Setting Up NX on an Android Emulator 🖥️🤖

Running NX Restaurant on an emulator is a fantastic way to train new staff, test menu changes, or explore new features without needing a physical terminal on hand. To get the best performance and the most realistic "terminal feel," we recommend using Android Studio with the following specific configurations.

Why Use an Emulator? 💡

An emulator mimics a physical NX terminal (like the NX15) on your desktop or laptop. By following these settings, you ensure that the button sizes, screen resolution, and processing speed match what your team sees on the floor!

Recommended Virtual Device Settings 🛠️

When creating your virtual device in Android Studio, use these specifications for a smooth experience:

1. Device & Screen Basics

To match our standard NX15 hardware, set your screen parameters to:

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080

• Density: 140 dpi

• Orientation: Landscape (Standard for POS terminals)

2. System Image (OS Version)

For maximum compatibility with the latest NX features, use the following SDK:

• API Level: 34

• Version: Android 14.0 ("UpsideDownCake")

• Services: Google APIs

• ABI: arm64-v8a (if using an Apple Silicon Mac) or x86_64 (for Intel/AMD PCs)

Advanced Settings for Peak Performance 🚀

Switch over to the Additional Settings tab in your emulator configuration to fine-tune the hardware:

• Camera: Set Front Camera to Emulated (useful if you want to test staff QR code logins).

• Network: Set Speed to Full and Latency to None to ensure lightning-fast communication with your NX Cloud.

• Startup: Select Quick boot so your "terminal" is ready to take orders in seconds.

• Internal Storage: We recommend at least 6 GB to handle the NX app and local database cache comfortably.

Quick Tips for Success ✨

• Keyboard Shortcuts: Since you're using a mouse, remember that you can still use your computer's keyboard for search bars and guest names!

• Stay Updated: Just like a physical terminal, make sure you download the latest version of the NX POS app from the Play Store within your emulator.

• Host Machine: Emulators can be "resource hungry." For the best experience, close other heavy applications on your computer while the emulator is running.

• Want to set up a Guest Facing Display: Android Studio Emulator can add multiple secondary displays. More Info: Testing the Guest Experience: Adding a Secondary Display to Your Emulator

• Working with a physical device?: If setting up NX on a non-NX physical device, such as a Samsung Tablet, and you're attempting to match the screen sizing of a NX15 Tablet, you may find success with these ADB commands:

  • adb shell wm size 1080x1920

  • adb shell wm density 140

  • -- Credit to our awesome partner Don V for finding the magic mix.

Need Help? 💡

The screen looks too small or too big.

Double-check the Density (dpi) setting. Setting it to 140 dpi is the "sweet spot" for making the buttons appear the same size as they do on a 15.6" NX terminal.

I can't find API 34 in the list.

You may need to click the Download icon next to "UpsideDownCake" in the Android Studio Device Manager before you can select it.

Still having trouble setting up your virtual environment?

While we love the DIY spirit, remember that our support team is best at troubleshooting physical NX hardware. For Android Studio specific errors, the Android Developer Documentation is a great place to look! 🆘🛠️