. Enter your P12 certificate password.

      Flash Builder generates the debug IPA file and places it in the bin-debug folder.

    5. On your iOS device, follow these steps:

      1. (Optional) In iTunes, select File > Add To Library, and browse to the mobile provisioning profile file (.mobileprovision filename extension) that you obtained from Apple.

      2. In iTunes, select File > Add To Library, and browse to the debug IPA file that you generated in step 4.

      3. Sync your iOS device with iTunes by selecting File > Sync.

    6. Flash Builder attempts connection to the host address specified in the debug IPA file. If the application cannot connect to the host address, Flash Builder displays a dialog requesting the IP address of the host machine.

      Note: If you have not changed your code or assets since the last debug IPA package was generated, Flash Builder skips the packaging and debugs the application. That is, you can launch the installed application on your device and click Debug to connect to the Flash Builder debugger. This way, you can debug repeatedly without packaging the application every time.