iOS Question Very frustrated with B4i [Solved!]

[Didier9]

I do not know what I am doing wrong.
I have the hardest times getting my app (or any app, any example downloaded from this site for instance has the same issue) to load/debug. I just downloaded two BLE examples and neither work.
My app is the only one that works, sometimes...

I start B4i-Bridge on the iPad, the screen turns black with the IP address,
I enter the IP address into Tools->Device IP Address,
I click on the Run icon,
B4i does its things,
The screen on the iPad turns white and... nothing.
I put a breakpoint on the first statement in Application_Start and it does not even get there.

It seems that the first time I start after many days of not working on it, it works the first time, just enough to make me think it's ok, then it's over until I give up in frustration after an hour or two and I do something else for a couple of weeks, then if I am lucky it may work one time again.

Sometimes it asks me if I want to install the app but not every time, and even when it asks, the app does not actually load.

I have noticed that when the screen turns white, the B4i-Bridge app shows "B4i-Example" in the top left corner (the "back" icon), even when the app I am trying to load has another name.
The log window occasionally shows error messages and I am invited to "clean project".

My app (an app- imported from B4A) is the only one that works, rarely... None of the examples I have downloaded have loaded, not even once.

Today for the first time, after about an hour, my app runs for the second time in one day. I cleaned all the leftovers (apps that did not work did manage to somehow install themselves on the ipad, there were several with the name "B4i-Example"), clicked Clean Project several times and my app runs. I am too scared to close it...

At that rate, it will take a couple bazillion hours to get anything done...
I have no idea what I am doing wrong, the tablet and laptop are obviously working and communicating, yet the program only loads once.

Any help appreciated, I committed to getting one app working some time this year, I can't afford to spend that much time troubleshooting the tool, I have to get my code working too...

Update: after removing all the remnants of previous apps from the tablet, it seems that B4i-Bridge is working a lot better. Not sure why but it looks like B4i-Bridge was trying to run the same old app I had downloaded way back and not the one I was trying to debug. By cleaning all the old apps, it is working a lot better. The clue is that B4i-Bridge was telling me it was running B4i-Example (the old broken app) even though it was loading another app. Once the old app was removed, it started working.

 

[tufanv]

I experienced myself that %100 of those frustration are due to user mistake. I can say after all those mistakes that b4i is a great piece, you can be sure of that. You need to use the debug logs more accurately , if something goes bad , it is printed on the log screen , and that log must give you the idea why it fails. Don't feel bad about it. We all experienced this . But once you get used to it , you will see how powerful it is if you need any help about the error logs or errors you are getting just put here and someone will help you get over them.

I do not know what I am doing wrong.
I have the hardest times getting my app (or any app, any example downloaded from this site for instance has the same issue) to load/debug. I just downloaded two BLE examples and neither work.
My app is the only one that works, sometimes...

I start B4i-Bridge on the iPad, the screen turns black with the IP address,
I enter the IP address into Tools->Device IP Address,
I click on the Run icon,
B4i does its things,
The screen on the iPad turns white and... nothing.
I put a breakpoint on the first statement in Application_Start and it does not even get there.

It seems that the first time I start after many days of not working on it, it works the first time, just enough to make me think it's ok, then it's over until I give up in frustration after an hour or two and I do something else for a couple of weeks, then if I am lucky it may work one time again.

Sometimes it asks me if I want to install the app but not every time, and even when it asks, the app does not actually load.

I have noticed that when the screen turns white, the B4i-Bridge app shows "B4i-Example" in the top left corner (the "back" icon), even when the app I am trying to load has another name.
The log window occasionally shows error messages and I am invited to "clean project".

My app (an app- imported from B4A) is the only one that works, rarely... None of the examples I have downloaded have loaded, not even once.

Today for the first time, after about an hour, my app runs for the second time in one day. I cleaned all the leftovers (apps that did not work did manage to somehow install themselves on the ipad, there were several with the name "B4i-Example"), clicked Clean Project several times and my app runs. I am too scared to close it...

At that rate, it will take a couple bazillion hours to get anything done...
I have no idea what I am doing wrong, the tablet and laptop are obviously working and communicating, yet the program only loads once.

Any help appreciated, I committed to getting one app working some time this year, I can't afford to spend that much time troubleshooting the tool, I have to get my code working too...

Update: after removing all the remnants of previous apps from the tablet, it seems that B4i-Bridge is working a lot better. Not sure why but it looks like B4i-Bridge was trying to run the same old app I had downloaded way back and not the one I was trying to debug. By cleaning all the old apps, it is working a lot better. The clue is that B4i-Bridge was telling me it was running B4i-Example (the old broken app) even though it was loading another app. Once the old app was removed, it started working.

 

[Erel]

after removing all the remnants of previous apps from the tablet, it seems that B4i-Bridge is working a lot better. Not sure why but it looks like B4i-Bridge was trying to run the same old app I had downloaded way back and not the one I was trying to debug. By cleaning all the old apps, it is working a lot better. The clue is that B4i-Bridge was telling me it was running B4i-Example (the old broken app) even though it was loading another app. Once the old app was removed, it started working.

Don't leave old debugging apps installed. Due to iOS restrictions it could cause B4i-Bridge to launch the wrong app and then deployment will fail.

Debugging apps = Apps installed in debug mode.

Note that we offer 30 days of full money back guarantee. If you are still in that period then I can cancel the order.

 

[Alberto Iglesias]

Hello didier9,


since the beginning of B4i, I had some difficulties too, but most of the time it was my fault for not knowing how to do it, or when there were problems with the B4i, Erel arranged quickly releasing in the next version.

So what can I say to you: Do not ever give up on B4i or B4A, they are the most extraordinary and fast app development tools I've ever met, you can try other ones, but you'll end up coming back to B4x, it's amazing and you'll see The time when there is no better time.

Best regards,

Alberto

 

[BillMeyer]

I understand your experience and as a newbie way back went through the same thing.

My experience might help. In the beginning, whilst learning, I would also download apps and try to run them and always have a problem until I discovered a small little oversight that causes much problems if you do not know about it. It is also not noted/posted anywhere and it's juts one of those Ah-Ha moments when you find it.

When the "Experts" post an app or it's code for you to download, they almost always do this:

and this is what gives you the problem. (You can find it at: Project --> Build Configurations or CTRL+B)

You see your B4i bridge does not know which app to look at if, say, you have downloaded 3 or 4 of these and have not changed this to match your Apple Dev Account certificates.

Mine for instance always starts with "com.beekon.myappname"

So please, don't give up - you are sitting on the best there is pertaining to Rapid App Development in the B4X suite of software. My apps developed with B4X makes me a very comfortable monthly income and I am able to react to customer requests very quickly and innovatively with it.

Good Luck. (If at first you don't succeed - try again)

 

[Didier9]

Don't leave old debugging apps installed. Due to iOS restrictions it could cause B4i-Bridge to launch the wrong app and then deployment will fail.

Debugging apps = Apps installed in debug mode.

Note that we offer 30 days of full money back guarantee. If you are still in that period then I can cancel the order.

Erel,

That seems to have been exactly the problem I was having. There was no message in the log and since the failed app loaded a blank screen, it was not obvious it was the wrong app.
I was able to have a productive evening after much frustration and now I religiously remove old apps at the first sign that something is wrong.

I am not giving up on the tool but I had to get this issue fixed. I am reluctant to go to the forum for help, particularly with a new tool because there is so much to learn. However, many times I find the problem while trying to explain it in a forum post...

It is probably written somewhere in the documentation and if so, I missed it but as a recommendation, I would suggest that this is more prominently displayed.

Coming from B4A, the process of debugging (and writing) iOS apps is very frustrating.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

 

[Didier9]

I understand your experience and as a newbie way back went through the same thing.

My experience might help. In the beginning, whilst learning, I would also download apps and try to run them and always have a problem until I discovered a small little oversight that causes much problems if you do not know about it. It is also not noted/posted anywhere and it's juts one of those Ah-Ha moments when you find it.

When the "Experts" post an app or it's code for you to download, they almost always do this:
View attachment 66229
and this is what gives you the problem. (You can find it at: Project --> Build Configurations or CTRL+B)

You see your B4i bridge does not know which app to look at if, say, you have downloaded 3 or 4 of these and have not changed this to match your Apple Dev Account certificates.

Mine for instance always starts with "com.beekon.myappname"

So please, don't give up - you are sitting on the best there is pertaining to Rapid App Development in the B4X suite of software. My apps developed with B4X makes me a very comfortable monthly income and I am able to react to customer requests very quickly and innovatively with it.

Good Luck. (If at first you don't succeed - try again)

Thank you Bill, I believe this is part of the problem as well. Most of the examples come as B4i-Example... Once I started renaming the various projects, it became clearer.

 

[Didier9]

Hello didier9,


since the beginning of B4i, I had some difficulties too, but most of the time it was my fault for not knowing how to do it, or when there were problems with the B4i, Erel arranged quickly releasing in the next version.

So what can I say to you: Do not ever give up on B4i or B4A, they are the most extraordinary and fast app development tools I've ever met, you can try other ones, but you'll end up coming back to B4x, it's amazing and you'll see The time when there is no better time.

Best regards,

Alberto

Alberto, I have been using B4A for several years and it is an absolutely amazing tool, so no I am not giving up. Part of the issue is that I am not familiar with the Apple ecosystem (I have had an ipad for a while but only use it for watching cat videos on youtube...), where complicated and restrictive seems to be a badge of honor.

 

[Deleted member 103]

Hi @Didier9 ,

I'm the first to buy the first version of B4i, and I always buy a new license every two years.
You're right, debugging is not as comfortable as in B4a, but it works.
I think that if it had been possible to make it even easier Erel would have done so long ago.

 

[tufanv]

Hi @Didier9 ,

I'm the first to buy the first version of B4i, and I always buy a new license every two years.
You're right, debugging is not as comfortable as in B4a, but it works.
I think that if it had been possible to make it even easier Erel would have done so long ago.

I always thought I was the first to buy b4i

 

[Didier9]

I understand your experience and as a newbie way back went through the same thing.

My experience might help. In the beginning, whilst learning, I would also download apps and try to run them and always have a problem until I discovered a small little oversight that causes much problems if you do not know about it. It is also not noted/posted anywhere and it's juts one of those Ah-Ha moments when you find it.

When the "Experts" post an app or it's code for you to download, they almost always do this:
View attachment 66229
and this is what gives you the problem. (You can find it at: Project --> Build Configurations or CTRL+B)

You see your B4i bridge does not know which app to look at if, say, you have downloaded 3 or 4 of these and have not changed this to match your Apple Dev Account certificates.

Mine for instance always starts with "com.beekon.myappname"

So please, don't give up - you are sitting on the best there is pertaining to Rapid App Development in the B4X suite of software. My apps developed with B4X makes me a very comfortable monthly income and I am able to react to customer requests very quickly and innovatively with it.

Good Luck. (If at first you don't succeed - try again)

Bill,

I now change the ApplicationLabel tag in the header of the Main module as this:

#Region  Project Attributes
    #ApplicationLabel: BusinessLog
    #Version: 1.0.0
    'Orientation possible values: Portrait, LandscapeLeft, LandscapeRight and PortraitUpsideDown
    #iPhoneOrientations: Portrait, LandscapeLeft, LandscapeRight
    #iPadOrientations: Portrait, LandscapeLeft, LandscapeRight, PortraitUpsideDown
    #Target: iPhone, iPad
    #ATSEnabled: True
    #MinVersion: 7
#End Region

It seems to do the same thing to the extent that B4i-Bridge properly identifies the app. I have done this with the two BLE samples I tried and it seems to work. I will try your method with the next one I download

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 103]

I always thought I was the first to buy b4i

https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4i-v1-00-release-discussion-thread.46787/#post-289101