Cannot load extensions on android build variants

[jonalmeida]

This is a follow-up from this PR where we learnt that build variants aren't supposed: #1871 (comment)

Is this a feature request or a bug?

Bug

What is the current behavior?

1. Install a local debug build of Reference Browser; affects Fenix too.
2. Run the following command:

web-ext run -t firefox-android --android-device=<device ID here> --firefox-apk=org.mozilla.reference.browser.debug --firefox-apk-component=BrowserActivity

3. Observe.

What is the expected or desired behavior?

You should be able to install your web extension.

What is the actual behaviour?

You see the following output in your terminal:

Error: Activity class {org.mozilla.reference.browser.debug/org.mozilla.reference.browser.debug.BrowserActivity} does not exist.
    at /Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/adbkit/lib/adb/command/host-transport/startactivity.js:57:21
    at tryCatcher (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/util.js:26:23)
    at Promise._settlePromiseFromHandler (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/promise.js:503:31)
    at Promise._settlePromiseAt (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/promise.js:577:18)
    at Async._drainQueue (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/async.js:128:12)
    at Async._drainQueues (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/async.js:133:10)
    at Immediate.Async.drainQueues [as _onImmediate] (/Users/jalmeida/src/web-ext/node_modules/bluebird/js/main/async.js:15:14)

Version information (for bug reports)

• Firefox version: Desktop: 77.0a1 (2020-04-21) (64-bit), Android: GV 77.0.20200422093542
• Your OS and version: Mac OS 10.15.4 (19E287) / Android 10
• Paste the output of these commands:

node --version && npm --version && web-ext --version

v13.11.0
6.13.7
4.1.0

[Rob--W]

Thanks for filing.

Fixing this is relatively simple, see

#1871 (comment)
(component there refers to #1871 (comment))

[rpl]

mentor: @Rob--W

[MikeM711]

Hi, is anyone working on this?

I have been prodding around the repo today, looks interesting! I was able to get this minimalist extension to work using a source installation of Web-ext in Firefox with an Android Emulator:

web-ext run -t firefox-android --android-device=<device ID here> --firefox-apk=--firefox-apk=org.mozilla.firefox

If I swap org.mozilla.firefox with org.mozilla.reference.browser, the Reference Browser (R-B?) is able to launch in Android, but the extension is not able to be built.

Looks like it gets stuck at Building web extension from <FILEPATH>, and then eventually a timeout error, WebExtError: Timeout while waiting for the Android Firefox Debugger Socket

Would I be able to take this on?

5/19 Edit: Slight adjustment to this post to not add confusion to the thread

[Rob--W]

@MikeM711 Have you enabled "Remote debugging via USB" in the Settings view of the Reference Browser?

[MikeM711]

@Rob--W Oh wow - you're right, it's good now

Currently going ahead and building a local debug build of the Reference Browser. Looks like I need the android-components and application-services repos along with the reference-browser, if I'm not mistaken? Will be fiddling around with it.

[jonalmeida]

@Rob--W Oh wow - you're right, it's good now

Currently going ahead and building a local debug build of the Reference Browser. Looks like I need the android-components and application-services repos along with the reference-browser, if I'm not mistaken? Will be fiddling around with it.

You shouldn't need to build custom app services and android components for this. The pre-built dependencies should just work. If they do not, please file an issue and we'll fix it asap. 🙂

[MikeM711]

@jonalmeida Ah, I think I got it! Got the debug build of the Reference Browser to work. 🙂Thanks, all!

Before I proceed, here are my findings, let me know what you think. Maybe the extra info is useful?

Reference Browser Debug

I am able to install my extension in the Reference Browser debug build:
web-ext run -t firefox-android --android-device=<device ID here> --firefox-apk=org.mozilla.reference.browser.debug

If I tack on --firefox-apk-component=BrowserActivity, I got the same Error: Activity class as the original post.

Reference Browser

I am able to install my extension in the Reference Browser:
web-ext run -t firefox-android --android-device=<device ID here> --firefox-apk=org.mozilla.reference.browser

If I tack on --firefox-apk-component=BrowserActivity, the extension will only install until I personally clicked the "Reference Browser" app. Quick question, is this the intended functionality? Tried to go through the web-ext and reference browser docs/source code to get some hints, but I'm not too sure.

Firefox and Firefox Nightly

Out of curiosity, I have also tested my extension using Firefox and Firefox Nightly (fennec_auora) and I got similar results to Reference Browser debug - I am able to install my extension with these browsers; however, tacking on the activity-alias (I believe that is what it is called?) --firefox-apk-component=BrowserActivity, I get that Error: Activity class error for both, like the Reference Browser debug.

What do you guys think?