Eclipse becomes stuck on "starting activity" when sending application to device. How to solve this?

Question

Sometimes, when I attempt to "Run" my application on my Droid Charge (running Gingerbread), Eclipse displays the following in the console:

[2012-05-31 23:08:50 - SomeApp] Android Launch!
[2012-05-31 23:08:50 - SomeApp] adb is running normally.
[2012-05-31 23:08:50 - SomeApp] Performing com.test.SomeActivity activity launch
[2012-05-31 23:08:52 - SomeApp] Uploading SomeApp.apk onto device 'DEVICEIDHERE'
[2012-05-31 23:08:52 - SomeApp] Installing SomeApp.apk...
[2012-05-31 23:08:53 - SomeApp] Success!
[2012-05-31 23:08:53 - SomeApp] Starting activity com.test.SomeActivity on device DEVICEIDHERE

However, the application never starts up on the phone. I am not able to see the that the .apk ever installed in the application's list.

What can I do to make it launch? It works just fine with AVD's running via the emulator.

Thank you!

Alceste

please open the link stackoverflow.com/a/9239708 /* I think I have found a solution. right click on your project -> Run As -> Run Configurations -> Common -> uncheck "Launch in background" At least, it works for me:) */ – Rikki

Elias' idea worked for me. – Widdershins

Answer 1

I can see 3 possible ways to give a try in solving your issue:

1. Have you checked the manifest.xml file? The field

<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

must be present inside your "main" activity, otherwise it will not launch in emulation mode.

2. Your AVD machine is somewhat corrupted or the ADB is instable: Check this issue.

3. Your project can be out of synchronization in some way: Try to cleanup (project->clean) your project as well as to rebuild it and reloading your AVD.

Hope it helps you in some way... ;D

Akee

Thank you, but the AVD works just fine in the emulator. It's the physical device (Samsung Droid Charge) that I seem to have a problem with :( – Alceste

Hmm... maybe it can be a device problem. I can recommend you to check: device-to-pc drivers compatibility, the API version you is developing, and/or the checkbox "unknown source" (menu->configuration->application->unknown source) as it make you permit your device to install development-time apps or not. – Akee

The API version I am developing for is lower than my phone's. I definitely have Samsung USB drivers installed, as the phone is recognized by windows and I can see it in adb by running the adb devices command. The "unknown sources" are enabled in settings. I do have a rooted phone - I wonder if the installed OS is buggy. – Alceste

Is your problem recently to you or it is from long date? I used to have an LG GW620 with API level 3 and, after I updated it, it showed some problems with OS compatibilities. Have you already tried to install the app by passing it via bluetooth? Yet, I haven't get what is your main aim, install in the device or free the stuck of Eclipse. :) – Akee

My goal is to make the app actually load onto the phone from Eclipse. I like running the app on the device while developing incrementally. I'm sure exporting and installing the apk would work just fine. – Alceste

It seems that this may be an issue with the device. Restarting it fixes the issue. However, when it enters sleep mode, I must restart it again to make the application run correctly from eclipse. – Alceste

Answer 2

I faced with this problem and solved that easily.

Solution: Just check that you have selected the root folder of android project in Package Explorer.

That's it.

Pheidippides