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Sideload

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Philip Lamb edited this page Jan 9, 2020 · 17 revisions

Sideloading

"Sideloading" is the term for loading an app onto your VR headset via a direct connection to another computer. It is an alternative to "downloading" the app from either an official app store or from a website.

Where to get a build

Enabling developer mode on your device

Follow these instructions.

Installing

The commands in this tutorial should be entered into your command-line terminal. On macOS, you can find Terminal window in Applications > Utilities. On Windows 10, choose the Search or Cortana button from the taskbar and type cmd and press enter.

Install ADB

ADB, the Android Debug Bridge, is a command-line tool which allows you to perform a variety of different functions on your Android-based VR device remotely from your PC. We will be using its ability to install and uninstall apps.

Follow these instructions

Install Firefox Reality via adb

From the terminal:

adb devices

Make sure your device is listed. Then:

adb install /path/to/your.apk

Replace /path/to/your.apk with the filesystem path of the FirefoxReality apk file your downloaded. For example, if you were on macOS and downloaded Firefox Reality to your Downloads folder, you could type:

adb install ~/Downloads/FirefoxReality-*.apk

First run.

To run your app… put on your headset.

If using an Oculus Go, click on "Library" in the bottom menu bar and navigate to "Unknown Sources" (this menu item appears after you enable Developer Mode in the Oculus Go phone app). In case Unknown Sources is not visible for you, click the gear settings icon in the bottom right of the screen and change View to Developer Mode.

On HTC Vive Focus/Focus Plus devices, click on "Installed" in the home environment.

Find your app in the list, and click on it to run it.

Uninstalling/re-installing

If you wish to remove the app, from the command-line:

adb uninstall org.mozilla.vrbrowser

After which you can reinstall a new/different version using the instructions above.

For a self-installed version on HTC devices, replace org.mozilla.vrbrowser with org.mozilla.vrbrowser.wavevr.

Launching URLs

To launch the browser from command line and specify a URL:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d your.url.com org.mozilla.vrbrowser/.VRBrowserActivity
  • Open a URL in a new window
adb shell am start -n org.mozilla.vrbrowser/org.mozilla.vrbrowser.VRBrowserActivity --ez create_new_window true "https://example.com"
  • Open a URL in a new foreground tab
adb shell am start -n org.mozilla.vrbrowser/org.mozilla.vrbrowser.VRBrowserActivity --ez create_new_tab true "https://example.com"
  • Open a URL in a new background tab
adb shell am start -n org.mozilla.vrbrowser/org.mozilla.vrbrowser.VRBrowserActivity --ez create_new_tab true --ez background true "https://example.com"

Stopping the app.

To stop the app from the command line:

adb shell am force-stop org.mozilla.vrbrowser`

Additional guides and resources

A detailed tutorial for this procedure on the Oculus Go is provided at https://headjack.io/tutorial/sideload-install-app-apk-oculus-go/

Windows users may wish to try Vysor, which allows sideloading of APKs with pro version. https://www.vysor.io/. You will have to install their recommended ADB drivers however, which are located here: https://adb.clockworkmod.com/

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