I wonder if your android image doesn’t use the same keyboard layout your phone does?
I have noticed that this only happens when you start from the console.
How did you get pass this issue? How did you compile the android.img for arm64 architecture from an x86_64 architecture?
The first link in the posted instructions specify that it’s an arm64 image.
For me, the image preparation takes forever and never completes. How long did it take for you to generate image?
Arround 2,5h
Shall I send you a link to my image? Then I put it on my nextcloud.
@st.boom, that would be great. For me it is around 4 and 1/2 hours and it is still at 28%.
Thanks in advance.
@st.boom,
I got mine working too. I copied this image; https://dosowisko.net/anbox/arm64/android.img Then followed your instructions and it opens up fine.
Few glitches though, performance is very slow. Music app does not open up
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Great news! Congratulations!
My performance is also very slow.
Firefox/Fenix crashes and it looks like they can’t open web pages.
I tried using @st.boom yesterdays instructions using a clean system and noticed a few steps missing or unclear and did not get to the end successfully. Notes:
- image building will take a few hours
- you have to create the directory, it’s not there already
- package is within the artifacts.zip, so extract and move the two needed files (.deb)
- extra period at the end of “anbox*.” and there are missing dependencies (install lxc, libboost* and run command again)
- need to install adb (and dependencies - come with) or its not there
… and although Anbox starts from icon, adb does not work: “adb: failed to stat FDroid.apk: No such file or directory”. Ideas?
Get the android image from this location. Then copy it to /var/lib/anbox. As you said, the anbox directory is not present.
Next, install the anbox deb from the artifacts.zip file. I think the dbg one is for debugging purpose. So does not need to be installed.
The anbox install failed for me citing unmet dependencies. Then I executed the apt-get install --fix-missing. Then installed anbox. It works fine after dependencies are met.
Then I manually installed adb; apt install adb
The out of box anbox desktop file starts the anbox UI.
The android.img file from @dos’s location has F-Droid already added.
If you want to bring up the F-Froid UI use @st.boom’s method;
anbox launch --action=android.intent.action.MAIN --package=org.fdroid.fdroid --component=org.fdroid.fdroid.views.main.MainActivity
It works for me. Be advised, not all applications open up properly. For example, the Calculator and Calendar opened up fine but the Music did not.
The email opens up fine but for some reason the @ key does not work while entering the email address.
A side note, WhatsApp works perfectly fine.
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Ok that clears it up, thanks! No need to trying install FDroid again then. It doesn’t launch from the anbox manager for me so the long command is useful (would it benefit other apps as well?). That works, FDroid launches and apps from there seem to be installing fine. Launching them is … mostly they crash and crash anbox - calculator is the only one that seems to work.
Curious is that anbox launches Music automatically (I see it in Usage) but it’s not visible or usable - won’t even die forced (Usage is missing kill + other features and settings). Usage of anything droid-related seems to be limited to display zoom level 200%.
The how-to of all this needs to be re-written in more detail.
Using that long command just reminded me how I soooooo miss having working text selection and copy-paste in default browser and some others (workaround via FF).
Can you use a bash alias (this is from the phone terminal, right?)?
At the bottom of your .bashrc file in your home directory (assuming it exists), add the line:
alias fdroid=’<insert long command here’
You can substitute anything that isn’t already a command for “fdroid”. Save it, then source your .bashrc file by typing in your terminal (from the home directory)
. .bashrc
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Thanks, good idea. I was going to make a shortcut icon + script but that may help there too.
I was however originally referring to copying the command from browser window of this forum to terminal - clipboard support is random (as are context menus - seems similar or close problem).
I have reworked the how-to a bit.
If you have any comments, I’ll be happy to change it.
Installation of Anbox
first download the package “package-pureos-byzantium:arm64” from:
unzip and install both files with:
unzip artifacts.zip
cd debian/output
Remove all non deb files in the folder.
sudo dpkg -i anbox*.
if there is an error during the installation due to unmet dependencies:
apt-get install --fix-missing
and again:
sudo dpkg -i anbox*.
The Android Image
built the image with the:
or use:
https://dosowisko.net/anbox/arm64/android.img
Place the Image
copy the image to /var/lib/anbox.
reboot the system. And after that do:
Activate Anbox
sudo systemctl enable anbox-container-manager
sudo systemctl start anbox-container-manager
check if it’r running:
sudo systemctl status start anbox-container-manager
Normally start anbox with the icon.
if you want to start anbox from the console, do:
export DISPLAY=:0
adb (android debug bridge) & App installation
sudo apt install adb
sudo adb install Filename.apk
* daemon not running; starting now at tcp:5037
* daemon started successfully
Performing Streamed Install
Success
Command to open an app directly
anbox launch --action=android.intent.action.MAIN --package=org.fdroid.fdroid --component=org.fdroid.fdroid.views.main.MainActivity
Shortcuts to the installed apps
if you have installed an app go to the folder and you will find desktop files for your installed app’s:
/home/purism/.local/share/applications/anbox/
copy the desktop file of your app to
/home/purism/.local/share/applications/
otherwise the changes will be undone by anbox.
open the desktop file.and change
NoDisplay=true to NoDisplay=false.
and add:
X-Purism-FormFactor=Workstation;Mobile;
Then the app is also displayed in the menu. And is also displayed under Mobile Apps.
Working apps
F-Droid
WhatsApp
Calculator
Calender
Not working apps
Firefox
Fenix
Music
Microsoft Offlice
Partly working apps
Mail
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You can also create a .desktop file. Use the command for Exec part in the desktop file. In that way, you do not have to open the terminal to use the shortcut.
Few points;
- adb needs to be installed manually via.
apt install adb
I do not have any NoDisplay entry in my desktop file
This is already present in the anbox.desktop file. So, no need to add.
For the how-to:
- Sudo before apt-get too.
- If you either extract only the .deb files or remove the others, installation gives less scary messages.
- That startup command for FDroid was good piece of info but could be explained why that worked (instead of using the anbox manager’s GUI icon/launcher). Is similar usable for other apps too?
- A list of some know working anbox and FDroid apps (fully / partially / crashes) to test different methods
@buzzLightyear
Check the desktop files for the installed app’s in the anbox subfolder.
@JR-Fi
I will change it If i’m back home.
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My experience, Anbox does not seem to be stable with Librem 5. After installation, only Calculator and Calendar worked for me. Other out of the box ones, like Music does not work at all, Mail does not detect the keyboard correctly.
I tried installing APK packages, none of the Microsoft packages Outlook, Word, Excel worked for me. Firefox does not open up
Only + point, WhatsApp works flawlessly.
Anbox keeps crashing when I try to open above mentioned apps. It is not very stable. Maybe, it needs a new build
@st.boom, can you share you android.img file. I could try with it.
@JR-Fi, I think we are not there yet to create a list as I see Anbox itself does not appear to be stable yet on Librem 5 or maybe I am missing something.
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