Android build distribution
Overview
Android Support in AccelByte Development Toolkit (ADT) enables you to upload your Android builds and distribute them to your team worldwide. This feature makes the testing process faster by storing the .apk file in the server, which can then be downloaded directly from ADT Hub and installed on Android devices.
Prerequisites
The Android SDK must be installed on the local machine.
The Android builds must be registered through the ADT CLI.
The following table contains the subcommands you can use when you register the Android builds.
| Main command | Sub command | Options and Parameters | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Description | ||
version | add | --name | Add a new version name. |
set | --name | Set the version name to any existing version name. | |
--id | Set the version ID to any existing version ID. | ||
build | register | --namespace | Set the name of the namespace. |
--apikey | Set the ADT game's API key. | ||
--platform-name | Set to Android. | ||
--platform-arch | There are four supported architectures: armeabi-v7a, arm64-v8a, x86_64, and x86. | ||
--game-project | Set the directory of the game project, where the .project file is located. | ||
--game-engine | Set the directory of the Unreal Engine. |
Create a new version
Run the following command to create a new version.
.\BlackBoxCLI.exe version add --name <version_name> --namespace <namespace> --apikey <apikey> --game-engine <game_engine> --game-project <game_project>
You can use an existing version instead of setting up a new one by using the following commands.
Run any of the following commands to use an existing version. Use the set command instead of add.
Using version_id:
.\BlackBoxCLI.exe version set --id <version_id> --namespace <namespace> --apikey <apikey> --game-engine <game_engine> --game-project <game_project>
Using version_name:
.\BlackBoxCLI.exe version set --name <version_name> --namespace <namespace> --apikey <apikey> --game-engine <game_engine> --game-project <game_project>
Create a new build
Run the following command to add a new build.
.\BlackBoxCLI.exe build register --platform-name android --platform-arch <platform_arch> --namespace <namespace> --apikey <apikey> --game-engine <game_engine> --game-project <game_project>
Uploading an Android builds using the ADT CLI
The following table contains the subcommands you can use when you upload Android builds:
| Main command | Sub command | Options and Parameters | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Description | ||
build | upload-binaries | --namespace | Set the user namespace. |
--apikey | Set the ADT game's API key. | ||
--game-project | Set the version ID to any existing version ID. | ||
--game-project | Set the directory of the Game Project where the .project file is located. | ||
--game-engine | Set the directory of the Unreal Engine. | ||
--game-archive | Set the directory of the .apk file that will be uploaded. | ||
--entry-point | Set the entry point or the executable game name. Example: <game_name>.apk | ||
--version-id | Set the version ID. | ||
--build-id | Set the build ID. | ||
--multipart-size | Optional. Set the multipart size in megabytes or MB. The size can't be less than 5 MB. |
Pair Android devices to the ADT Hub
The Android SDK must be installed on the local machine to pair Android devices to the ADT hub.
To install the Android SDK, follow these steps:
Log in to the ADT Hub.
Go to Connect Devkit, and then select the Android tab to open the Android Devkit Manager.
On the message, select Repair.
On the Browse window, locate and select the Android SDK installation folder.
On the pop-up message, select Restart to restart the ADT Hub.
Create the build channels
To create build channels on the ADT Hub, follow these steps:
Log in to the ADT Hub.
Go to Build Channels.
Select the Add New Build Channel button.
Enter the name of the new build channel.
Select the Android platform of the new build channel based on the architecture type.
Select the changelist.
Specify the Android build.
Click the Add button to create the build channels.
Go to the Overview page and select the Configure New Builds button.
Select the Android channels that have been created.
Deploy Android builds from the Versions page
Follow these steps:
Log in to the ADT Hub.
Go to Versions.
Open the version where the Android builds are present.
Connect the Android device to the local machine.
Download the Android build, and then click the Deploy button.
Select the Android device target.
Click Deploy.
Deploy Android builds from the Overview page
Follow these steps:
Log in to the ADT Hub.
Go to Overview.
Connect the Android device to the local machine.
Download the Android build set as a head of a Build Channel, and click the Deploy button.
Choose the Android device target.
Select Deploy.
FAQ
Q: Can I use the Crash Reporter feature on our Android Builds?
A: No. Currently, we only support build distribution for Android devices.
Q: What happens if I already have a newer game version installed on the Android device and deploy an older version from the ADT Hub?
A: The deployment process would lead to a failure because a newer version is already installed on the Android device.