Generally in order to test a blipp a new blipp version has to be uploaded to the hub. This is easy to do for blipps, that are developed using Blipp Builder. However for Blipp Builder script JS blipps updating them on hub takes time. Many blipp developers find it more convenient to test blipps by side-loading them to a local device before publishing the final blipp version on hub. It allows for quick iteration and testing instead of waiting for an upload to complete for every little change. The following manual describes how to side-load blipps for testing them with your custom app, that uses Blippar SDK.

Side-loading for Android Blippar SDK

Prerequisites 

• OSX/Linux based operating system or Windows (convert .sh files to .bat files and modify bash commands accordingly).
• Android Debug Bridge installed and on the PATH.

Steps

1. To manually upload blipp files for the custom app use following scripts (OSX/Linux bash):

   deployToAndroid.sh

   #!/bin/bash
   
   # Description:	A little bash script to transfer files over to your android device on OSX for the purposes of sideloads
   # 				Functions with BlippBasic and Javascript
   #				Clears down the entire sideload directory when executed (note this includes any generated blipp data!)
   #				Handles older blipp folder structure for assets
   # Prerequisites: Needs adb installed and on your path on your machine
   # Usage: 
   # 		Called with two parameters
   #		1) The name of the blippar package & directory to deploy to e.g. com.blippar.ar.android/sideload
   #		2) The source directory for the blipp data
   # 
   
   if [ $# -ne 2 ]
     then
       echo "Invalid number of arguments supplied ($#). Require 1) android package name & path 2) target top level directory"
       exit
   fi
   
   function removeExistingContent()
   {	
   	if [ -z "$1" ]                           # Is parameter #1 zero length?
   	then
   		echo "Expected directory name for sideload path"  # Or no parameter passed.
   		return
   	fi
   
   	SIDELOAD_DIRECTORY=${1-$DEFAULT} 
   	adb shell "
   	if [ -d \"/sdcard/Android/data/$SIDELOAD_DIRECTORY\" ]; then
   		cd \"/sdcard/Android/data/$SIDELOAD_DIRECTORY\"
   		rm -rf *
   	else
   		echo \"Unable to delete contents at /sdcard/Android/data/$SIDELOAD_DIRECTORY, directory doesn't exist\"
   	fi
   	exit"
   }
   
   CWD="$PWD"
   
   if [ ! -d "$2" ]; then
   	echo "Target top level directory does not exist: $2"
   	exit
   fi
   
   # Remove existing content from the device sideload folder
   echo "Removing existing sideload content"
   removeExistingContent $1
   
   BLIPP_DIRECTORY=$2
   FOUND_ASSETS_OR_JS=0
   if [ -d "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets" ]; then
       echo "Copying: $BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets"
   	cd "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets"
       FOUND_ASSETS_OR_JS=1
   	DIR_COUNTER=0
   	FIRST_DIRECTORY=
   	FILE_COUNTER=0
   	for f in *; do
   		if [ -d "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets/$f/" ]; then
   			let DIR_COUNTER=DIR_COUNTER+1
   		    if [ ${#FIRST_DIRECTORY} == 0 ]; then
   		    	FIRST_DIRECTORY="$f"
   		    fi
   		elif [ -f "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets/$f" ]; then
   			let FILE_COUNTER=FILE_COUNTER+1	
   		else
   			echo "Unknown type of path"			
   		fi
   	done
   
   	# If we have no files and just a single directory then copy over the entire directory
   	# Otherwise we just take assets as the root
   	if [ "$DIR_COUNTER" == "1" ] && [ "$FILE_COUNTER" == "0" ]
   	then
   		# old style has a single directory in the assets folder
   		adb push "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets/$FIRST_DIRECTORY/." "/sdcard/Android/data/$1"
   	else
   		# old style has a single directory in the assets folder
   		adb push "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/assets/." "/sdcard/Android/data/$1"
   	fi
   	cd "$CWD"
   fi
   
   if [ -d "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/javascript" ]; then
       echo "Copying: $BLIPP_DIRECTORY/javascript"
       adb push "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/javascript/." "/sdcard/Android/data/$1"
       FOUND_ASSETS_OR_JS=1
   fi
   
   if [ -d "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/xml" ]; then
       echo "Copying: $BLIPP_DIRECTORY/javascript"
       adb push "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/xml/." "/sdcard/Android/data/$1"
       FOUND_ASSETS_OR_JS=1
   fi
   
   if [ $FOUND_ASSETS_OR_JS == 0 ]; then
       adb push "$BLIPP_DIRECTORY/." "/sdcard/Android/data/$1"
   fi
   

   To call the last script use: ./deployToAndroid.sh /blipparsdk/sideload "//"

2. To verify that blipp files were copied successfully check the contents of your app package data folder:

   adb shell
   cd /sdcard/Android/data//blipparsdk
   ls

   You should see a sideload directory with your files from your machine flattened in it.

3. In your custom app change the property sdk.setDebugSideloadingEnabled(true);

4. The moment you do this the next valid trigger image (marker) you will scan will be used as a tracking image for the sideloaded blipp, and the blipp data will be pulled out from the sideload folder instead of the server.

   Any marker won’t work, you’ll need to scan a marker for a blipp that’s available for your custom app to trigger (currently it should have the first 8 characters of the license key as bipp test code)

Side-loading for iOS SDK

Prerequisites 

• iTunes: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

• iOS version of the device must be 8 or sooner

Steps

1. Add UIFileSharingEnabled property to project plist file.

2. Connect the iOS device via USB cable to the computer.

3. Open iTunes and select the device, navigate to File Sharing.

4. Select your custom app that uses Blippar SDK from the list.

5. Add (or drag and drop) files to your app Documents folder (empty by default). Add all assets and scripts to the Documents pane. Note: Files should be dumped in a flat file structure (no folders or subfolders, all files should be provided in a single heap).

6. To enable side-loading in the custom app using SDK during the SDK initialisation enter the following code: sdk.debugSideloadEnabled = YES;

7. The moment you do this the next valid trigger image (marker) you will scan will be used as a tracking image for the sideloaded blipp, and the blipp data will be pulled out from the sideload folder instead of the server.

   Any marker won’t work, you’ll need to scan a marker for a blipp that’s available for your custom app to trigger (currently it should have the first 8 characters of the license key as blipp test code)