Titanium SDK

# Titanium SDK FAQ

This document provides answers and links to commonly asked questions about Titanium SDK. If you can't find any help here head over to TiSlack (opens new window) or GitHub Discussions (opens new window) and ask a question there.

# How to install Titanium SDK

You will need node/npm and then you can run sudo npm i -g titanium alloy to have all CLI tools. For more details check Titanium_SDK_Getting_Started or the from zero to app - install guide (opens new window).

# Where can I find more Titanium tutorials or modules?

Besides this documentation you can look at from zero to app (opens new window). There you find basic tutorials about installation, your first app, UI tutorials, optimizing apps and much more. It also has a list of common modules you can use in your apps.

# No iOS simulator is visible or it will say "Unable to find an iOS Simulator"

Go to Xcode and make sure preferences->locations->Command Line Tools is set to the correct Xcode path. Even if it is set you sometimes have to open and select it again in order accept a permissions request. If you are running the latest Xcode make sure you've selected the latest Titanium SDK with e.g. ti sdk select 12.2.0.GA (Xcode 15 support was added to ioslib that is included in 12.2.0.GA)

# iOS build error: "Unable to find any non-expired Ad Hoc or Enterprise Ad Hoc provisioning profiles that match the app id"

Check your ~/.titanium/config.json and ensure you haven’t set a default developer certificate in the iOS section.

# iOS build error: using iCloud folders

Sometimes you'll see Command CodeSign failed with a nonzero exit code errors when you have your project in an iCloud folder. The solution is to copy it to a local, non iCloud folder and build it again.

# VSCode won't update the CLI

Run sudo npm i -g titanium alloy in a terminal and restart VSCode. Then it should use the latest CLI tools.

# I can't compile my old app with the current SDK because of "This application cannot be built with the Titanium open source SDK because it is an Appcelerator Platform registered application"

Check Transfer your app from appc CLI to ti CLI and change the GUID inside tiapp.xml.

# My Android app is not using my splash screen image but shows the icon when starting on Android 12+

That is the way Android 12+ will start an app. For more details check the Android guides (opens new window). Make sure you use Adaptive icons (opens new window). If you want to change the background color use this in your theme:

tiapp.xml (adjust the name!):

<application >
	<activity android:name="com.myapp.MyAppActivity" android:theme="@style/Theme.Custom.Splash" />
</application>

theme:

<style name="Theme.Custom.Splash" parent="@style/Theme.MaterialComponents.NoActionBar">
  <item name="android:windowBackground">@drawable/background_cropped</item>
  <item name="android:windowSplashScreenBackground">@color/orange</item>
</style>

drawable/background_cropped.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
	<item android:drawable="@color/orange"/>
	<item>
		<bitmap android:src="@drawable/background" android:gravity="center"/>
	</item>
</layer-list>

(drawable/background.png is the logo)

# Common gradle error messages and fixes

Depending on your Android modules you might see some error messages by gradle that can be fixed using some entries in app/platform/android/build.gradle (or /platform/android/build.gradle in a classic project).

Error:

minCompileSdk or caching gradle errors:

The minCompileSdk (33) specified in a
dependency's AAR metadata (META-INF/com/android/build/gradle/aar-metadata.properties)
is greater than this module's compileSdkVersion (android-31).
Dependency: androidx.appcompat:appcompat-resources:1.6.0-rc01.
AAR metadata file: /Users/user/.gradle/caches/transforms-3/cc921cf5d8489db332aed279efa4279c/transformed/jetified-appcompat-resources-1.6.0-rc01/META-INF/com/android/build/gradle/aar-metadata.properties.

and if you use a SDK < Ti 12 and you have to add

android {
    compileSdkVersion 33
}

to your build.gradle to make it compile using 33.

Solution:

Check if you have outdated modules and remove your /Users/user/.gradle/ folder. All gradle files will be redownloaded at the first build (will take some time!).

Error:

Execution failed for task ':app:checkDebugDuplicateClasses'.
 > A failure occurred while executing com.android.build.gradle.internal.tasks.CheckDuplicatesRunnable
 > Duplicate class com.google.common.util.concurrent.ListenableFuture found in modules jetified-guava-12.0 (guava-12.0.jar) and jetified-listenablefuture-1.0 (com.google.guava:listenablefuture:1.0)

Solution:

configurations {
	all {
		exclude group: 'com.google.guava', module: 'listenablefuture'
	}
}

Error:

 > Duplicate class androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelLazy found in modules jetified-lifecycle-viewmodel-ktx-2.3.1-runtime (androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel-ktx:2.3.1) and lifecycle-viewmodel-2.4.0-runtime (androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel:2.4.0)

Solution:

configurations {
	all {
		exclude group: 'androidx.lifecycle', module: 'lifecycle-viewmodel-ktx'
	}
}

Error:

More than one file was found with OS independent path 'META-INF/module_release.kotlin_module'.

Solution:

android {
	packagingOptions {
		exclude 'META-INF/*.kotlin_module'
	}
}

# Android: create a deobfuscation file to have more debug information for crashes and ANRs in the Play Store

If you upload a normal apk/aab to the Play Store you will see a warning that there is a missing deobfuscation file. You can ignore that warning and still use your app without issues. But if you want to have more information about crashes and ANRs in the Play Store debug page you can put this into your /app/platform/android/build.gradle file:

android {
    buildTypes {
        release {
            ndk {
                debugSymbolLevel 'FULL'
            }
        }
    }
}

# Android: NDK error "non-system libraries in linker flags"

If you see an error looking like this when you compile your Android module:

Error while executing process /User/user/Library/android-sdk-macosx/ndk/21.4.7075529/ndk-build with arguments ....
[ERROR] [GRADLE]   Android NDK: WARNING:/..../android/build/module/src/main/jni/Android.mk:app.id: non-system libraries in linker flags: -lkroll-v8
[ERROR] [GRADLE]   Android NDK:     This is likely to result in incorrect builds. Try using LOCAL_STATIC_LIBRARIES
[ERROR] [GRADLE]   Android NDK:     or LOCAL_SHARED_LIBRARIES instead to list the library dependencies of the
[ERROR] [GRADLE]   Android NDK:     current module
[INFO]  [GRADLE] 21 actionable tasks: 21 executed

it is because of the NDK version. A workaround is to link the /User/user/Library/android-sdk-macosx/ndk/21.4.7075529 folder to NDK18. Download NDK18 from https://github.com/android/ndk/wiki/Unsupported-Downloads and extract it. Then link the 21 folder to the new 18 folder. A last step is to remove '--output-sync=none' from your SDKs .../12.2.0/android/templates/module/generated/build.gradle file.

# Can I use Swift code to develop apps for Android in Hyperloop?

Short answer is no. You cannot use Swift code to develop Android apps. Classes in Hyperloop map to the underlying classes defined in Objective-C for iOS and in Java for Android.

Refer to Android Hyperloop Programming Guide and iOS Hyperloop Programming Guide for information on how to develop apps using Hyperloop.

# Does geofence module uses coreLocation (for iOS) or does it use something else?

Yes, it uses corelocation but it hasn't been verified as a background mode. You can try it using the theNSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key in the plist.

# How do I use Titanium.Android.Intent in Android for calendar

The following code sample could be used to do this:

var intent = Ti.Android.createIntent({
   action: Ti.Android.ACTION_INSERT_OR_EDIT,
   type: "vnd.android.cursor.item/event"
});
Ti.Android.currentActivity.startActivity(intent)

# Create an Appcelerator Android module with armeabi-v7a,x86 architectures

Create a Titanium module:

  1. Edit the manifest and change the architectures line to architectures: armeabi-v7a,x86

  2. Change directories to android.

  3. Execute this command: ti build -p android --build-only

  4. Verify the libs and dist/<whatever>.zip file only contains the desired architectures.

# iOS 10+ and plist

For the iOS 10 or later version, you have to add the following keys in the plist of the tiapp.xml file, if you use any of the following:

  • NSContactsUsageDescription: If you use the Ti.Contacts API to access contacts from the address book

  • NSCameraUsageDescription: If you use the Ti.Media.showCamera API to capture photos and videos

  • NSCalendarsUsageDescription: If you use the Ti.Calendar API to access device calendars

  • NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription: If you use the Ti.Media.openPhotoGallery API to access the photo gallery or Ti.Media.showCamera API to save photos

  • NSMicrophoneUsageDescription: If you use the Ti.Media.AudioRecorder API to record audio or Ti.Media.showCamera to record videos

An example of updated tiapp.xml file might look something like this:

<ios>
   <plist>
       <dict>
           <key>NSContactsUsageDescription</key>
           <string>Can we use to your contacts?</string>
           <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
           <string>Can we use your camera?</string>
           <key>NSCalendarsUsageDescription</key>
           <string>Can we use your calendar?</string>
           <key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key>
           <string>Can we save to your library?</string>
           <key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
           <string>Can we use your microphone?</string>
       </dict>
   </plist>
</ios>

# How to change the Android buildtools version

To verify your buildtools version, go to your Android SDK location: /users/<user>/Library/Android/sdk/build-tools/ <version_number>

You can change the build tools version using this command: ti config android.buildTools.selectedVersion ##.##.##

# Building Android modules using a M1 Mac - solving NDK issues

Go to .../android-sdk/ndk/<your-version> (e.g. 21.4.7075529) and edit ndk-build. Change

#!/bin/sh
DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
$DIR/build/ndk-build "$@"

to

#!/bin/sh
DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
arch -x86_64 /bin/bash $DIR/build/ndk-build "$@"

(source: https://stackoverflow.com/a/69555276/5193915)

# How do you check if a module supports 64bit or not?

  1. Build your module.

  2. Open a terminal and change directories to the module's last directory (where the libti.modulename.a is located).

  3. Execute either xcrun lipo -info or xcrun lipo -info libti.modulename.a. For example, executing xcrun lipo -info libti.barcode.a should return this info: Architectures in the fat file: libti.barcode.a are: armv7 i386 x86_64 arm64

# Localization supports for the plist file

You can add localization support in the plist file. Here is an example for Japanese language for camera permission:

tiapp.xml

<ti:app>
  <ios>
      <plist>
          <dict>
             <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
                  <string>Can we use your camera?</string>
          </dict>
      </plist>
  </ios>
</ti:app>

//i18n/ja/app.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<resources>
  <string name="NSCameraUsageDescription">あなたのカメラは使えますか?</string>
</resources>

After applying this, if you change your device language to Japanese, you will the changes take effect.

# Where can I find the best practices for Titanium SDK?

Best Practices and Recommendations

# What are the system requirements?

Your system environment must meet the following requirements:

  • Operating System: A recent version of Windows or Mac OS X

  • Memory: 8 GB RAM minimum system memory (2 GB RAM available memory). 16 GB RAM recommended.

  • Java Runtime: Java JDK like Oracle JDK or OpenJDK

  • Node.js: Required for the Titanium command-line tools like the CLI and Alloy

💡 Hint

For Windows, you can use either 32-bit or 64-bit versions of Java JDK. Please refer to Studio Java Support for more information.

For more details, please refer to Prerequisites document.

For a complete list of compatibility of system environments, dependencies, and other requirements, please review Titanium Compatibility Matrix document.

# What are the reserved words?

See Reserved Words for details.

# What is Hyperloop?

Hyperloop gives you direct access to the native APIs. Titanium SDK already covers plenty of the native APIs and makes them cross-platform addressing the most popular APIs. This technology was built for those developers who require access to even the most obscure APIs out there.

# How do I enable Hyperloop?

See Enabling Hyperloop for details.

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