Android Question Using IDE over Bluetooth/USB (Solved)

[Guardian17]

I have been successfully using the B4A IDE Debugger over my Wireless Home Network for years. However, I am not always home, and I would like to work on my Apps away from home. I purchased an Insignia USB Bluetooth dongle. The Bluetooth software from Broadcom has been installed, and I have paired the phone to the laptop.

When I try connecting via the B4A-Bridge via Bluetooth, things seem to go OK to a point, then nothing. Here is what happens:

I start B4A (V4.3) and I load my file/project.
On my LG G4 phone in B4A-Bridge, with "Make Bluetooth Discoverable" enabled, I click on "Start Bluetooth". I then say "YES" to allow the phone to be discoverable for 300 seconds.

In the IDE, I select "Tools|B4A Bridge|Connect Bluetooth"
A window comes up saying "Connect to B4A-Bridge", and I click on "Find Devices".
After a few seconds, my "G4" address appears, which I click and highlight, then I click "Connect".

The B4A-Bridge says "Connected". (My phone is within a few feet of the laptop dongle).

Then, like I normally do in my Wireless connection, I Compile and Run in Debug Legacy Mode. The App gets compiled successfully, and the IDE goes into Debug Mode ("Debug" seen on top Menu). But, (normally in Wireless Mode, eventually it asks me if I want to install the App), nothing happens on the G4 screen to indicate that the App is available and/or can be installed.

What do I have to do, or what step(s) am I missing, to get my App to install in debug mode on my LG G4 phone?

 

[Erel]

Why aren't you using USB debug mode?

Bluetooth is slower and less reliable than Wifi. This is one of the reasons that this feature was removed in B4A v5.
Try it with a small project and see whether it makes any difference.

Another possible solution: B4A-Bridge over wifi without a local network

 

[Guardian17]

Erel:

Thanks for the reply. A few years ago when I first started using B4A, I was using a Galaxy S3 as my Android device. At the time, I either used AVD Manager, or the USB connection. Then I started developing problems with my USB connector that was plugged into the phone, so I then figured out how to use WiFi (so much easier!). I have since then only done debugging of my Apps at home using the WiFi connection.

Since I would like to occasionally work on my Apps during lunch at work, (where WiFi is hard to come by), I figured that the next best thing, aside from trying the USB connection again on my newer LG G4 phone, would be a "step up" to Bluetooth. I didn't know that Bluetooth was less reliable, and that it was removed in B4A Version 5.

Anyway, since I have better USB cable connections now with my LG G4, I thought I'd give that a try again. I downloaded and installed the driver for Windows for that phone from the LG site, but I can't get the IDE to run the App in debug mode.

Back in my early days, when I had the AVD Manager running a virtual device, and I also had my GS3 attached via USB, whenever I would compile and run, I was always given a choice to select the virtual device or my actual device. Now, if I have a virtual device running and I compile and run with my phone attached to the computer, the App only appears on the virtual device -- no choice to select my actual device.

My LG G4 is set with the same permissions that I use for WiFi, and I have no problems with the WiFi. When I plug the G4 into the computer's USB port, it indicates "USB Connected - Charge Only". Then it changes to something like "USB Connected As Installer", but changes back again a few seconds later to "USB Connected - Charge Only".

Is there some different setting(s) that I'm overlooking in order to get the IDE to operate over the USB connection?

 

[Erel]

Is there some different setting(s) that I'm overlooking in order to get the IDE to operate over the USB connection?

No.

Make sure that USB debug mode is enabled on the device and set the USB connection mode to MTP or PTP.

 

[Guardian17]

Setting the "USB Configuration" on the phone to "MTP" worked. It took a few tries, and I allowed my computer to always have access to my device, but it does now work properly. The phone now also says "USB debugging connected" for the first time (did not see that before).

Thanks Erel.