How much should I care about AVD crashes in testing an app? I get the error "Sorry! The application (the app Im working on) (process com.myapp) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again." Now my app is called something else (not com.myapp). Should I use a real android device to test? Crashes like this seem random, not on any specific screen or function.. I have not used the AVD a great deal, but it sure seems like the AVD in Eclipse is pretty sketchy. -Led

I have tested many of my apps on AVD's and from that i can safely tell you that android emulators are really good for testing apps since they mock all the functions of the real device. Now a days i use an android device to test my apps just because the app uploads faster on device than an emulator. Have you checked the logcat output to see what error it is showing? Whenever the app crashes there can be various reasons for that and logcat helps to figure out what actually is causing that crash. Changing the package name really does not matter but i recommend you use default name for the project and also clean the project before hitting run on the emulator button. Cleaning project helps to clean the project files by removing unnecessary codes.

Sandeep, thank you for the advice. What do you mean by "cleaning project"? There is much I don't yet know, I appreciate your advice. Thank you, -Led

Cleaning project removes the .class files and recompiles the project. Basically, it forces a rebuild of the entire project. You can find this option on the upper side of the eclipse. To clean project you have to click the Project---> Clean---> select the project you want to clean.

You should also be watching what's going on in LogCat so you can see why it crashes. Sometimes it's because of a Splash Screen transition, sometimes because of a background color...the reason's vary, and some are more important than others. If you're not sure how to add the LogCat view to Eclipse, here's a tutorial video I whipped up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckpjn7x_Eas In general though, for both iOS and Android, it's always better to test on a real device. Simulators and Emulators are just that, and don't replace the real thing. Mark

I have been watching what is going on in LogCat, the crashing reasons do not seem consistent. I will look closer. Sandeep, Thanks for the Clean Project advice. Mark, thanks for the youtube link. -Led

Ok, finally got some time to work on my app. I tried to clean the app with Eclipse and got this error: [2012-09-14 15:33:48 - com.HappenMake.BT_activity_root] Android requires compiler compliance level 5.0 or 6.0. Found '1.7' instead. Please use Android Tools > Fix Project Properties. I cant find "Android Tools" or "Fix Project Properties" I did a google search and found a link that explained: 2 options: 1. right-click on your project and select "Android Tools -> Fix Project Properties" (if this din't work, try second option) 2. right-click on your project and select "Properties -> Java Compiler", check "Enable project specific settings" and select 1.5 or 1.6 from "Compiler compliance settings" select box. The first option worked. So I cleaned the project again, seemed to work without the error. -Led

Hey Led, Check this doc out for common issues and their solutions: https://www.buzztouch.com/files/howtos/Common_Android_Errors_and_Solutions_v1.0.pdf Mark

Mark, Thanks! Lots of times, ya just don't know until ya know... or more apt, ya just don't know until ya understand. I truly appreciate all the advice, it is a huge part of what makes BuzzTouch so valuable. You guys are awesome! Thank you, Sincerely -Led