App Inventor Setup Software installation for Chromebook

Sebastian_Llaurador · February 18, 2020, 9:14pm

On the Installing and Running the Emulator in AI2, there is no software installation selection for a Chromebook. I would like it if you added it in so I can use this for a TSA project.

ewpatton · February 18, 2020, 10:10pm

Hi @Sebastian_Llaurador,

If your Chromebook supports it, you can install Android apps via the Google Play Store, including the MIT AI2 Companion. Once you’ve installed the companion app, use the AI Companion option from the Connect menu and type the 6 character code into the companion app when it prompts for the code. The browser and companion will negotiate a local connection for exchanging information about your app. Hope that helps.

Regards,
Evan

Peter · February 19, 2020, 5:42am

@Sebastian_Llaurador if your chromebook supports it working with app inventor and companion at the same time works great. See the screenshot.

Sebastian_Llaurador · February 20, 2020, 10:10pm

Can you show me the link for installing AI2 Companion on a Chromebook?

ewpatton · February 25, 2020, 9:40pm

You can enable the Google Play Store on your Chromebook using the following instructions from Google: https://www.google.com/chromebook/howto/enable-google-play-store/

Once you’ve got Google Play Store, you can launch it like you would on a phone or tablet. Search for MIT AI2 Companion, and then select the entry from the search results. Click the Install button to install.

Sebastian_Llaurador · February 27, 2020, 10:38pm

I can’t click the Turn On button because it’s enforced by my administrator.

Peter · February 28, 2020, 7:20am

I hope he can make it available for you.

kowusu · April 21, 2020, 12:44pm

HI Peter,

I’m also trying to get the companion app to work on Chromebook, and I’m hoping you can help.

I’m working with a set of managed Chromebooks and wondered if any other settings needed to be changed for the companion app to work correctly.

I don’t actually have one of the devices with me, and am unable to get hold of one due to the COVID-19 lock-down situation where I am right now. So I can’t test it myself and am trying to solve this issue remotely.

Basically, it seems that even when the companion App is pushed to the Chromebooks without the use of the play store, it doesn’t seem to work. So am thinking the play store somehow allows the app inventor app to be delivered to the companion app, or something like that?

I was counting on the use the companion app being an alternative to changing developer settings on the chromebook. However, do the developer settings still need to be changed in order to use the companion app, due to external (sideloaded) apks still being run?

Thanks in advance,

K

ABG · April 21, 2020, 3:14pm

(added to FAQ)

Peter · April 21, 2020, 6:44pm

Here is a list of the chromebook being able to run android apps like the companion

In my chromebook (Acer cp311) i had to enable the developer mode to be able to run android apps.

This me also be interesting.

ewpatton · April 21, 2020, 7:10pm

@kowusu

You should also take a look at this instructions from Google: https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/7131624?hl=en

Uzaik · December 27, 2020, 3:41pm

Google App Store Is Best For It's Installation One plus 9 pro

angierabbit · January 26, 2021, 3:44pm

Where do we find this 6 character code?

ewpatton · January 26, 2021, 4:16pm

If you are using the Chromebook option, the 6 character code is passed when the app is launched from the Connect menu.

angierabbit · January 26, 2021, 5:14pm

Thank you for your reply....can you show me the screen where I can find this?

ewpatton · January 26, 2021, 7:21pm

Unfortunately I don't have a Chromebook handy at the moment to take a screenshot, but you should be able to see it in the Connect menu when viewing http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu or http://code.appinventor.mit.edu on a Chromebook.

netminderno.9apps · January 26, 2021, 7:26pm

@ewpatton Are there any workarounds for using the companion app on a managed chromebook?

ewpatton · January 26, 2021, 9:29pm

The only workaround is to talk to your IT people. If you don't have an Android device and they won't let you install Android apps, I can't help you with that as it's a policy issue not a technical one.

ewpatton · January 26, 2021, 10:08pm

You may want to share this information with your IT people. In the Google Admin for the Google Apps for Education (GAE) domain, one can opt to force-install the MIT AI2 Companion while still disallowing installations of arbitrary apps from the Google Play Store. The settings are located under Devices > Chrome > Apps & Extensions:

Click the yellow + button in the bottom left corner and then click on the Play Store icon:

In the window that appears, search for "mit ai2 companion":

Select MIT Ai2 Companion from the search results:

Click on the select button to the right to add the app to the allowed apps list. Use the dropdown to change from "Allow Install" to "Force Install" to install it on all managed chromebooks in the GAE domain.

TIMAI2 · October 31, 2021, 3:54pm

Does this exclude the installation of the u variant of the companion on Chromebooks, available via the Companion Information dialog on the web page, or is it possible to sideload as well? (new chromebook coming in a couple of days )