Troubleshoot Common Native Mobile Issues

Last modified: April 18, 2024

1 Introduction

Mendix strives to make building and running native mobile apps as simple as possible. But because some complexity is inherent in making apps, problems can come up. If you are having issues while building or running native mobile apps, please consult the sections below to see if your issue has already been solved.

2 Make It Native App

To troubleshoot issues related to the Make it Native app, see the sections below.

2.1 Port Issues

Mendix recommends keeping the Runtime port in your configuration on 8080. If you change it, do not change it to 8083, because that is designated for app packaging.

2.2 Wifi Network Settings

If you are using Windows, make sure your WiFi network is set to Private. Windows often sets WiFi to Public by default, which blocks incoming connections.

2.3 Error: Unable to Load Script

Depending on your device settings and network characteristics, the Make it Native app can fail to connect to the runtime. If so, the Make it Native app can show the following error messages:

  • Unable to load script:

    unable to load script

  • Cannot detect your runtime:

    cannot detect runtime

These failures are often caused by the Windows Defender firewall. In such cases, attempts to open the runtime URL from the mobile browser will also fail. To mitigate these issues, please do the following:

  1. Make sure that your computer and the mobile device are connected to the same network.

  2. Make sure that incoming connections are allowed by doing the following:

    1. Open Firewall & Network Protection settings in Windows.
    2. Go to Advanced Settings.
    3. Select the Inbound Rules and scroll to the Mendix Native Mobile entries.
    4. For each Node.js entry, note their values in the Program column. They should all have a green check mark in front of them.
    5. If the Program column shows a Mendix installation directory, then there should be a green icon in front of the entry. If this is not the case, double-click the entry and select Allow the connection:
    inbound rules

  3. Windows distinguishes between two types of networks: private and public. Windows Defender Firewall applies stricter regulations for public networks. If, and only if, you are connected to a trusted network, configure the network as Private on your computer.

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