`ionic resources` removes comments from config.xml

[janpio]

When I run ionic resources all comments are removed from my config.xml that I put there to be able to understand better what all the different tags actually do, why I added them etc.

[PhilHuot]

I have a similar issue where ionic resources breaks the <config-file> block in the config.xml file.

See this example where <key>anotherinsecurehttp.com</key> is moved right next to <key>insecurehttp.com</key> which becomes invalid once it gets to the .plist file.

Before ionic resources

   <config-file parent="NSAppTransportSecurity" platform="ios" target="*-Info.plist">
        <key>NSAppTransportSecurity</key>
        <dict>
            <key>NSExceptionDomains</key>
            <dict>
                <key>insecurehttp.com</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>NSTemporaryExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
                    <true></true>
                </dict>
                <key>anotherinsecurehttp.com</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>NSTemporaryExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
                    <true></true>
                </dict>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </config-file>

After ionic resources:

   <config-file parent="NSAppTransportSecurity" platform="ios" target="*-Info.plist">
        <key>NSAppTransportSecurity</key>
        <dict>
            <key>NSExceptionDomains</key>
            <dict>
                <key>insecurehttp.com</key>
                <key>anotherinsecurehttp.com</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>NSTemporaryExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
                    <true></true>
                </dict>
                <dict>
                    <key>NSTemporaryExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
                    <true></true>
                </dict>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </config-file>

[tommykk]

Is there any update on this issue please? I am also facing the problem of it removing all comments from config.xml. It's marked as important but nothing appears to have been done in the 18 months since it was raised!

[kaiukdevelopment]

We are also having the same problems where it is re-ordering the config-file list. This causes issues as when building for iOS, if they are not in the right order then the builder will ignore them and as we are using this to tell iOS that we need permissions to the camera and gallery, our app crashes!

[janpio]

@kaiukdevelopment Could you maybe also post your starting values and what it gets transformed into?

[kaiukdevelopment]

Before
<config-file parent="" target="*-Info.plist"> <array> <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key> <string>blah blah blah</string> <key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key> <string>blah blah blah</string> <key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key> <string>blah blah blah</string> </array> </config-file>

After

<config-file parent="" target="*-Info.plist"> <array> <key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key> <key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key> <key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key> <string>blah blah blah</string> <string>blah blah blah</string> <string>blah blah blah</string> </array> </config-file>

It has changed from 'key, string, key, string, key, string' to 'key, key, key, string, string, string'

[janpio]

Excuse my ignorance, but is the "before" valid and working? Such a strange format...
(Still, what ionic cordova resources does of course shouldn't happen - XML library probably)

[imhoffd]

Everything in this issue likely has to do with our usage of xml2js. I made this issue: #2332 There are a number of other reasons to switch to elementtree.

@piotrowski The <key>/<dict> usage is plist configuration format. It's strange, but yes, it's valid. The ordering of XML should be maintained, but for some reason xml2js defaults this to off, thus breaking an XML read/write cycle.

[imhoffd]

Closing in favor of my grouped issue: #2332