i.Add the Extension

First step is always to add the extension to your development environment. To do this use the tutorial located here.

Dependencies

Many of our extensions use some common libraries, for example, the Android Support libraries.

We have to separate these libraries into separate extensions in order to avoid multiple versions of the libraries being included in your application and causing packaging conflicts. This means that you need to include some additional extensions in your application along with the main extension file.

You will add these extensions as you do with any other extension, and you need to ensure it is packaged with your application.

Core

The Core ANE is required by this ANE. You must include and package this extension in your application.

The Core ANE doesn't provide any functionality in itself but provides support libraries and frameworks used by our extensions. It also includes some centralised code for some common actions that can cause issues if they are implemented in each individual extension.

You can access this extension here: https://github.com/distriqt/ANE-Core.

Android Support

The Android Support libraries encompass the Android Support, Android X and common Google libraries.

These libraries are specific to Android. There are no issues including these on all platforms, they are just required for Android.

This extension requires the following extensions:

• androidx.core.ane

You can access these extensions here: https://github.com/distriqt/ANE-AndroidSupport.

Note: if you have been using the older com.distriqt.androidsupport.* (Android Support) extensions you should remove these extensions and replace it with the androidx extensions listed above. This is the new version of the android support libraries and moving forward all our extensions will require AndroidX.

Note: The Google Play Services and Android Support ANEs are only required on Android devices. There are no issues packaging these extensions with all platforms as there are default implementations available which will allow your code to package without errors however if you are only building an iOS application feel free to remove the Google Play Services and Android Support ANEs from your application.

Extension IDs

The following should be added to your extensions node in your application descriptor to identify all the required ANEs in your application:

<extensions>
    <extensionID>com.distriqt.PackageManager</extensionID>
    <extensionID>com.distriqt.Core</extensionID>
    <extensionID>androidx.core</extensionID>
</extensions>

Android

Manifest Additions

You should add the following manifest additions. Read the individual sections for details on which parts are needed for the functionality you require or you can just add them all.

Make sure you only have one <application> node in your manifest additions combining them if you have multiple.

The following shows the complete manifest additions node. You must replace YOUR_APPLICATION_PACKAGE with your AIR application's Java package name, something like air.com.distriqt.test. Generally this is your AIR application id prefixed by air. unless you have specified no air flair in your build options.

<android>
    <manifestAdditions><![CDATA[
        <manifest android:installLocation="auto" >
            <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>

            <application>

                <receiver android:name="com.distriqt.extension.packagemanager.receivers.PackageManagerReceiver" android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" >
                    <intent-filter>
                        <action android:name="android.intent.action.PACKAGE_REMOVED" />
                        <data android:scheme="package" />
                    </intent-filter>
                </receiver>

                <provider
                    android:name="com.distriqt.extension.packagemanager.content.PackageManagerFileProvider"
                    android:authorities="YOUR_APPLICATION_PACKAGE.packagemanagerfileprovider"
                    android:grantUriPermissions="true"
                    android:exported="false">
                    <meta-data
                        android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
                        android:resource="@xml/distriqt_packagemanager_paths" />
                </provider>

            </application>
        </manifest>
    ]]></manifestAdditions>
</android>

Supported

You should always check whether the extension is supported before making calls. This allows you to react to whether the functionality is available on the device.

if (PackageManager.isSupported)
{
	//	Functionality here
}