AOSP Browser 4.2

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Gia90

Senior Member
Feb 1, 2013
97
36
R: AOSP Browser 4.2

Why would the AOSP Browser cause Chrome to crash?

It depends on the way you rename the "
BrowserProviderProxy" files.

At first, I just changed their name without changing the extensions and it made chrome to crash when accessing the setting view.
Renaming the 2 files by just adding ".bak" or any other extension to the end of the original file name solved the issue.


Inviato dal mio Nexus 4 con Tapatalk 2
 

nawoa

Senior Member
Aug 7, 2010
240
83
It seems like your flashable zip is much more relevant to the thread's title than the OP. Why not start your own thread so updates and stuff don't need to be spread out across many pages?
 

v4nt0m

Member
May 16, 2010
37
7
I removed the browser for the 4.2.2 update and have not got round to installing it again just yet and have been tring chrome beta again, I now miss AOSP loads :eek: , I still think it's the best all round browser. So the best one to download is the latest one posted by sikagoon7 rather than OP atm?

Further to my previous post about viewport/debug, the viewport size is still my major problem with almost all android browsers. I'll explain it a little further here so that if someone has a solution or can fix this for me they have the information they need.

By default the AOSP browser and most other browsers render the page in a resolution that is lower than the screen, this means that websites appear zoomed in, on a 10" tablet this means that websites display super huge. Firefox allows one to change the viewport size which is great (if only firefox was a faster browser :( ) which means if I set the viewport to something like 1024 pixels the render area is bigger and the page renders in a much more respectable size (smaller / more zoomed out).

This setting is controlled in the AOSP browser by the debug setting "use wide viewport" unticking this renders pages on a tablet screen at roughly the correct resolution, in the case of my nexus 10 the viewport width seems something like 1280 pixels wide. When the box is unticked the browser renders at something like 600 - 900 pixels in width (I'll check exactly when I get home).

The problem I have is that every time I open the browser I have to manually enter debug mode by loading about:debug as the default debug state is off when the browser is started.

So if anyone could offer a solution to this it would be great, I've really got no experience on what changes are made to the browser apk, if any or how many changes can be made to the program, but one of the following solutions would be what I would like to see:
1) A tweak to allow the browser to start in debug mode by default.
2) An added option under settings somewhere outside of debug options to enable/disable "use wide viewport"
3) An addedd option somewhere in the settings to use a custom viewport.
4) Some other tweak I'm not aware of.

Thanks a bunch to anyone who can help :)

P.S. Simply using a homepage or bookmark as "about:debug" does not work because when loading from that bookmark the browser may already be in debug mode and entering "about:debug" takes one out of debug mode. Thanks again.
 

Gia90

Senior Member
Feb 1, 2013
97
36
R: AOSP Browser 4.2

Firefox allows one to change the viewport size which is great (if only firefox was a faster browser :( ) which means if I set the viewport to something like 1024 pixels the render area is bigger and the page renders in a much more respectable size (smaller / more zoomed out).

Have you tried Firefox Beta? It seems very faster!
 

v4nt0m

Member
May 16, 2010
37
7
Have you tried Firefox Beta? It seems very faster!
Have tried the beta and Nightlies, but they still don't seem as fast as Dolphin/Chrome (Although chrome has been a bit of a dog since 4.2.2). Hopefully it won't be long before it catches up. However the major problem stopping me from using Firefox is that it does not render pages at full colour depth, there's lots of colour banding.

EDIT: This appears to be the way to do what I want, I just have no idea how to do any compiling etc (looking now).
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1727325


EDIT2: Managed to decompile and recompile it myself and now its working exactly how I want it to, all thanks to xda threads and a bit of patience.
 
Last edited:

Guzanni

Senior Member
May 26, 2012
189
53
Zaanstad
This is awesome :) used it with CM on my S2, happy to have it installed on my N4. Is way faster and smoother than chrome.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
 

Guzanni

Senior Member
May 26, 2012
189
53
Zaanstad
Maybe you can teach me how to compile an APK? :)

---------- Post added at 10:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 PM ----------

I will upload a ZIP for the 4.2.2 version of the Browser. Note that it will only contain the Browser.apk since a 4.2.2 ChromeSync has not yet been released by AOSPA or CM. I recommend flashing this over my most recent ZIP.

---------- Post added at 11:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------

4.2.2 BROWSER

This ZIP contains only the 4.2.2 Browser. A 4.2.2 ChromeSync still hasn't been released and once it is I will update with a full ZIP. For now I recommend flashing this update over the previous ZIP I posted seeing as how many of you have already done that successfully. I guess the update is mainly for purists, lol.

1. I will link the most recent update so people don't have to flip through thread pages RIGHT HERE

2. After flashing that (If you haven't already) flash the 4.2.2-Browser-Update.zip (attached)

3. And here is a little treat from Adobe (Flash 11.1.115.47) RIGHT HERE

4. Enjoy

When I want to flash the update zip, I get an error.. Also when I first flqsh the other one. I'm on stock, stock kernel

Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
 

v4nt0m

Member
May 16, 2010
37
7
Maybe you can teach me how to compile an APK?
I thought it was going to be daunting but it was pretty simple.

All you need is:
Java JDK: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html
smali + baksmali: http://code.google.com/p/smali/ (you want the jar files)

I set up the jdk path as a system variable, google for that it's pretty simple then I used the examples given in this thread as a base:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=537779

You will need to open the Browser.apk as a zip file and extract those files somewhere then you can re-add any files you have changed into the apk which is basically a zip.

That will allow you to decompile/recompile the dex files but what you need or want to change within the smali files contained within I cannot help you with, I was lucky that someone had provided the exact instructions I needed.

Hope it helps.
 
Last edited:

Gja88

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2010
448
28
Also failed. I flashed the first link and it was successful. Works and everything but it doesn't sync my bookmarks on the bookmark widget. Tried flashing the second and it's failing. Stock ROM with root and stock kernel.

Sent from my Nexus 4
 

Zetok

Senior Member
Oct 3, 2012
150
31
Also failed. I flashed the first link and it was successful. Works and everything but it doesn't sync my bookmarks on the bookmark widget. Tried flashing the second and it's failing. Stock ROM with root and stock kernel.

Sent from my Nexus 4

Same here. Any solution for this?

Enviado desde mi Nexus 4
 

supguise

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2012
147
56
The flash also failed for me so I extracted and installed the 4.2.2 browser.apk from the zip, moved it to system/apps overwriting the the 4.2.1 browser.apk and it seems to have worked. Chrome bookmarks didnt sync but I was never able to get that to work anyway.
 

alanwyl

Senior Member
Apr 8, 2012
823
601
Hong Kong
I just found out that the 4.2.1 latest browser zips do not have the issue of not hiding URL bar when light flow is installed. Strange huh?

Haven't tried the 4.2.2 apk yet

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

---------- Post added at 01:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:09 AM ----------

Alright I was wrong, when I reboot the phone, the URL bar is not hiding again....

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
 

jeff5891

Senior Member
Nov 15, 2011
106
16
When using quick controls, the Top of the browser glitches to where an extra image forms where the address bar would be if I wasn't using quick controls. When scrolling down the image stays. Also the progress bar becomes wavy. I'm am not running light flow. Pics below

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
 

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Sparta507

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2012
209
45
Miramar - Kendall, FL
I had issues flashing the Browser apk... So instead I decided to use Boat Browser since it supports flash which is the only reason why is was using the Asop browser in the first place.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
 

devildog25pr

Senior Member
Sep 29, 2010
106
3
These happens to me all the time

Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
 

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shadehh

Senior Member
Mar 27, 2011
888
288
I got my nexus 4 last week telling myself i don't need root. This is the main reason for me to root so far. Followed by AdAway. And now that i'm rooted, i'm tempted to flash roms, i just can't be bothered. Not yet, but the sickness will get to me just wait.
 

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  • 68
    Anybody less than enchanted by Chrome in its current state? Well, now that the Nexus 4 has been rooted you can install AOSP browser, which is lovely and smooth:cowboy: The apk was extracted from a Nexus 7 AOSP 4.2 build, but it should work on the N4 as well.

    Benefits = faster benchmarks and smoother scrolling.

    > Must be rooted.

    > Copy the browser.apk into the system/app folder

    > With a root file explorer change the file permissions of the browser.apk to -rw-rw-r (you will see this represented as 664) If you don't do this, it won't install.

    > You must rename the BrowserProviderProxy.apk & BrowserProviderProxy.odex otherwise the browser will force close, just add a 1 to the name e.g. 1BrowserProviderProxy.apk1 Do not delete them, if you still want to OTA update Android. Android checks for any changes to the system/app folder before performing an OTA, so you will have to delete the browser.apk and rename the two file back to stock, when it is OTA time.


    MD5 Sum: cdc18db0cad812225d8412be4e27182b


    Props to ScuzUK (Post #6) for highlighting a method of syncing bookmarks between Chrome Desktop.

    Bookmark Sync apk.
    http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=32558502&postcount=145
    7
    OK THREAD CLEANED

    Now if you are gonna come in here and start a fight cause you prefer iOS to the superior android then prepare to be flamed by everyone. You are on an android forum.

    BTW I have had one of your multiple accounts permabanned already. Wish to make that 2 in 24 hours. .
    7
    Stock AOSP 4.2.2 Browser.apk without root

    Hi guys,

    So Chrome was really getting on my nerves (no full screen, blurry text, choppy scrolling), and was surprised with how well WebView's perform (i.e. using the platform's WebView, libwebcore.so). It looks like google's a ways away from actually fixing Chrome (it seems like the betas are one step forward two steps back). I want my Browser.apk darn it, and I don't want to have to root my phone.

    I already had JB AOSP repo synced, so I grabbed source for Browser and started hacking. Had to rename the bookmarks provider, and change a few other things to avoid conflicting with the System apps. The net result is that I've got a version of Browser.apk that installs just like a regular app.

    So this Browser.apk works fine, the only exception being that it has a separate bookmarks database from Chrome. I also haven't tested syncing or signing in with Google credentials. I've only tested this on a Nexus 4 running stock 4.2.2

    Personally, I'd be wary running random browser binaries from people off the internet. So I've posted the source GitHub, < hxxps:// github.com/profiterole/browser.apk > and you can feel free to diff with the AOSP code, to see that I'm not in ur browser stealin' ur credentials. :D

    Anyways let me know how it works for you.
    4
    Here is the AOSP Browser and Sync zip file CWM/TWRP for our lovely N4.............

    http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=22979706399756462
    MD5: 35ca321c968cd0c61e92a4102fbafcbd
    4
    Just compiled the AOSP browser for my own use, could not reproduce any of the issues named lately in this thread, so I decided to share my APK, hopefully it will work as good for you as it did for me on my Nexus 4.

    You know the drill, move the browser.apk to system/app/ and check its permissions, rename two BrowserProviderProxy.apk/odex (if you have them) and reboot.

    As always, use at your own risk, nandroid before if you dont know what you are doing..