Error when building the app with latest update

ChrisWard · January 3, 2020, 12:56pm

I suggest you start a brand new Project - and before doing anything in App Inventor, write down on paper which features are absolutely required and which are luxury and not really needed - ditch those from the design (be ruthless!). Also review how the App works, keep the GUI as simple as possible.

Having decided what is really required, do not simply return to using Umpteen Screens. First of all, see the FAQ on how to use Virtual Screens.

When building the block code, you can use separate “mini Projects” to test as you go along - do not wait until the entire Project is “finished”, only to discover that it doesn’t build or doesn’t run as intended. Think ahead when defining Block code - you have the original Project for reference, always ask yourself “is there a better way to do this?”.

Anke · January 3, 2020, 3:39pm

I did some tests with the aia and it actually seems to be due to the number of blocks. As soon as I remove some block-heavy screens, the app will compile (in a few sec).
Removing the extensions doesn’t help.

Therefore, it would certainly help to reduce the number of blocks if “Any Componten” blocks were used instead of frequently repeated blocks (and there are a lot).

Peter · January 3, 2020, 4:10pm

That’s one of the puzzles of AI and the other builders. Sometimes something works for one and not for the other.

I had just to remove the mail extension to make it work.

ChrisWard · January 3, 2020, 4:29pm

In a PM, We have already concluded it is the amount of blocks. I have suggested the Use of a Single ListView to replace 249 buttons, 249 Text Boxes and 249 Arrangements.

I think raising a PM should be limited to Power Users. Users are already using PMs when there is no need and other Users cannot learn from posts they cannot see.

ChrisWard · January 3, 2020, 4:38pm

Remarks removed

wikki74 · January 5, 2020, 12:59pm

Finally I did it…

Removed many Arrangements, Labels, Textboxes and Checkboxes and done some Parts with the Any Component and now its compiling again!!!

Thanks again for the Tipps and the help!!!

Patryk_F · January 12, 2020, 12:52am

I have the same problem. I added a lot of horizontal and vertical layouts to the application to customize the look. I can’t compile the application now. Is there a chance to work around the problem without removing the layouts?

TIMAI2 · January 12, 2020, 10:17am

I guess it depends what you mean by “a lot”(10, 100?), and then everything else your app might be doing?

Are you able to replicate this, e.g. a blank project with “a lot” of arrangements that won’t compile ?

TIMAI2 · January 12, 2020, 11:15am

Built apps with 25,50 and 100 arrangements (mixed) on single screen. No issues.

Patryk_F · January 12, 2020, 11:29am

In one VerticalScrollArrangement over 1000 other Arrangement with labels and text fields. After removing the arrangements part, the problem disappeared. I also used the arrangements to make black frames around the text boxes but I had to give it up although it looked nice.

After deleting the layouts, the .aia file has not shrunk but is already compiling.

I also tried the Kodular creator and I have a log. There was a similar log in AppInventor:

The compiler error output was
________Checking dangerous extensions
________Preparing application icon
________Creating animation xml
________Creating fragment of xml
________Creating listview xml in res / layout / …
________Creating listview xml in res / layout-v21 / …
________Creating xml in res / drawable / …
________Creating splash png in res / drawable / …
________Creating colors xml
________Creating styles xml
________Creating drawables xml v21
________Checking for firebase
________Creating provider_path xml
________Creating network_security_config xml
________Generating adaptive icon file
________Generating round adaptive icon file
________Generating adaptive icon background file
________Generating manifest file
________ Attaching native libraries
________ Attaching Android Archive (AAR) libraries
________ Attaching component assets
________Invoking AAPT
AAPT time: 0.921 seconds
________Compiling source files
(compiling io / kodular / froniu84a / Configurator_LWPMa / Screen1.yail to io.kodular.froniu84a.Konfigurator_LWPMa.Screen1)
(compiling /tmp/runtime5449954267369594796.scm to com.google.youngandroid.runtime)
Coffee compile time: 5.298 seconds
________Invoking DX
YAIL compiler - DX execution failed.
.

TIMAI2 · January 12, 2020, 12:14pm

Just the one screen in the app ?

Patryk_F · January 12, 2020, 1:22pm

Yes. I don’t use real screens at all, too many problems with them. Because of this I have a lot of arragements, but it probably causes a problem.

TIMAI2 · January 12, 2020, 3:46pm

You need to qualify this each time: 1000+ arrangements(some nested)

ABG · January 12, 2020, 6:33pm

No one wants to see 1000 of anything.

Give your user a way to navigate through subsets of the 1000 items.
Here’s a sample app that uses Divide and Conquer for lookup in a very large translation table:

Patryk_F · January 12, 2020, 6:49pm

Why not? There are 64 text boxes in a scrolling layout. 32 fields are data name and the next 32 fields are data. They are used to configure my electronic module. After connecting with the module, the fields are filled with data. After changing the data, they can be sent to the module. Unfortunately, in order to make something look the way you want in AppInventor, i.e. appropriate spacing, frames around text fields (I had to remove them) you need to use layouts. In addition, the layouts can not be seen even though there can be many.
Of course this is just one side. There are several pages and there are various elements on them. Buttons, text boxes, check boxes, labels and lots of layouts to make it look right. Arranging all text boxes one below the other without descriptions, spaces, etc. would look ugly.
It looks like: