[SOLVED] Creating an app bundle (from apk) for Google Play

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Ron J

Guest
Has anyone here created an app bundle (.aab) for submitting an Android app to Google Play? They don't want an apk anymore, and an .aab is required. GameMaker Studio 2 does not have the capability to do that right now (and I'm hoping that the runtime version 2.4 is up soon), so I followed Mark Alexander's instructions on his "How to create an app bundle for Google Play submissions" page, and it doesn't work (no bundle directory is created). Of course there's a possibility that I did something wrong, but I'm just curious if anybody has had any success with it (converting an apk into an aab). It just seems kinda strange that I got my apps up on the App Store somewhat easily, and Android is such a hassle.

Thanks,
Ron
 

rIKmAN

Member
Has anyone here created an app bundle (.aab) for submitting an Android app to Google Play? They don't want an apk anymore, and an .aab is required. GameMaker Studio 2 does not have the capability to do that right now (and I'm hoping that the runtime version 2.4 is up soon), so I followed Mark Alexander's instructions on his "How to create an app bundle for Google Play submissions" page, and it doesn't work (no bundle directory is created). Of course there's a possibility that I did something wrong, but I'm just curious if anybody has had any success with it (converting an apk into an aab). It just seems kinda strange that I got my apps up on the App Store somewhat easily, and Android is such a hassle.

Thanks,
Ron
I believe the instructions listed on the helpdesk to manually create aab packages does work as I have read other people posting about it working.
Are you following it verbatim and are you getting any error messages?

If you can post more information about your specific problem and where things are going wrong it might help people be able to help you get things working.
 
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AstralKite

Guest
I tried going through Mark Alexanders instructions and got stuck at "Open the file ~/.bash_profile in Text Edit" section.
I'm not familiar with using bash/ not much experiencing using the terminal, other than following step by step instructions to do something in terminal.

Came across a shorthand/ hotkey to display all hidden mac files:
CMD + SHIFT + DOT
CMD + SHIFT + .
Hotkey only works in macOS Sierra and higher.
Now I am able to see the .bash file ( in my /Users/admin folder) without going through terminal (which I thought was needed to find it). I can right click it and open with text edit.
I am unsure about how to go about pasting the variable paths in the bash file though, with the paths probably not being the same as mine. Trying to figuring it out.

I see the "export ANDROID_HOME" and "export JAVA_HOME" are the first and third path in the pic attached.
I'm not sure which path is for the variable "export PATH"
 

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Ron J

Guest
rlKmAN, thanks for the reply and help.

I ran through the whole process again of trying to get my apk(s) to convert into an aab(s), each time I did any build process
it was a success, yet I got the the same result... No "bundle" directory is create with the aab file in it.

This time though, I recorded the final output, when the aab(s) should be created in the "bundle\release" folder... (see attached jpg).

A few questions (which may lead to a better result)...

1. On the "architecture" setting on GMS2, I have all 4 checked (Armv7, x86, Arm64, x86_64), which one(s) should be checked?
After building in GMS2, I get 5 apks (arm64-va, armeabi-v7a, universal, x86-64 and x86). Which one(s) should be there/used?

2. Is %appdata%/GameMakerStudio2\Cache\etc... only located in C:\User\etc... or could the final aab(s) be located somewhere else?

3. The instructions say to locate the runtime folder with "...android\runner\gradle\gradlew build bundleRelease -x lint", that
folder does not exist. I clicked on the "gradlew.bat" file located in ...android\runner\gradle to get the final output.

4. Do you know when runtime version 2.2.4 is going to be released so we don't have to mess with any of this?

Thanks,
Ron

Gradle.jpg
 

rIKmAN

Member
@AstralKite
I'm not a Mac user but if those paths are already in then it sounds like they may already be set.
Try going through the tutorial and see if you get the error messages related to incorrect / not set PATH variables and report back.

@Ron J
I hadn't actually done it myself but have read other people saying it worked fine, however I decided to try it myself so I could have first hand experience of using that guide to produce the .aab file that the store now requires.

I used the YoYo Dungeon demo project as the "game" to export and convert, and well...the bottom line is that it worked fine and I have my .aab file.
The only issue I had following the guide verbatim was when it tells you to the path to use like:
  • %appdata%\GameMakerStudio2\Cache\GMS2CACHE\[project name]\Android\default\[package name]\build\outputs\apk\release
This path doesn't exist because the project name (for me) is "YoYo Dungeon", but the game is actually exported to a folder with a shortened name and random characters appended, for me this was a folder named: YoYo_Dunge_79CC1CC_D4B63BC5.

This was easily fixed by starting my path as "%appdata%\GameMakerStudio2\Cache\GMS2CACHE\" and then following the guide but substituting the actual name of the folder where [project name] is listed in the guide.

Everything else was correct and worked straight away, though I already had my PATH and Environment variables setup so skipped that part.

At the end I had my .aab file produced in the path given in the guide, but I had to substitute the [project name] again as I did above.

For your questions:

1) This depends on what you want to target which is something only you know.

2) The paths in the guide are correct other than the [project name] being changed and having randomly generated characters appended, as mentioned above.

3) Were you in the correct runtime folder? That path should definitely exist.
The path for me was: "C:\ProgramData\GameMakerStudio2\Cache\runtimes\runtime-2.2.3.345\android\runner\gradle\" and in here is gradlew.bat.

4) It's schedule for Q4, so sometime before Xmas 2019.

Don't be disheartened though, this isn't a difficult process - you have probably got a path mixed up somewhere or were looking in the wrong place or something simple as if you aren't used to using the command line etc I can see how it might be a bit confusing / overwhelming.

If you are on Discord I'd be happy to walk you through it if you PM me your Discord name.
 
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Ron J

Guest
rlKmAN, thanks once again for the reply.

Well, I ran through the process 4 times now with the same result... a successful final output build (see attached jpg), with no bundle directory and aab file created

Let see if I have the path and environmental variables right... (see attached jpgs .
 

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rIKmAN

Member
rlKmAN, thanks once again for the reply.

Well, I ran through the process 4 times now with the same result... a successful final output build (see attached jpg), with no bundle directory and aab file created

Let see if I have the path and environmental variables right... (see attached jpgs .
If it reporting success in the output (and not the possible errors listed in the guide for reference) then that file is being built somewhere, just not in the place you are expecting it to be built.

Do a file search in Explorer on your C: drive for the generated aab file and see where it turns up - use *.aab as the search term.
It's more than likely a slightly diferent path that what you are expecting it to be or looking in.
 
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Ron J

Guest
Well, I just downloaded and installed the GMS2 beta version 2.2.4, which has built in aab creation. It works! Yes! Solved!! On to submitting to Google Play....
 
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skullandbonesband

Guest
I believe the instructions listed on the helpdesk to manually create aab packages does work as I have read other people posting about it working.
Are you following it verbatim and are you getting any error messages?

If you can post more information about your specific problem and where things are going wrong it might help people be able to help you get things working.
The page you refer does not exist anymore.
 
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skullandbonesband

Guest
Because the method is no longer relevant.
But how to generate the aab file? I built an apk but the aab file was not generated. Google play allow uploads only with a .aab file, or it has changed?
 
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