Android ADK with PC as USB Host with libusb, bulk transfer error

Question

I'm trying to make my PC the USB Host for Android 2.3.4 devices in order to be able to develop APIs without needing actual "accessories". To do this, I need to establish the PC as the USB Host and the "device" (in my case a Nexus One running 2.3.4).

I started with libusb code from http://android.serverbox.ch/ as a base for the PC side and the DemoKit code and Android documentation on the Android side.

The two seems to negotiate the connection fine, and the interface gets "claimed" but dies on the actual attempt at bulk transfer. On OSX, the error is -5 (LIBUSB_ERROR_NOT_FOUND) and on Ubuntu Linux (as root) the error is -1 (LIBUSB_ERROR_IO). (Most recent releases of each with most recent libusb 1.0.8).

Here's the code. Other comments on problems welcome, though this is mostly a proof-of-concept, so I'm really just looking for the reason the bulk transfer isn't working:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <libusb.h>
#include <string.h>

#define ENDPOINT_BULK_IN 0x83
#define ENDPOINT_BULK_OUT 0x03 // Have tried 0x00, 0x01 and 0x02

#define VID 0x18D1
#define PID 0x4E11

#define ACCESSORY_PID 0x2D00
#define ACCESSORY_ADB_PID 0x2D01 // Can't get this to work, if ADB is active, can't get handle on device

/*
ON OSX
gcc adktest.c -I/usr/local/include -o adktest -lusb-1.0.0 -I/usr/local/include -I/usr/local/include/libusb-1.0
ON UBUNTU
gcc adktest.c -I/usr/include -o adktest -lusb-1.0 -I/usr/include -I/usr/include/libusb-1.0

Testing on Nexus One with Gingerbread 2.3.4
*/

static int transferTest();
static int init(void);
static int shutdown(void);
static void error(int code);
static void status(int code);
static int setupAccessory(
const char* manufacturer,
const char* modelName,
const char* description,
const char* version,
const char* uri,
const char* serialNumber);

//static
static struct libusb_device_handle* handle;

int main (int argc, char *argv[]){
if(init() < 0)
    return;

if(setupAccessory(
    "PCHost",
    "PCHost1",
    "Description",
    "1.0",
    "http://www.mycompany.com",
    "SerialNumber") < 0){
    fprintf(stdout, "Error setting up accessory\n");
    shutdown();
    return -1;
};
if(transferTest() < 0){
    fprintf(stdout, "Error in transferTest\n");
    shutdown();
    return -1;
}   
shutdown();
fprintf(stdout, "Finished\n");
return 0;
}

static int transferTest(){
  // TEST BULK IN/OUT
  const static int PACKET_BULK_LEN=64;
  const static int TIMEOUT=5000;
  int r,i;
  int transferred;
  char answer[PACKET_BULK_LEN];
  char question[PACKET_BULK_LEN];
  for (i=0;i<PACKET_BULK_LEN; i++) question[i]=i;

    // ***FAILS HERE***
    r = libusb_bulk_transfer(handle, ENDPOINT_BULK_OUT, question, PACKET_BULK_LEN,
                             &transferred,TIMEOUT);
    if (r < 0) {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk write error %d\n", r);
        error(r);
        return r;
    }
    fprintf(stdout, "Wrote %d bytes", r);

    r = libusb_bulk_transfer(handle, ENDPOINT_BULK_IN, answer,PACKET_BULK_LEN,
                             &transferred, TIMEOUT);
    if (r < 0) {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk read error %d\n", r);
        error(r);
        return r;
    }
    fprintf(stdout, "Read %d bytes", r);

    if (transferred < PACKET_BULK_LEN) {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk transfer short read (%d)\n", r);
        error(r);
        return -1;
    }
    printf("Bulk Transfer Loop Test Result:\n");
    //     for (i=0;i< PACKET_BULK_LEN;i++) printf("%i, %i,\n ",question[i],answer[i]);
    for(i = 0;i < PACKET_BULK_LEN; i++) {
        if(i%8 == 0)
            printf("\n");
        printf("%02x, %02x; ",question[i],answer[i]);
    }
    printf("\n\n");

    return 0;

}


static int init(){
libusb_init(NULL);
if((handle = libusb_open_device_with_vid_pid(NULL, VID, PID)) == NULL){
    fprintf(stdout, "Problem acquiring handle\n");
    return -1;
}
libusb_claim_interface(handle, 0);  

return 0;
}

static int shutdown(){
if(handle != NULL)
    libusb_release_interface (handle, 0);
libusb_exit(NULL);
return 0;
}

static int setupAccessory(
const char* manufacturer,
const char* modelName,
const char* description,
const char* version,
const char* uri,
const char* serialNumber){

unsigned char ioBuffer[2];
int devVersion;
int response;

response = libusb_control_transfer(
    handle, //handle
    0xC0, //bmRequestType
    51, //bRequest
    0, //wValue
    0, //wIndex
    ioBuffer, //data
    2, //wLength
    0 //timeout
);

if(response < 0){error(response);return-1;}

devVersion = ioBuffer[1] << 8 | ioBuffer[0];
fprintf(stdout,"Version Code Device: %d\n", devVersion);

usleep(1000);//sometimes hangs on the next transfer :(

response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,0,(char*)manufacturer,strlen(manufacturer),0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}
response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,1,(char*)modelName,strlen(modelName)+1,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}
response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,2,(char*)description,strlen(description)+1,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}
response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,3,(char*)version,strlen(version)+1,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}
response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,4,(char*)uri,strlen(uri)+1,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}
response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,5,(char*)serialNumber,strlen(serialNumber)+1,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}

fprintf(stdout,"Accessory Identification sent\n", devVersion);

response = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,53,0,0,NULL,0,0);
if(response < 0){error(response);return -1;}

fprintf(stdout,"Attempted to put device into accessory mode\n", devVersion);

if(handle != NULL)
    libusb_release_interface (handle, 0);

int tries = 4;
for(;;){
    tries--;
    if((handle = libusb_open_device_with_vid_pid(NULL, VID, ACCESSORY_PID)) == NULL){
        if(tries < 0){
            return -1;
        }
    }else{
        break;
    }
    sleep(1);
}

libusb_claim_interface(handle, 0);
fprintf(stdout, "Interface claimed, ready to transfer data\n");
return 0;
}

// error reporting function left out for brevity

And here's the Android app:

package com.cengen.android.pchost;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.IntentFilter;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.os.Handler;
import android.os.Message;
import android.os.ParcelFileDescriptor;
import com.android.future.usb.UsbAccessory;
import com.android.future.usb.UsbManager;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.io.FileDescriptor;
import java.io.FileInputStream;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.IOException;

public class MainActivity extends Activity implements Runnable
{
  private final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger("PCHost");

  private UsbManager usbManager;

  UsbAccessory accessory;
  ParcelFileDescriptor accessoryFileDescriptor;
  FileInputStream accessoryInput;
  FileOutputStream accessoryOutput;

  private final BroadcastReceiver usbBroadcastReceiver = new BroadcastReceiver()
  {
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent)
    {
      String action = intent.getAction();
      if (UsbManager.ACTION_USB_ACCESSORY_ATTACHED.equals(action))
      {
        synchronized (this)
        {
          accessory = UsbManager.getAccessory(intent);
        }
      }
      else if (UsbManager.ACTION_USB_ACCESSORY_DETACHED.equals(action))
      {
        UsbAccessory accessory = UsbManager.getAccessory(intent);
        if (accessory != null)
        {
          // call your method that cleans up and closes communication with the accessory
        }
      }
    }
  };

  Handler messageHandler = new Handler()
  {
    @Override
    public void handleMessage(Message msg)
    {
      switch (msg.what)
      {
        case 1:
          logger.info("Got message type {}", msg.what);
//              SendFileMessage m = (SendFileMessage) msg.obj;
//              handleSendFile(m);
        break;
        case 2:
          logger.info("Got message type {}", msg.what);
//              SendFileMessage m = (SendFileMessage) msg.obj;
//              handleSendFile(m);
        break;
        case 3:
          logger.info("Got message type {}", msg.what);
//              SendFileMessage m = (SendFileMessage) msg.obj;
//              handleSendFile(m);
        break;
      }
    }
  };

  /**
   * Main USB reading loop, processing incoming data from accessory and parsing
   * it into messages via the defined format.
   */
  public void run()
  {
    int ret = 0;
    byte[] buffer = new byte[16384];
    int i;

    while (ret >= 0)
    {
      try
      {
        ret = accessoryInput.read(buffer);
        logger.debug("Read {} bytes.", ret);
      }
      catch (IOException e)
      {
        logger.debug("Exception in USB accessory input reading", e);
        break;
      }

      i = 0;
      while (i < ret)
      {
        int len = ret - i;

        switch (buffer[i])
        {
          case 0x1:
            if (len >= 3)
            {
              Message m = Message.obtain(messageHandler, 1);
//                      m.obj = new MessageTypeOne(buffer[i + 1], buffer[i + 2]);
              messageHandler.sendMessage(m);
            }
            i += 3;
            break;

          case 0x4:
            if (len >= 3)
            {
              Message m = Message.obtain(messageHandler, 1);
//                      m.obj = new MessageTypeTwo(buffer[i + 1], buffer[i + 2]);
              messageHandler.sendMessage(m);
            }
            i += 3;
            break;

          default:
            logger.debug("unknown msg: " + buffer[i]);
            i = len;
            break;
        }
      }

    }
  }

  @Override
  public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
  {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

    usbManager = UsbManager.getInstance(this);

    IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter(UsbManager.ACTION_USB_ACCESSORY_ATTACHED);
    filter.addAction(UsbManager.ACTION_USB_ACCESSORY_DETACHED);
    registerReceiver(usbBroadcastReceiver, filter);

    if (getLastNonConfigurationInstance() != null)
    {
      accessory = (UsbAccessory) getLastNonConfigurationInstance();
      openAccessory(accessory);
    }
    setContentView(R.layout.main);
  }

  @Override
  public Object onRetainNonConfigurationInstance()
  {
    return accessory != null ? accessory : super.onRetainNonConfigurationInstance();
  }

 @Override
 public void onResume()
 {
   super.onResume();

   Intent intent = getIntent();
   if (accessoryInput != null && accessoryOutput != null)
     return;

   // TODO: verify, docs don't do this simple thing, not sure why?
   UsbAccessory accessory = UsbManager.getAccessory(intent);
   if (accessory != null)
     openAccessory(accessory);
   else
     logger.error("Failed to resume accessory.");
 }

  @Override
  public void onPause()
  {
    super.onPause();
    closeAccessory();
  }

  @Override
  public void onDestroy()
  {
    unregisterReceiver(usbBroadcastReceiver);
    super.onDestroy();
  }

  private void openAccessory(UsbAccessory accessory)
  {
    accessoryFileDescriptor = usbManager.openAccessory(accessory);
    if (accessoryFileDescriptor != null)
    {
      this.accessory = accessory;
      FileDescriptor fd = accessoryFileDescriptor.getFileDescriptor();
      accessoryInput = new FileInputStream(fd);
      accessoryOutput = new FileOutputStream(fd);
      Thread thread = new Thread(null, this, "AndroidPCHost");
      thread.start();
      logger.debug("accessory opened");
      // TODO: enable USB operations in the app
    }
    else
    {
      logger.debug("accessory open fail");
    }
  }

  private void closeAccessory()
  {
    // TODO: disable USB operations in the app
    try
    {
      if (accessoryFileDescriptor != null)
        accessoryFileDescriptor.close();
    }
    catch (IOException e)
    {}
    finally
    {
      accessoryFileDescriptor = null;
      accessory = null;
    }
  }
}

And the manifest (including the intent-filtering so it auto-associates and auto-perms the device, according to the docs):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
      package="com.mycompany.android.pchost"
      android:versionCode="1"
      android:versionName="1.0">
  <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.usb.accessory" />
  <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10" />
  <application android:label="@string/app_name" android:icon="@drawable/icon">
    <uses-library android:name="com.android.future.usb.accessory" />
        <activity android:name="MainActivity"
                  android:label="@string/app_name"
                  android:launchMode="singleInstance">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
          <intent-filter>
              <action android:name="android.hardware.usb.action.USB_ACCESSORY_ATTACHED" />
          </intent-filter>

          <meta-data android:name="android.hardware.usb.action.USB_ACCESSORY_ATTACHED"
              android:resource="@xml/accessory_filter" />

        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest> 

Exist

Note: The last thing shown in wireshark when sniffing the USB interface on linux(Ubuntu) is the response to the Get Descriptor request by the host and the device returns what looks to be properly, Descriptor Type: 3, "Android Accessory Interface". That appears to be when the I/O error occurs and comms stop. – Exist

Hi man, everything works until bulk transfer, it seems I can't get the right endpoint address, the error is : [composite_submit_bulk_transfer] unable to match endpoint to an open interface - cancelling transfer, second Q if u don't mind: Do I have to claim interface ? - Thanks.. – Alboran

Answer 1

Initial problem is that the original connection to the device in order to tell it to go into accessory mode is never closed. The USB subsystem and/or libusb do not throw an error if you then reopen and claim an interface while the original device is still left open. You only get an IO or NOT FOUND error when you actually try to write to/from an endpoint.

By adding:

libusb_close(handle);

within the if statement where the initial interface is released from initial connection the libusb side of the issue is resolved.

The next issue that prevents data to pass in this particular combination of softwares, is that the Android side is waiting for a larger segment of bytes before it accepts the read which results in a timeout (haven't worked out due to which side yet) and so if you set the buffer to match the libusb side (64), you will get an initial set of bytes written from the PC to the Android device. The software will still break after that since the PC/libusb side then tries to read data but the Android side isn't writing any, but that is simply unfinished software and not within the scope of the question.

Exist

Colin, have you tried the same using libusb-win32 ? Me got struck in setup accessory phase,libusb-win32 returns -5 (Entity not found as error) – Coccidioidomycosis

I would guess it is a similar need to close the initial "handshake" handle to then open up the comms handle. I've never attempted this on win32, but would expect it to be the same/similar (but it's been years since I touched this!) – Exist

@ColinM. would you mind editing the answer to show exactly where your libusb_close(handle) goes? – Eyed

Answer 2

The code example is very helpful, it just needs some modifications to work on Windows using libusb and installing WinUSB drivers via Zadig.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <libusb.h>
#include <string.h>
#ifdef _WIN32
#include <Windows.h>
#define sleep Sleep
#else
#include <unistd.h>
#endif

#define ENDPOINT_BULK_IN 0x83
#define ENDPOINT_BULK_OUT 0x03 // Have tried 0x00, 0x01 and 0x02

#define VID 0x18D1
#define PID 0x4E11

#define ACCESSORY_PID 0x2D00
#define ACCESSORY_ADB_PID 0x2D01 // Can't get this to work, if ADB is active, can't get handle on device

#define PACKET_BULK_LEN 64
#define TIMEOUT 5000

static int transferTest(void);
static int setupAccessory(
    const char* manufacturer,
    const char* modelName,
    const char* description,
    const char* version,
    const char* uri,
    const char* serialNumber);

//static
static struct libusb_device_handle* handle;

int main (int argc, char *argv[])
{
    int r, tries;

    libusb_init(NULL);
    if((handle = libusb_open_device_with_vid_pid(NULL, VID, PID)) != NULL)
    {
        libusb_claim_interface(handle, 0);  

        r = setupAccessory("PCHost",
                           "PCHost1",
                           "Description",
                           "1.0",
                           "http://www.mycompany.com",
                           "SerialNumber");

        libusb_release_interface (handle, 0);
        libusb_close(handle);

        if (r < 0)
        {
            libusb_exit(NULL);
            fprintf(stdout, "Error setting up accessory\n");
            return -1;
        }
    }

    tries = 4;
    for(;;)
    {
        tries--;
        if((handle = libusb_open_device_with_vid_pid(NULL, VID, ACCESSORY_PID)) == NULL)
        {
            if(tries < 0)
            {
                libusb_exit(NULL);
                fprintf(stdout, "Problem acquiring handle\n");
                return -1;
            }
        }
        else
        {
            break;
        }
        sleep(1);
    }

    libusb_claim_interface(handle, 0);
    fprintf(stdout, "Interface claimed, ready to transfer data\n");

    r = transferTest();

    libusb_release_interface (handle, 0);
    libusb_close(handle);

    libusb_exit(NULL);

    if (r < 0)
    {
        fprintf(stdout, "Error in transferTest\n");
        return -1;
    }   
    fprintf(stdout, "Finished\n");
    return 0;
}

static int transferTest(void)
{
    // TEST BULK IN/OUT
    int r,i;
    int transferred;
    unsigned char answer[PACKET_BULK_LEN];
    unsigned char question[PACKET_BULK_LEN];
    struct libusb_device* device;
    struct libusb_config_descriptor* config;
    struct libusb_interface_descriptor const* interfaceDesc;
    unsigned char epInAddr = ENDPOINT_BULK_IN;
    unsigned char epOutAddr = ENDPOINT_BULK_OUT;
    unsigned char idx;

    for (i=0;i<PACKET_BULK_LEN; i++) 
        question[i]=(unsigned char)i;

    device = libusb_get_device(handle);
    r = libusb_get_active_config_descriptor(device, &config);
    if (r < 0) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "No active descriptor error %d\n", r);
        return r;
    }

    interfaceDesc = config->interface[0].altsetting;

    for(idx = 0; idx < interfaceDesc->bNumEndpoints; idx++)
    {
        if ((interfaceDesc->endpoint[idx].bmAttributes & LIBUSB_TRANSFER_TYPE_MASK) == LIBUSB_TRANSFER_TYPE_BULK)
        {
            if ((interfaceDesc->endpoint[idx].bEndpointAddress & LIBUSB_ENDPOINT_IN) == LIBUSB_ENDPOINT_IN)
            {
                epInAddr = interfaceDesc->endpoint[idx].bEndpointAddress;
            }
            else
            {
                epOutAddr = interfaceDesc->endpoint[idx].bEndpointAddress;
            }
        }
    }

    r = libusb_bulk_transfer(handle, epOutAddr, question, PACKET_BULK_LEN,
                             &transferred,TIMEOUT);
    if (r < 0) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk write error %d\n", r);
        return r;
    }
    fprintf(stdout, "Wrote %d bytes", r);

    r = libusb_bulk_transfer(handle, epInAddr, answer,PACKET_BULK_LEN,
        &transferred, TIMEOUT);
    if (r < 0) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk read error %d\n", r);
        return r;
    }
    fprintf(stdout, "Read %d bytes", r);

    if (transferred < PACKET_BULK_LEN) 
    {
        fprintf(stderr, "Bulk transfer short read (%d)\n", r);
        return -1;
    }
    printf("Bulk Transfer Loop Test Result:\n");
    for(i = 0; i < PACKET_BULK_LEN; i++) 
    {
        if(i%8 == 0)
            printf("\n");
        printf("%02x, %02x; ",question[i],answer[i]);
    }
    printf("\n\n");

    return 0;

}

static int setupAccessory(
    const char* manufacturer,
    const char* modelName,
    const char* description,
    const char* version,
    const char* uri,
    const char* serialNumber)
{
    unsigned char ioBuffer[2];
    int devVersion;
    int r;

    r = libusb_control_transfer(
        handle, //handle
        0xC0, //bmRequestType
        51, //bRequest
        0, //wValue
        0, //wIndex
        ioBuffer, //data
        2, //wLength
        0 //timeout
        );

    if(r < 0)
    {
        return-1;
    }

    devVersion = ioBuffer[1] << 8 | ioBuffer[0];
    fprintf(stdout,"Version Code Device: %d\n", devVersion);

    sleep(1); //sometimes hangs on the next transfer :(

    if ((libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,0,(unsigned char*)manufacturer,strlen(manufacturer)+1,0) < 0) ||
        (libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,1,(unsigned char*)modelName,strlen(modelName)+1,0) < 0) ||
        (libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,2,(unsigned char*)description,strlen(description)+1,0) < 0) ||
        (libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,3,(unsigned char*)version,strlen(version)+1,0) < 0) ||
        (libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,4,(unsigned char*)uri,strlen(uri)+1,0) < 0) ||
        (libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,52,0,5,(unsigned char*)serialNumber,strlen(serialNumber)+1,0) < 0))
    {
        return -1;
    }

    fprintf(stdout,"Accessory Identification sent\n", devVersion);

    r = libusb_control_transfer(handle,0x40,53,0,0,NULL,0,0);
    if(r < 0)
    {
        return -1;
    }

    fprintf(stdout,"Attempted to put device into accessory mode\n", devVersion);
    return 0;
}

Besides some refactoring and adding the necessary libusb_close(handle) calls mentioned in @ColinM's answer this is mainly adding:

1. Enumeration over the available end-points
2. Assumes the device is already in accessory mode if initial PID/VID not found

Chigger

Hi man, everything works until bulk transfer, it seems I can't get the right endpoint address, the error is : [composite_submit_bulk_transfer] unable to match endpoint to an open interface - cancelling transfer, second Q if u don't mind: Do I have to claim interface ? - Thanks. – Alboran