This page is an introduction to the compilation of VLC for Android on Linux.
Eclipse, SDK and NDK installation
Requirements
- You MUST be on Linux, and a recent one; or OSX.
- You MUST have installed: apache-ant (or ant), autopoint, gawk (or nawk), gcc, g++, patch, subversion, and very up-to-date versions of those tools.
- Special note: Additionally, if you are compiling for an Android-x86 device, you should install yasm.
- You MUST install: git.
Android SDK
- Create a working directory android.
- Go to Android SDK page and download the latest SDK for linux.
- Decompress into android folder.
- Run tools/android (from the command line you can also run: "tools/android update sdk -u -t platform,platform-tool,extra")
- In the tool, install "SDK Platform Android 4.0, API 17", and follow the instructions.
You can have more details, if needed.
Android NDK
- Check that the SDK installation is correct.
- Go to Android NDK page and download the NDK r8b for Linux.
- Decompress into android folder, next to your android-sdk-linux folder.
Eclipse
As used by your distribution, install Eclipse with your package manager:
apt-get install eclipse (debian)
yum install eclipse (Fedora)
pacman -S eclipse (Arch)
emerge -av eclipse-sdk (Gentoo)
...
And run it, at least once, and then quit eclipse.
Note: On Debian-based distributions it is better to download Eclipse indigo builds from the official website: http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/, otherwise it can lead to an error when importing the ADT plugin (see following).
ADT
The ADT plugin is required to compile on Android.
- Go to ADT page.
- Start Eclipse, then select Help > Install New Software....
- Add the "ADT Plugin" repository with https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/ as URL
- Validate and select the checkbox next to Developer Tools and click Next, Next, Finish.
- Restart Eclipse.
- Go to Menu > Window > Preferences... and then Android from the left pane.
- Point the SDK Location in to your downloaded SDK directory.
- Ok, and quit Eclipse.
See extra information here.
Environment setup
Set $ANDROID_SDK to point to your Android SDK directory
export ANDROID_SDK=/path/to/android-sdk
Set $ANDROID_NDK to point to your Android NDK directory
export ANDROID_NDK=/path/to/android-ndk
Add some useful binaries to your $PATH
export PATH=$PATH:$ANDROID_SDK/platform-tools:$ANDROID_SDK/tools
Devices
You need to export the ABI for your device. armeabi-v7a is for devices with ARMv7 or above (regardless of NEON), any other ARM device uses armeabi, x86/Intel devices use x86.
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi-v7a
or
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi
For a build that will run on x86 Android devices (e.g. certain Intel Android smartphones):
export ANDROID_ABI=x86
For a build that will run on MIPS devices (i.e. Ainol Novo tablets):
export ANDROID_ABI=mips
The following flags (NEON, FPU, ARMV6) are relevant only for the armeabi ABI:
If you plan to use an armeabi device that does not support FPU, you need a build without FPU
export NO_FPU=1
If you plan to use an ARMv5 armeabi device (read: Android Emulator), you need a build without ARMv6
export NO_ARMV6=1
Examples
- For a normal (2012 consumer phone or tablet), like Cortex-A8 or Cortex-A9
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi-v7a
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi-v7a
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi
- For an ARMv6 device without FPU
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi
export NO_FPU=1
- For an ARMv5 device or the emulator
export ANDROID_ABI=armeabi
export NO_ARMV6=1
- For a x86 device (e.g. Android-x86, Google TV, Logitech TV, etc)
export ANDROID_ABI=x86
- For a MIPS device (i.e. Ainol Novo tablets):
export ANDROID_ABI=mips
Those exports must be set at all times, notably for the contribs and the configure.
Building
Get VLC Source
Clone the source from the VLC git!
In your android folder, run:
git clone git://git.videolan.org/vlc-ports/android.git
Compile
Read compile.sh first, as it contains some very useful and important information. Then run it:
sh compile.sh
Note: At this point, you will get an autogenerated debug apk in the bin/ folder, signed with a debug key.
In order to build a non-debug package:
sh compile.sh release
Note: At this point, you will get an unsigned release apk in the bin/ folder, which you will have to sign and zipalign.
Package in Eclipse [optional]
- In Eclipse, create a new Android Project from existing source by importing from the vlc-android path.
- Export unsigned/signed apk.
Note: Building against JDK6 is recommended for optimal compatibility (Set Java Compiler Compliance to 1.6).
Run
Run it and enjoy!
Debugging
Here are some helpful links if you wish to debug VLC on Android:
Native debugging
If you run VLC Android and you get a crash that looks something like this:
I/DEBUG ( 958): *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
I/DEBUG ( 958): Build fingerprint: 'MOTO/MBTCA/sesame/XT300:2.1-update1/SESLA_U3_01.71.0/110110:user/release-keys'
I/DEBUG ( 958): pid: 1733, tid: 1733 >>> org.videolan.vlc <<<
I/DEBUG ( 958): signal 11 (SIGSEGV), fault addr 4237be3c
I/DEBUG ( 958): r0 423640a0 r1 7ece77ac r2 42bccdac r3 4237be38
I/DEBUG ( 958): r4 00000000 r5 42bccdac r6 002ed088 r7 002ed018
I/DEBUG ( 958): r8 7ece78e8 r9 2bafa844 10 0000000e fp 7ece794c
I/DEBUG ( 958): ip 00002ba0 sp 7ece7784 lr 423652e4 pc 4237be3c cpsr 60000010
I/DEBUG ( 958): #00 pc 0037be3c /data/data/org.videolan.vlc/lib/libvlcjni.so
I/DEBUG ( 958): #01 lr 423652e4 /data/data/org.videolan.vlc/lib/libvlcjni.so
You have a native crash. To debug it, you need to have compiled VLC as above and installed it on your device. Once your compiled VLC build is on your device, you can find the backtraceas follows:
- Make sure you are in the directory that you checked out VLC-Android in.
- cd vlc-android
- $ANDROID_NDK/ndk-gdb --verbose --force --start
At this point, lots of stuff will appear:
Android NDK installation path: /opt/android-ndk-r8c
Using default adb command: /opt/android-sdk-linux_x86/platform-tools/adb
ADB version found: Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.29
Using ADB flags:
Using auto-detected project path: .
Found package name: org.videolan.vlc
...bunch of stuff skipped...
GNU gdb (GDB) 7.3.1-gg2
Copyright (C) 2011 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Type "show copying"
and "show warranty" for details.
This GDB was configured as "--host=x86_64-linux-gnu --target=arm-linux-android".
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
<http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/>.
Remote debugging from host 0.0.0.0
...bunch of stuff skipped...
libthread_db:td_ta_new: Victory: We can debug theads!
warning: Breakpoint address adjusted from 0x400deaa5 to 0x400deaa4.
0x40107a40 in epoll_wait () from /media/data/vlc_android/vlc-android/obj/local/armeabi/libc.so
(gdb)
- At this point, type in "continue" and press Enter.
- Perform the actions you did to make it crash. It will spit out something like this:
Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x401120ae in ?? () from /media/data/vlc_android/vlc-android/obj/local/armeabi/libc.so
- Now, just type in "bt full" (excluding the quotation marks) and press Enter. That is your backtrace that you should give to the developers when they ask for it (possibly on a pastebin, too).
(gdb) bt full
#0 0x401120ae in ?? () from /media/data/vlc_android/vlc-android/obj/local/armeabi/libc.so
No symbol table info available.
#1 0x40107bd8 in abort () from /media/data/vlc_android/vlc-android/obj/local/armeabi/libc.so
No symbol table info available.
#2 0x40118e6a in __assert2 () from /media/data/vlc_android/vlc-android/obj/local/armeabi/libc.so
No symbol table info available.
#3 0x5e0cdfdc in var_SetChecked (p_this=0x40134b94, psz_name=0x5ea2fcb8 "rate", expected_type=80, val=...) at ../../src/misc/variables.c:711
i_ret = 0
p_var = <optimized out>
oldval = {i_int = 4742037487051810480, b_bool = 176, f_float = 2.27765068e+14, psz_string = 0x574f26b0 "X\270|B\001\001", p_address = 0x574f26b0,
p_object = 0x574f26b0, p_list = 0x574f26b0, i_time = 4742037487051810480, coords = {x = 1464805040, y = 1104091640}}
__func__ = "var_SetChecked"
p_priv = <optimized out>
#4 0x5e06dd9c in var_SetFloat (f=1.41421354, psz_name=0x5ea2fcb8 "rate____sample_backtrace", p_obj=0x0) at ../../include/vlc_variables.h:262
val = <optimized out>
#5 libvlc_media_player_set_rate (p_mi=0x0, rate=1.41421354) at ../../lib/media_player.c:1252
p_input_thread = <optimized out>
#6 0x5de7bd18 in Java_org_videolan_vlc_LibVLC_setRate (env=0x41cf0470, thiz=0x8ab00021, rate=1.41421354) at jni/libvlcjni.c:678
mp = 0x0
#7 0x4076de34 in ?? ()
No symbol table info available.
#8 0x4076de34 in ?? ()
No symbol table info available.
Backtrace stopped: previous frame identical to this frame (corrupt stack?)
Troubleshooting
Outdated Awk
If you receive the error message while building:
Android NDK: Host 'awk' tool is outdated. Please define HOST_AWK to point to Gawk or Nawk !
The prebuilt version of Awk that comes with the Android NDK is outdated. Defining HOST_AWK in your environment does nothing as the system still tries to just the one that comes with the Android NDK. To get around this issue, simply rename or delete the Awk binary that comes with the Android NDK. For example to move it:
mv $ANDROID_NDK/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/awk $ANDROID_NDK/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/awk.old
Can't find Ant
If you're new to Ant, please be aware that some Linux distributions don't install it in the usual spot as with other programs. Try checking to see if the directory /usr/share/java/apache-ant/bin exists and add it to your path.
Outdated autotools-dev
If you get the following error message you may have have an outdated version of autotools-dev:
Invalid configuration `arm-linux-androideabi': system `androideabi' not recognized
You may first want to check if your distribution has any available updates for this package. Alternatively, you can manually update your config.guess and config.sub files from here: [1]. These files are typically located in /usr/share/misc on Debian based distributions.
autoreconf: automake failed with exit status: 1
automake: warnings are treated as errors
configure.ac:41: warning: The 'AM_PROG_MKDIR_P' macro is deprecated, and will soon be removed.
configure.ac:41: You should use the Autoconf-provided 'AC_PROG_MKDIR_P' macro instead,
configure.ac:41: and use '$(MKDIR_P)' instead of '$(mkdir_p)'in your Makefile.am files.
If you are using Automake 1.13 or higher, you must remove -Werror from vlc/contrib/android/gnutls/configure.ac to continue. (First reported in [2])
See also
