# Android Programming for Beginners

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/android-programming-for-beginners/46813>\
**Category:** Processing for Android\
**Created:** [July 28, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/android-programming-for-beginners/46813 "2025-07-28T13:52:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 13

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**Author:** ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2025, 2:01pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/android-programming-for-beginners/46813/13 "2025-07-30T14:01:44Z")

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\*\*\* _ **UPDATE 1** _ \*\*\*

When you install software on a system with a lot of _ **baggage** _ it may impact your current install.

This is important to know even for beginners!  
I will impact you at some point.

_ **Baggage** _ in this case is from previous installs:

- environment variables
- multiple versions of Java
- multiple versions of Processing
- .gradle folder
- preferences.txt
- registry
- Anything I missed!

Working **Windows 10** development environment for my personal use:

- Windows 10 Pro Version 22H2
- Processing 4.4.4 (portable version) I do not use MSI install.
- Motorola Android Phone (Android version 14)
- Android Mode for Processing 4.6.1 (Installed July 28).
- I did an SDK update from the **Processing** menu.
- OpenJDK with PATH set in environment variables

With **OpenJDK** installed:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/4/2/42c46ed6908394b3b26b852e57f65d7ea712f1a2.png)

> C:\Users\GLV\>java -version  
> openjdk version “17.0.15” 2025-04-15  
> OpenJDK Runtime Environment Temurin-17.0.15+6 (build 17.0.15+6)  
> OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Temurin-17.0.15+6 (build 17.0.15+6, mixed mode, sharing)

When I removed the PATH in the environment variables it failed!

I tried to be rigorous testing this and will revisit another day.  
This is currently working but still subject to further testing.

Windows 11 I am leaving for future exploration.  
I want to see if an OpenJDK install works there.  
May test other PATH settings to Processing as well.  
Another day!

\*\*\* _ **UPDATE 2** _ \*\*\*

Same day!

These were in some of the errors I saw in console when there were fails:

> Caused by: net.rubygrapefruit.platform.NativeException: Could not start ‘C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe’

> Caused by: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program “C:\WINDOWS\system32\java.exe” (in directory “C:\Users\GLV.gradle\daemon\7.2”):

This seemed to work _**(corrects above?)**_ in environment user variables as well (replaced OpenJDK PATH) and points directly to folder with java.exe:

![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/3/4/34df304bae42b5781801dbbe5ed83ee3043eac5c.png)

\*\*\* _ **UPDATE 3** _ \*\*\*

I just had to test this!

Working **Windows 11** development environment for my personal use:

- Windows 11 Pro
- Processing 4.4.4 (portable version) I do not use MSI install.
- Motorola Android Phone (Android version 14)
- Android Mode for Processing 4.6.1 (Installed July 28).
- I did an SDK update from the **Processing** menu.
- No other Java versions
- This is a recent fresh install of Windows 11 so little baggage except Microsoft bloat.
- **Path**  **in Environment Variables** set to:

> C:\Programs\_Portable\Processing\app\resources\jdk\bin

This will be different for your system!

I am _ **cautiously optimistic** _ that this may be solution for getting _**Android Mode for Processing (4.6.1)**_ to work with _**Processing (4.4.4)**_ on W10 and W11.

This will require additional **testing + validation + process checks**.

@stefterv @sableraph  
What do you think?  
Initial testing seems to indicate that this may work.

\*\*\* _ **UPDATE 4** _ \*\*\*

I removed any environment variables I set for testing.

Launching it from a batch file works for me for W10 and W11.  
Paths MUST be correct for your system setup.

@svan Want to give it a try?

I can run the batch file to launch Processing 4.4.4 with Android Mode 4.6.1 and do not have to hardcode it into Windows environment variables.

Launch.bat:

```auto
@echo off
set JAVA_HOME=D:\Program_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\app\resources\jdk
set ANDROID_SDK=D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing-4.4.4\android\sdk

set PATH=%JAVA_HOME%\bin;%ANDROID_SDK%\platform-tools;%ANDROID_SDK%\cmdline-tools\latest

start D:\Program_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\processing.exe

```

**Additional Issues**

The default Android paths in preferences.txt are not correct and I can’t change them.  
_ **The batch file sets them for temporary use and that seems to work.** _

Launching Android Mode updates the preferences.txt to this regardless of what I have edited:

> ANDROID\_SDK=D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk  
> JAVA\_HOME=D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime  
> PATH=D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime\bin;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\platform-tools;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\cmdline-tools\latest;null

Each time I launch Android Mode it adds to the path:

> ANDROID\_SDK=D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk  
> JAVA\_HOME=D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime  
> PATH=D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime\bin;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\platform-tools;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\cmdline-tools\latest;D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime\bin;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\platform-tools;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\cmdline-tools\latest;D:\Program\_Portable\Processing-4.4.4\runtime\bin;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\platform-tools;D:\Users\GLV\Documents\Processing\android\sdk\cmdline-tools\latest;null

`:)`

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