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Building the Application

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Using Android Studio

1

Open the Project

Ensure the MorseIt project is open in Android Studio.
2

Select Build Variant

In the Build Variants panel (usually on the left side), select either:
  • debug - for development builds with debugging enabled
  • release - for production builds (requires signing configuration)
3

Build the Project

Click Build > Make Project or press Ctrl+F9 (Windows/Linux) / Cmd+F9 (macOS).
4

Verify Build Success

Check the Build output window for success messages. The APK will be generated in app/build/outputs/apk/.

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Using Gradle Command Line

You can also build the project using Gradle from the command line: 
./gradlew assembleDebug
The generated APK files will be located at:
  • Debug: app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
  • Release: app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk

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Running on an Emulator

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Create an Android Virtual Device (AVD)

1

Open AVD Manager

Click Tools > AVD Manager in Android Studio.
2

Create Virtual Device

Click Create Virtual Device and select a device definition (e.g., Pixel 4).
3

Select System Image

Choose a system image with API level 23 or higher (MorseIt’s minimum SDK):
  • API 28 (Android 9.0 Pie) - recommended for testing
  • API 23 (Android 6.0 Marshmallow) - for testing minimum requirements
4

Finish Setup

Configure AVD settings (RAM, storage, etc.) and click Finish.

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Launch the App on Emulator

1

Start the Emulator

In the AVD Manager, click the play button next to your virtual device to launch it.
2

Select Device in Android Studio

Once the emulator is running, select it from the device dropdown in the toolbar.
3

Run the App

Click the Run button (green play icon) or press Shift+F10 (Windows/Linux) / Ctrl+R (macOS).
The first launch may take a few minutes as the emulator boots up and the app is installed.

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Running on a Physical Device

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Enable Developer Options

1

Enable Developer Mode

On your Android device, go to Settings > About Phone and tap Build Number 7 times.
2

Enable USB Debugging

Go to Settings > Developer Options and enable USB Debugging.
3

Connect Device

Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable.
4

Authorize Computer

When prompted on your device, authorize your computer for USB debugging.

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Deploy to Device

1

Verify Device Connection

Your device should appear in the device dropdown in Android Studio’s toolbar.
2

Run the App

Select your device from the dropdown and click the Run button.
3

Grant Permissions

If prompted on your device, grant any necessary permissions for the app to run.

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Verify Device Connection (Command Line)

You can verify that your device is connected using ADB: 
adb devices
This should list your connected device. If not, ensure USB debugging is enabled and drivers are installed.

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Running Tests

MorseIt includes unit tests and instrumented tests.

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Unit Tests

Run unit tests from the command line: 
./gradlew test
Or in Android Studio: right-click on app/src/test/java and select Run Tests.

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Instrumented Tests

Run instrumented tests (requires a connected device or emulator): 
./gradlew connectedAndroidTest
Or in Android Studio: right-click on app/src/androidTest/java and select Run Tests.

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Common Issues and Solutions

Solution: Check your internet connection and ensure you have the correct Android SDK installed. Try File > Invalidate Caches / Restart.
Solution:
  • Ensure USB debugging is enabled on your device
  • Try a different USB cable or port
  • Install appropriate USB drivers for your device
  • Run adb kill-server followed by adb start-server
Solution:
  • Check the Logcat output in Android Studio for error messages
  • Ensure your device meets the minimum SDK requirement (API 23)
  • Try uninstalling and reinstalling the app
Solution:
  • Open File > Project Structure > SDK Location
  • Ensure the Android SDK path is correctly set
  • Install the required SDK platform (API 28) via SDK Manager
Solution: Increase Gradle heap size by editing gradle.properties:
org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx2048m -XX:MaxPermSize=512m

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Next Steps

Now that you can build and run the app, learn about the codebase structure in Project Structure.

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