Custom Intel XDK Plugins not added automatically in v2496

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First, thanks for the new update and new improvements!

but I have a "small problem": I have just updated XDK to v2496, before reading the release notes, and it looks like I can not add (automatically) the Custom Intel XDK Plugins anymore.

Steps:
1. creating a new project type HTML5+Cordova with Build Setting CLI 5.1.1
2. In Plugin Management: Add Plugin to this Project e.g. Custom Intel XDK Plugin: Intel XDK File
3. After the progress windows "fetching....", there comes a message "Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()"
4. In the plugins directory of the project, I can see a new directory "intel.xdk.file" but without any content

My own, not so nice, solution:
5. I have downloaded the Intel XDK File sources from GitHub and copied it into plugins/the intel.xdk.file directory
6. After adding the plugin again, XDK is detecting it (looks like I can use the plugin)

If I do the same with one of the Core Plugins of Featured Plugins, everything works fine (directory is created and filled with plugin sources).

UPDATE 1: I can NOT use the plugin like this! If i try to debug or test I'm getting an error "Could not generate debug module - Error: Build failed"

UPDATE 2: After changing Cordova CLI to 4.1.2, I'm able to debug and test the Intel Plugin. Adding does not work...

Any solution?

P.S. I'm running XDK with administrator rights.

P.P.S.: I think your servers must work much harder now, compiling all debug/profile all data. The debug files are ~45Mb in size, with our 120Mb internet connection not a big problem but is there no option to do this locally?
 

[Hans_W_Intel]

I just used the steps you described:

Steps:
1. creating a new project type HTML5+Cordova with Build Setting CLI 5.1.1
2. In Plugin Management: Add Plugin to this Project e.g. Custom Intel XDK Plugin: Intel XDK File
3. After the progress windows "fetching....", there comes a message "Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()"
4. In the plugins directory of the project, I can see a new directory "intel.xdk.file" but without any content

and had no issues at all.  Is it possible that you encountered an network error and were simply not able to retrieve the plugin?   Have you tried it again?

[Anusha_M_Intel1]

Hi Ad,

So I tried to follow your steps on a fresh installation of 2496 and the plugin added with no issues. The only difference I see here if that your XDK was updated. Could you try a fresh installation? Take a backup of your global-settings file. 

You can locate global-settings.xdk here:

• Mac OS X* 
  ~/Library/Application Support/XDK/global-settings.xdk
• Microsoft Windows* 
  %LocalAppData%\XDK
• Linux* 
  ~/.config/XDK/global-settings.xdk

If you are having trouble locating this file, you can search for it on your system using something like the following:

• Windows: 
  > cd / 
> dir /s global-settings.xdk
• Mac and Linux: 
  $ sudo find / -name global-settings.xdk

Unfortunately, there is no way to create a debug module locally but you can use a generic debug module. You can find more information on that in the release notes: https://software.intel.com/en-us/xdk/docs/release-notes-information-intel-xdk

See the note under 'App Preview Custom Debug Modules' section. 

[Hans_W_Intel]

As an FYI,  I was able to successfully add the Intel XDK plugins after an update, not a fresh install.   So before doing a completely new install you may just want to try repeating your steps to see if it now works.  

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@HANS W. (Intel)
I have tried it again, different locations C: and D:, same error

@Anusha Muthiah (Intel)
I have completely removed the XDK and reinstall it. Long time ago that I saw the welcomes messages ;-)

No change:

- by adding or removing Core Plugins I get (sometimes) the error message:
Unknown Error - An unknown issue occurred during the plugin operation:{}
but : the plugin is installed or removed!

- by adding Intel XDK plugins and some Features Plugins I get always the error message:
Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()
and the pluginID directory is empty
 

And now something interesting:

After some investigation with Fiddler and other debug tools I found out that all plugins from https://github.com can NOT be installed. Plugins from www.npmjs.com are installed correct with sometimes an error

If you need more info please let me know!

[Hans_W_Intel]

Hi Ad,

Do you have any kind of virus protection software  or something of the sort running that may be blocking the capability of our fetching to pull down these files and copy them to your project files?   

[Ad]

@HANS: Disabling my Windows Firewall and Defender software doesn't make any difference!
I'm using the administrator account under 64bit Windows 10 (dutch) with 120Mb cable internet connection.
Access right to the different directories are set fully open and SSD space enough (> 200Gb free)

P.S. Brackets extensions are no problem to install (many from github)

Tomorrow I will test it on another laptop, some network, and see if I have the same problem. It dark overhere....
Currently we are in the end stage of a project. Everything is running fine with the current plugins. Is it possible to run 2 versions of XDK on 1 machine, so we have always a stable development XDK?

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

@Ad -- yes, you can install two versions of the XDK on one machine (you can't run both at the same time). Given the change in the project format, you might want to make a copy of your project, under a new name, to use it for experimentation with the new XDK and use the other project directory for the old version. If you don't have a copy of the old version, I've attached it to this post.

I have a similar problem, but only from within our corporate network. In my case the problem occurs when I'm trying to pull plugins from the old Cordova registry, but they could be related. The problem is being caused by some faulty proxy setups for some of the builtin tools that are being used to pull plugins from the Internet.

If you are working behind a proxy, and you know what the proxy settings are, you can try something like this in a cmd.exe shell:

> set http_proxy=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set HTTP_PROXY=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set https_proxy=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set HTTPS_PROXY=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set npm_config_proxy=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set npm_config_https_proxy=http://my.proxy.com:123/
> set npm_config_registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/

where "my.proxy.com:123" is replaced with the appropriate URL and port number for the proxy setup on your network (whatever is appropriate for use with your proxy server).

The list above is probably overkill, in my case the only one I actually needed to make things work was the "npm_config_proxy" environment variable -- but it's easier to try them all to start. Then, once you've done the above you can type "set" at the command-line to confirm all of the environment variables were added.

If the above is good, from that same command-line (ie., the same cmd.exe shell), start the XDK with this command:

> "%LocalAppData%\Intel\XDK\bin\nw.exe" "%LocalAppData%\Intel\XDK\xdk\xdk-wrapper"

And let me know if that makes a difference when trying to pull plugins from a git repo...

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

Regarding installing two copies of the XDK on a single machine, try these instructions:

1. Install the lower numbered version of the Intel XDK version first (you might have to completely uninstall the later version to do this) - i.e. install the Intel XDK 2366 version attached to the previous post.
    
2. Search for the Intel XDK shortcut by pressing 'Win + Q' -> 'Intel XDK'. Right click on the selection and click on 'Open File Location'.
   
   
    
3. Your Intel XDK installs to %LocalAppData% by default. So open Windows Explorer and type '%LocalAppData%\Intel' into the folder path and you should find a folder named 'XDK'. Rename that folder to a name of your choice. For Example, from XDK to XDK-2366. Avoid spaces and special characters in the name.
    
4. Now, go back to the shortcut you found in Step 2 -> right-click it and choose Properties. The shortcut tab will contain a field called target which is the path to the target application to which the shortcut points. Because the path to your the main application (nw.exe) has changed, you need to change the path this shortcut points to. There will be two paths. Make sure to change the 'XDK' folder to 'XDK-2366' in both paths stored in that field.
   e.g.:
   "C:\Users\your-id\AppData\Local\Intel\XDK\bin\nw.exe" "C:\Users\your-id\AppData\Local\Intel\XDK\xdk\xdk-wrapper"
   becomes:
   "C:\Users\your-id\AppData\Local\Intel\XDK-2366\bin\nw.exe" "C:\Users\your-id\AppData\Local\Intel\XDK-2366\xdk\xdk-wrapper"
   
   
    
5. Apply the changes and you will find that the shortcut's icon has disappeared. Go to properties again and click on the 'Change Icon...' button on the Shortcut tab and browse to your XDK-2366 folder (e.g. "%LocalAppData%\Intel\XDK-2366\bin") where you will find an icon file named 'xdk.ico'. Apply Changes.
    
6. Open the shortcut to test that it opens Intel XDK and then copy and paste the shortcut to your Desktop renaming it (e.g. 'Intel XDK-2366').
    
7. Install your second version of Intel XDK into the default 'XDK' folder in %LocalAppData%.

Whenever you open and use the 2366 version you'll be prompted to update it, just ignore the request to update, it gets annoying, but as long as you go the "remind me later" route you'll be fine.

[Ad]

@Paul: Thanks for the detailed explanation and proxy settings.
Before I doing that I made a couple tests with new and old projects and tested if I was able to add an Intel XDK Plugin (Intel.XDK.file):

1) New project with cordova at MY DATA PROJECT location (used with all previous XDK versions) , in my case d:\projects\XDK
- add Intel XDK plugin: Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()

2) New project with cordova at DEFAULT XDK location, in my case c:\users\ad\documents
- add Intel XDK plugin: WORKS

3) New project with cordova at c:\
- add Intel XDK plugin: WORKS

4) New project with cordova at d:\
- add Intel XDK plugin: Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()

5) I Moved the new created project from MY DATA PROJECT location, in my case d:\projects\XDK to the DEFAULT XDK location, in my case c:\users\ad\documents
- add Intel XDK plugin: WORKS!

6) I Moved the old converted project from v2366 from MY DATA PROJECT location, in my case d:\projects\XDK to the DEFAULT XDK location, in my case c:\users\ad\documents
- add Intel XDK plugin: WORKS!

I have checked the permissions in the different directories, and also gave all read/write rights to "everyone", but that didn't solved the problem.

It looks like it has something to do with the locations!
I hope this gives you a direction.

P.S. In one of my previous posts I wrote:
@HANS W. (Intel) I have tried it again, different locations C: and D:, same error
After reading this I had to write: location C:\ works, location D:\ not
 

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

Ad, this is very useful information! Thank you for figuring this out, I'll make sure the engineer in charge gets this info. When I went to bed last night I had the thought that spaces in the directory names might be causing problems. Is that also a possible difference between the C: and D: locations, that the full directory name leading up to the project directory name contains spaces? Based on the info you are providing I would say "no," but I want to be absolutely sure.

[Ad]

Paul, sorry for the delay but I was already back to version 2366 because we where able to compile our project any more. Version 2366 doesn't complain and the show must go on ;-)

About your question: both paths on C and D do NOT not contain spaces in the name!

P.S. About the Android compiler problem: With CLI 5.1.1 we get an en error message: ERROR: 9-patch image .../TipKitty/platforms/android/res/drawable-land-ldpi/screen.9.png malformed. Must have one-pixel frame that is either transparent or white.
With CLI 4.1.2 do not see this porblem. It looks like that this compiler problem has more to with the CLI version and not XDK version!
 

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

Ad, thanks for the additional info. I missed the point about the compiler error in the previous posts. Can you provide a copy of the problem nine-patch image. I have a test app that uses nine-patch images and I have not encountered this issue when compiling it with CLI 5, although I get some strange results in the running app, where the nine-patch is not properly centered...

[Barry_Johnson]

First, @ad, thanks for your testing, to which Paul F drew my attention. It turned out to be the same (or related) problem to what i was having. It is worth noting that physical, drive location is an issue - not just the lettering designation. I had both the XDK and my project work on C. XDK physically on the C-drive SSD, my projects inside a directory symlinked at C:\work over the a platter-based drive. Had the same problems. Putting the project physically onto the C drive solved them.

For what it's worth - I do have a nine-patch splashscreen as well and am not having any issues with building it using 5.1.1. I am just now pushing a freshly built app out through the alpha-testing Play store channel, so I will know shortly if it renders properly, but it was certainly no problem for the build.

Thanks, again!

[Ad]

All problems SOLVED, or at least figured out why it is/was not working!
Here a short overview:

Problem: Getting errors adding Intel XDK Plugins
Error message: Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()
Reason: XDK Drive location issue in the Plugin Manager
Solution: Put the project physically onto the same drive as XDK, most of the time C:\

Problem: Android Build errors with CLI 5,1,1
Error in LOG file;  ERROR: 9-patch image .../TipKitty/platforms/android/res/drawable-land-ldpi/screen.9.png malformed. Must have one-pixel frame that is either transparent or white.
Solution: Add an extra frame/area to the 9-patch splashscreens

Problem: Android Build errors with CLI 5,1,1
Error in LOG file;  uses-sdk:minSdkVersion 10 cannot be smaller than version 14 declared in library .
Solution: in the Android Build settings, set minSDKVersion to 14

Conclusion:
Every thing is working, with great support from this forum!
It would be very nice if the disk issue could be solved in the next version.
Now I'm running two XDK versions, 2366 and 2496. it works, thanks Paul!

We are almost ready with our own Project, watch the news ;-), and we have started with a new game project build with Phaser Game engine and XDK!

happy programming from Holland!
 

[Fab_V_]

Ad wrote:

Problem: Getting errors adding Intel XDK Plugins
Error message: Unknown Error - Unexpected call to process.exit()
Reason: XDK Drive location issue in the Plugin Manager
Solution: Put the project physically onto the same drive as XDK, most of the time C:\

Not really, in my case...

After same Process.exit() problems than you, i tried to install 2496 in E:\Intel\XDK (the same drive E: as xdk projects) and the problem is always the same when trying to add featured plugin, for example : process.exit() ....

No other solution to downgrade to 2366. such a shame..

[PaulF_IntelCorp]

We have posted the 2366 binaries so you can downgrade, see the sticky posts at the top of the forum, there is a post there with instructions. BTW, the only verified fix is putting everything on the C: drive, installing the XDK on the E: drive may not necessarily fix the problem.