[FELIX-3854] Problem running Felix in Android 4.1 ad 4.2 (JB)

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Auto Closed
• Affects Version/s: framework-4.0.3
• Component/s: Framework
• Labels: Android Bean Jelly patch

Environment

Once Felix is running in the smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.2), the problem arises when a new bundle is being installed (considering that the felix cache directory has been placed in the external sd card by using the property org.osgi.framework.storage).

• Assignee: Karl Pauls
• Reporter: Rafael Bachiller
• Created: 18/Jan/13 15:25
• Updated: 09/Oct/17 21:02
• Resolved: 09/Oct/17 21:02

Description

During the installation process, Felix places the .jar in the cache and then obtains the dex file that is inside the jar file in order to put the dex file in the cache directory. Then, Felix executes it.

In the new versions of Android, this process fails because the system does not allow any program to place and execute any dex file in the sd card. The code line that illustrate the problem is in the file felix/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/frameworBundleWiringImp.java (line 2271).

In my modest opinion, there are two possible solutions:

a) For these newer versions of Android, it is not possible to place the cache in the external sd card. For this solution no changes are needed in Felix, but it creates a new limitation for running in the Android devices (the cache can only be placed in the internal memory at runtime).

b) Create a new parameter (e.g. felix.cache.dexfiles) that can be applied to Android systems that indicates to Felix where to place the dex files. Thus, Felix is not going to store in the same place the .jar files and the .dex files (avoiding to waste the internal memory). For this solution, it is necessary to create the parameter in Felix and to modify the line that has been indicated before.

Thank you very much in advance.