accessing google apis in the new intel x86 android emulator

Question

I just tried to run my company's app in the new x86 android emulator, but our app relies on the google maps API, and that is not available in the x86 system image that google provided with android sdk release 17. My intuition says the answer is no, but is it possible to get the google apis into this system image somehow? If not, is there any way to conditionally not use a system API like google maps if it isn't present on the device/emulator that you are currently using?

Answer 1

You have to create a system image with Googles libs and permissions. See http://38911bytes.blogspot.de/2012/03/how-to-use-google-maps-api-in-android.html for a cookbook to create and use such an image.

Answer 2

My intuition says the answer is no, but is it possible to get the google apis into this system image somehow?

There is but the one image, so if Maps are not there, then Maps are not there. You cannot add the Maps add-on to an existing emulator image, except perhaps via software piracy, as the other answer on this question advocates.

If not, is there any way to conditionally not use a system API like google maps if it isn't present on the device/emulator that you are currently using?

Absolutely!

Step #1: Add android:required="false" to your <uses-library> element for Google Maps, so you can install the app

Step #2: Sometime before you start trying to use Google Maps, see if you have Maps-related classes using Class.forName()

For example, in this book sample project, my launcher activity sees if we have MapActivity, and if we do, it passes control to a MapActivity instance, and if not shows a Toast.