[android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
Hi , At the following blog below , you can find working sample of embedded felix running on Android.. http://ipojo-dark-side.blogspot.com/2008/10/ipojo-on-android.html -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
I think Knopflerfish is close to releasing a version of their OSGi spec implentation for Android ... Regarding the rest, security, android lifecycle and the rest of worries I am reading here I didn't get enough time to look into it but I do see many benefits of OSGi on mobile platforms - ex. Titan that Sprint used. No idea how it did but their intent was pretty novel. And I think you got some good feedback in this thread as I can see - cool! On Jul 8, 5:04 am, Daniel Drozdzewski wrote: > On 7 July 2011 23:07, Jesse wrote: > > > I have looked at that, but the EZDroid community hasn't been updated since > > 2009 and there is practically no content on their site. This makes me think > > it is completely abandoned. They do link to some code which was presented at > > a conference a few years > > back: https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Andr... > > The code is extremely basic though and it doesn't address any of my > > concerns. In their example projects, they create all views through code. > > They don't reference any Android resources, such as layout files. There is > > no discussion on what happens to the view created by the bundle if the > > bundle needs to be updated or removed. > > Also, there is the fact that it is impossible to add an activity or service > > to an application without modifying the Android manifest. > > Jesse, > > That presentation that you linked shows few things that might be of help: > - Android does not allow apps to dynamically load classes, but there > are workarounds (app has root or all access allowed to > /data/dalvik-cache > - Apache Felix is portable (no crazy dependencies), so you can keep > porting newer versions as you need to Android > > What I understand is that you can achieve OSGI on a servce/business logic > layer > Resources (layouts, strings, graphics, ...) in Android are > pre-packaged and pre-compiled into binary bundle and then statically > referenced through R class, so here things get complicated. > > I don't think that by dropping a new class or a set of classes > (bundle), which is what OSGI enables, you could swap binary resources > files into an application and R class with it. > > In other words OSGI allows dynamic deployment of classes and services, > rather than dynamic deployment of arbitrary files. > > This means that you would have to expose your layouts through the > service. In other words have your layouts defined in code, rather than > XML files and your activities would have to use the coded layouts > served by the OSGI service running as a part of your app. > > Your layouts would have to come with their resources and you would be > loading those resources using your custom code rather than Android > APIs. > > You could have service exposed and managed through OSGI to retrieve > activities, which the Apache Felix presentation shows. That would > essentially be, what you need. > > Only thing that I am not sure about is the security and implications > of such setup... Apps need digital signing, activities and services > need upfront declaring through the manifest file. The presentations > asks Google for dynamic class loading and dynamic security policies, > which suggests that they have had some troubles. It is not clear > whether they have managed to work around these. > > If you are in charge of the device, there might be a way around such > limitation, say by installing your certificate as trusted one, so that > provisioned code signed with your key would be trusted. Again this is > a question to a platform engineer. > > Luminis website [*] certainly has some demo code next to that > presentation, so give it a go and see what can and cannot be achieved. > > Good Luck and if possible, please share your findings. > > Daniel > > [*]https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Andr... -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
On 7 July 2011 23:07, Jesse wrote: > I have looked at that, but the EZDroid community hasn't been updated since > 2009 and there is practically no content on their site. This makes me think > it is completely abandoned. They do link to some code which was presented at > a conference a few years > back: https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Androids > The code is extremely basic though and it doesn't address any of my > concerns. In their example projects, they create all views through code. > They don't reference any Android resources, such as layout files. There is > no discussion on what happens to the view created by the bundle if the > bundle needs to be updated or removed. > Also, there is the fact that it is impossible to add an activity or service > to an application without modifying the Android manifest. > Jesse, That presentation that you linked shows few things that might be of help: - Android does not allow apps to dynamically load classes, but there are workarounds (app has root or all access allowed to /data/dalvik-cache - Apache Felix is portable (no crazy dependencies), so you can keep porting newer versions as you need to Android What I understand is that you can achieve OSGI on a servce/business logic layer Resources (layouts, strings, graphics, ...) in Android are pre-packaged and pre-compiled into binary bundle and then statically referenced through R class, so here things get complicated. I don't think that by dropping a new class or a set of classes (bundle), which is what OSGI enables, you could swap binary resources files into an application and R class with it. In other words OSGI allows dynamic deployment of classes and services, rather than dynamic deployment of arbitrary files. This means that you would have to expose your layouts through the service. In other words have your layouts defined in code, rather than XML files and your activities would have to use the coded layouts served by the OSGI service running as a part of your app. Your layouts would have to come with their resources and you would be loading those resources using your custom code rather than Android APIs. You could have service exposed and managed through OSGI to retrieve activities, which the Apache Felix presentation shows. That would essentially be, what you need. Only thing that I am not sure about is the security and implications of such setup... Apps need digital signing, activities and services need upfront declaring through the manifest file. The presentations asks Google for dynamic class loading and dynamic security policies, which suggests that they have had some troubles. It is not clear whether they have managed to work around these. If you are in charge of the device, there might be a way around such limitation, say by installing your certificate as trusted one, so that provisioned code signed with your key would be trusted. Again this is a question to a platform engineer. Luminis website [*] certainly has some demo code next to that presentation, so give it a go and see what can and cannot be achieved. Good Luck and if possible, please share your findings. Daniel [*] https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Androids -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
At a minimum, I'd try asking your question on the Apache Felix users mailing list... -> richard On 7/7/11 18:07, Jesse wrote: I have looked at that, but the EZDroid community hasn't been updated since 2009 and there is practically no content on their site. This makes me think it is completely abandoned. They do link to some code which was presented at a conference a few years back: https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Androids The code is extremely basic though and it doesn't address any of my concerns. In their example projects, they create all views through code. They don't reference any Android resources, such as layout files. There is no discussion on what happens to the view created by the bundle if the bundle needs to be updated or removed. Also, there is the fact that it is impossible to add an activity or service to an application without modifying the Android manifest. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
I have looked at that, but the EZDroid community hasn't been updated since 2009 and there is practically no content on their site. This makes me think it is completely abandoned. They do link to some code which was presented at a conference a few years back: https://opensource.luminis.net/wiki/display/SITE/Apache+Felix+on+Androids The code is extremely basic though and it doesn't address any of my concerns. In their example projects, they create all views through code. They don't reference any Android resources, such as layout files. There is no discussion on what happens to the view created by the bundle if the bundle needs to be updated or removed. Also, there is the fact that it is impossible to add an activity or service to an application without modifying the Android manifest. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
I know it is done: http://luminis-technologies.com/?page_id=21 -> richard On 7/7/11 17:23, Jesse wrote: Your link also demonstrates another worry of mine: nearly all discussions of OSGi on Android are from several years ago. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
Your link also demonstrates another worry of mine: nearly all discussions of OSGi on Android are from several years ago. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Android and OSGi/Apache Felix
I would be reaaallly surprised if OSGi would work on an Android phone/device. Also, it would be a huge security risk if code could be automatically updated without any user-interaction. However, you're not alone :) http://www.osgi.org/blog/2007/11/android-and-osgi.html -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
