App-inventor: Install Apps Onto Sd Card

[edited to show current state of play a week after asking the question] I delved into app inventor because my kids (age 10 and 12) are about to get their first android phones, and

Solution 1:

The issue itself: The move to sd card option is grayed out.

Answer :

Currently, app-inventor itself does not support the install to external SD feature yet. So, the issue you face is an app that shows this.

This approach does work. I tested it! I am also uploading all the tools I used to my Google Drive account for ease of download.

test_orig.apk is the original file from app-inventor.

Step 1. Decompile the APK using apktool. It can be done under windows, using apktool. This is the archive I used under windows. The sources need not be decoded to edit the manifest. Hence, the command used is apktool d -s test_orig.apk

Step 2. This creates the folder named test_orig in the same directory containing apktool. Within this directory is the folder AndroidManifest.xml. Open that up in a text editor and change the following line.

<manifestxmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"...android:installLocation="preferExternal">

Step 3. Time to recompile the apk using apktool b test_orig

Step 4. Now, it is time to sign it. Signing it is made easy using Sign+. Just add the apk and it will spit out a signed copy. Nothing else needs to be done.

Step 5. Your signed apk is ready to be installed. Remember to uninstall your old apk or you will see an error that says Application Not Installed: An existing package with a conflicting signature exists.

END Result:

The signed application is available for download here.

Solution 2:

It seems like that is a known issue:

http://code.google.com/p/app-inventor-for-android/issues/detail?id=186

Someone in this thread is saying that they found a solution, but if I had to guess I would guess that the solution they used was before the manifests were obfuscated within the apk files.

Unfortunately I think there is no (easy) way to move the apps to the SD card at this time.

It is probably worth posting this issue on the MIT app inventor forums

Solution 3:

I need to hang here more often...

There are two third party apps that let you edit the mainfest. They do what you were working on by taking the apk apart and getting the manifest so you can edit it.

I put up a new version of ai4a App Inventor http://sourceforge.net/projects/ai4a-configs/files/V1.2/

It saves the manifest in your temp folder where you can edit it and then rebuild the apk with your edited manifest. I have not tested installing onto the sd card (I put some App Inventor apps on Google TV just to see it work ;-)). Be sure to let us know if you try it the ai4a server.

Here is where we are talking about the server https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/ai4a

and here is support https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/usgsuacwai

Gary