Application Descriptor cannot be parsed?

[Guest]

Been working on an iPad app in CS5.5 for a couple weeks and started getting this error today when trying to test. Tried to delete the file, and the new one gives the same result. Pasted the xml into a validator and it validates fine...

5.5 is really starting to feel like a beta. So far, for me, it's been nothing but a PITA and is wasting so much of my time.

[Colin Holgate]

Are you doing work with Android too? It could be that the descriptor file has some Android specific things in it. Do you get any sort of message about what couldn't be parsed?

[Guest]

No, it doesn't say anything more than 'application descriptor file cannot be parsed'.

I wasn't trying for Android, but if I select Air for Android, the settings panel opens. Any other Air choice (2.5, 2.6, or Air for iOS) produces the error.

I tried deleting the descriptor xml file and it does no good...

I have this suspicion that 5.6 is around the corner, as 5.5 is buggy as hell.

[Guest]

So... anyone have an idea? If I delete the descriptor file, Flash rebuilds it and still says it can't be parsed. I really need this to work... At least CS5 with the packager actually produced a file that worked. 5.5 is rubbish.

[Colin Holgate]

I've been using CS5.5 for about nine months, with lots of building of apps in that time, and it seems to work ok.

Are you on Windows, and able to try the FLA on a Mac, or vice versa? There are supposedly some Windows specific issues with the AIR2.6 packager.

Also, have you tried doing the packaging from the command line? That might give you more information about the error.

[Guest]

I realize it's working for some, I know. I'm just frustrated - and have had quite a lot of issues with 5.5 so far including this, as well as all kinds of file corruption.

Anyway - yes, I'm on 64 bit Win 7. Which may be the issue, but I need it for Premiere. I don't have access to a mac for publishing, but I will try the command line tomorrow and see if that gives me any more info.

I just uninstalled and reinstalled Flash and get the same error. I cannot publish for Any AIR - except Android. Choosing 2.5, 2.6, or iOS produces the parse error when I try and open the settings dialog.

The thing is that this worked not 4 days ago and I wasn't on my machine since... so it's just really annoying when I come back to the project and it doesn't work.

[Colin Holgate]

I just remembered something, which if it's the case, you'll laugh out loud...

Do you have spaces in the file name?

[sanika_Kulshreshtha]

Do you have an ampersand in filename? Could you try without the ampersand?

[Colin Holgate]

If you were asking about an ampersand in the App name, that can be an issue, as the publishing dialog stomps all over those. It can be worked around though:

Go through all of your publishing dialog settings, and close it. But make sure to have click the check box to remember your password for this session.

Open the app descriptor file and notice how it stomped all over your app name (eg, "This & This" will be messed up).

Replace the messed up text with:

<name>This & That</name>

Publish using File/Publish, without reopening the iOS settings dialog.

[Guest]

Nope, no space or ampersand in the file name.

[relaxatraja]

Create a new xml file with the name of your appname-app.xml and paste the contents below and change your relevant things:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<application xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/air/application/2.6">
    <id>in.rithesh.iPadTestApp.AccelerometerSample</id>
    <versionNumber>1.0.6</versionNumber>
    <filename>AccelerometerSample</filename>
    <name><text xml:lang="en">AccelerometerSample</text></name>
    <description><text xml:lang="en">AccelerometerSample</text></description>
    <copyright>ADT Helper by Pixelthis</copyright>
    <initialWindow>
        <title>AccelerometerSample</title>
        <content>AccelerometerSample.swf</content>
        <autoOrients>true</autoOrients>
        <renderMode>auto</renderMode>
        <fullScreen>true</fullScreen> 
        <aspectRatio>landscape</aspectRatio> 
    </initialWindow>
    <supportedProfiles>mobileDevice desktop</supportedProfiles>
    <iPhone>
        <InfoAdditions><![CDATA[ 
            <key>UIStatusBarStyle</key> 
            <string>UIStatusBarStyleBlackOpaque</string> 
            <key>UIRequiresPersistentWiFi</key> 
            <false/>
            <key>UIApplicationExitsOnSuspend</key>
            <true/>
            <key>UIPrerenderedIcon</key>
            <false/>
            <key>UIDeviceFamily</key>
            <array>
                <string>2</string>
            </array>
        ]]></InfoAdditions>
        <requestedDisplayResolution>standard</requestedDisplayResolution>
    </iPhone>
</application>

and publish it again.

[Guest]

Thanks relaxatraja but using the provided XML with mods produces the same error.

I just did a test. Start Flash from scratch - use the iOS template. Save file. Try to open player settings in the properties panel... application descriptor file cannot be parsed.

So. WTF? I get the error with a brand new document. With a fresh Flash install.

[Guest]

May have found something... When trying from the command line I got:

ADT does not support 64bit java for IPA targets

[Guest]

Uninstalled Java 64bit, installed 32bit, rebooted... and walah - the dialog opens without the parse error now.

So, thanks Colin for suggesting using the command line to get a better error message.

I gotta wonder though - why the cryptic error about parsing the descriptor in Flash? Why not just output the actual error message? Doing that would've saved me like 6 hours of time...

Hopefully Flash will follow suit with Photoshop and Premiere - and actually work in a 64bit environ in the future.

[AndyNock]

I'm also having this problem - but trying to target android devices. How do I package using command line? I'd like to try and get a better error message.

[robertcrown]

I have had this issue intermittently - really painful!!

Make sure you're working from you local drive. I've moved all my working files from our network to my C:/ drive and this resolved the issue.