[User 268503]

Okay look this plugin is good for uploading a zip file containing the kodi folders to a server and then putting the link to that zip file in the .apk files so it automatically calls that file specifically thus auto-updates all boxes with this .apk updater installed....genius! ...however if i just create a zip file with the inappropriate file structure the .apk app looks for to unzip and place correctly then the entire process fails at the end.

Sooooo if this .apk file looks for a remote zip file containing kodi files, downloads and extracts them before replacing the ones already there then I need to know what the structure of the zip file is so i can make one with my own kodi backup files. Does that make sense?

So what does a typical .zip folder for this apk app look like?

[RicardoParrudo]

I'm guessing being able to compile a new APK with your new settings and stuff will work, somehow. It might require some code changes into Kodi but I guess it is doable.
But, I don't think that's the real way to go.

We have a guy in our forums (not here..) that provides a simple Kodi installation with skins, addons, etc. He manages to do that by installing the software and then installing his
pre-configured package. Since everything in Kodi (settings, addons, thumbnails, whatever) is located in the user directory it is relatively easy to just unpack a pre-configured package
that has XMLs with all wanted settings, addons, etc.

If you configure Kodi once, just zip the whole content of Kodi's storage dir (you can find in the wiki, if not, post here). When you want to install, just unzip the whole thing to the same place. Essentially, this is what the backup addon does.

For Android though, it would of course be much easier to have this process automated. So, I've created a small Android app to do just that. It is currently set to download the other guy's package I mentioned but of course the project is open source and can be changed. Easy enough and doesn't require a lot of knowledge in Android compilation.
(basically requires the SDK, API level 15, build tools and Android studio).

Look at my GitHub repo:
https://github.com/voguemaster/SettingsDeployer

Can you give a litle more info? This could solve my problem of configuring one by one of my mates cells and tablets.

[krzmtl]

hey guys.....

so funny....
so i have actually been looking for a tool like this that i can put the .xbmc or userdata folder on our server and provide the installer within teh firmware.

i will ave a go at this tool.

we are an internal signage network, we arent looking to release a product, we are just loving what we can do with kodi internally for us.

i am back at making a new version back off of version 15.....

here are my issues, the thread kind of went off course and was hoping to get it back on.

1) kodi.apk with our forked version needs to be signagenetwork.apk and when you install the app the desination and name needs to change as well.
- again this isnt for sale, its internal and i google play is now autoupdating kodi on our systems and reverted in store branding and networks to kodi.

btw i will gladly call it "kodiforkedforus" the name is irrelevant its isolating it as its own app.


2) once i have an apktool'd apk how do i digitally sign it / zip align etc....
what are the steps?

i did this syccessfully in december and for the life of me i can remeber how..

i remeber something do do wih "zipalign" and this command....
but i am totaly lost right now.

"keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore"

3) i would love to know more about this installer.apk
- is there a way to preset a new location to pull my own zip or usersettings from?
- is there a way that it will check latest version and auto update or upon loading of app next time will load the newest overwritten version? say with a txt fie or version number that it checks for reference?
- would there be a way to password protect this updater application?

To the Kodi team....
i have been with you guys since old xbox days....
i have been pushing what you guys are doing and am fully beind you...
i believe that this siftware is the future and the present of closed circuit televiosn networks and corporate tv systems.
thanks for all the great work.

is there a thread to learn how to compile or build our own fork of kodi properly somewhee here on the site?

thanks in advance

[krzmtl]

voguemaster...

anyone have a link to an actual apk of the settinsg deployer?

i have no idea how to compile this git file! lol

[wsnipex]

we made quite an effort to make rebranding easy when we switched to Kodi.
Read docs/README.android first, then look at version.txt in the source root dir.

[xbmcdoc]

For digital signage I recommend not using an android consumer device. Nothing but headaches. A raspberry or Odroid developing board is better. A small computer would be even better. Using a DD tool you can easily replicate the build.

Kodi is a great player but digital signage applications will avoid the headache of updating clients (the 20 displays). Simply make the changes in the server and push the update to all the clients.

[MrMC]

Android sucks big time for a digital signage device. Too much crap to work around and updates (unattended server side push) are a big problem. Android really expects to be a user driven device and not an unattended appliance. Been there and I have a big chunk out of my rear to show for it. The only real advantage is dirt cheap hardware and that itself is a two edged sword. Hardware life cycles are very short, reliability questionable, and by the time you dev/deploy for one, something new and completely different is out and you start the cycle again.

I should know, I was part of the team (davilla/theuni) that spend a year porting xbcm/kodi to android. Unless you build from firmware up, you have no control over the platform and the junk and spyware that the far east companies install on them Building, deploying and maintaining firmware is a real test of manhood. Those far east companies have little thought of backward compatibility. Fix it and get it out regardless of the hacks is the norm. Be prepared for constant maintenance.

Use OpenElec/Kodi. Steep learning curve regarding the build (OpenElect) and dev but well worth it. And with OpenElec, you are in complete control of the platform. I can jump to a new hardware platform in a few days, provided it has OpenElec support of course. The company I consult for has thousands of devices in remote locations running OpenElec/XBMC (Gotham) as unattended appliances.

[daveftw84]

I'm guessing being able to compile a new APK with your new settings and stuff will work, somehow. It might require some code changes into Kodi but I guess it is doable.
But, I don't think that's the real way to go.

We have a guy in our forums (not here..) that provides a simple Kodi installation with skins, addons, etc. He manages to do that by installing the software and then installing his
pre-configured package. Since everything in Kodi (settings, addons, thumbnails, whatever) is located in the user directory it is relatively easy to just unpack a pre-configured package
that has XMLs with all wanted settings, addons, etc.

If you configure Kodi once, just zip the whole content of Kodi's storage dir (you can find in the wiki, if not, post here). When you want to install, just unzip the whole thing to the same place. Essentially, this is what the backup addon does.

For Android though, it would of course be much easier to have this process automated. So, I've created a small Android app to do just that. It is currently set to download the other guy's package I mentioned but of course the project is open source and can be changed. Easy enough and doesn't require a lot of knowledge in Android compilation.
(basically requires the SDK, API level 15, build tools and Android studio).

Look at my GitHub repo:
https://github.com/voguemaster/SettingsDeployer

can you help me? i downloaded the zip extracted it , loaded it up with android studios, edit the path of the zip but i dont know what to do next. how do i get it to build the apk

[daveftw84]

i have no idea what im doing. im willing to pay for someone to make me this apk

[irlam]

I have this working perfectly (after a few hours playing around testing e.t.c)

"basically requires the SDK, API level 15, build tools and Android studio" < Thanks voguemaster for the tip on how to get this to work

please could somebody help me add extra download urls to this app

example. > new-backup old-backup test-backup etc.

[ilin]

Built the app successfully, but it doesn't work for me so far...

1. Which of cloud services are compatible with this app? Google Drive (and some other services) has no file name in URL, dropbox does have but doesn't work for me as well...
2. What is the structure of the zip-file? I understand, it has the content of /storage/sdcard/Andriod/data/org.xmbc.kodi/files/.kodi folder?! What should and should not be included in the zip file? (plugins etc)
3. Are there any limitations for the zip file size?

[dataghost1984]

I have this working perfectly (after a few hours playing around testing e.t.c)

"basically requires the SDK, API level 15, build tools and Android studio" < Thanks voguemaster for the tip on how to get this to work

please could somebody help me add extra download urls to this app

example. > new-backup old-backup test-backup etc.

What steps did you take? Did you rebuild etc. I have opened in Android Studio, loaded the project, required a few other API than just 15, 21 & 22 were also installed. Changed build url, cleaned and went to rebuild and got 10 errors. Any ideas? Thank you.

[Drt1989]

Built the app successfully, but it doesn't work for me so far...

1. Which of cloud services are compatible with this app? Google Drive (and some other services) has no file name in URL, dropbox does have but doesn't work for me as well...
2. What is the structure of the zip-file? I understand, it has the content of /storage/sdcard/Andriod/data/org.xmbc.kodi/files/.kodi folder?! What should and should not be included in the zip file? (plugins etc)
3. Are there any limitations for the zip file size?

I am in the same boat. I can get the app to download and extract,Yet Kodi stays the same. Tried force closing, clear data etc etc.

I have tried multiple zip files all the way back to org.kodi.xbmc and up to .kodi - still not working.

I'm no developer so this is pretty much the end of my progress.

Dropbox works (will download and extract but I don't see any changes) change dl=0 to dl=1

EDIT - After further testing I am glad to state that using settings.zip installed the files. This is now working for me.

[demo7up]

I get the apk to download but it wont extract? Is there a sample file structure for the zip or something i can look at?! thanks!

[demo7up]

Built the app successfully, but it doesn't work for me so far...

1. Which of cloud services are compatible with this app? Google Drive (and some other services) has no file name in URL, dropbox does have but doesn't work for me as well...
2. What is the structure of the zip-file? I understand, it has the content of /storage/sdcard/Andriod/data/org.xmbc.kodi/files/.kodi folder?! What should and should not be included in the zip file? (plugins etc)
3. Are there any limitations for the zip file size?

I am in the same boat. I can get the app to download and extract,Yet Kodi stays the same. Tried force closing, clear data etc etc.

I have tried multiple zip files all the way back to org.kodi.xbmc and up to .kodi - still not working.

I'm no developer so this is pretty much the end of my progress.

Dropbox works (will download and extract but I don't see any changes) change dl=0 to dl=1

EDIT - After further testing I am glad to state that using settings.zip installed the files. This is now working for me.

does the zip [ackage need to be named settings.zip I get it to download the package then get a deployment failed error.