Meteor-Cordova iOS app - After some time in bg app completely loses connection to a local web server - http://localhost:{myPortNumber}

[grundmanise]

Versions:

• METEOR@1.4.2.3
• iOS 10.2
• iPhone 5s

Platforms:

• browser
• ios
• server

Packages:

• meteor-base@1.0.4 # Packages every Meteor app needs to have

• mobile-experience@1.0.4 # Packages for a great mobile UX

• mongo@1.1.14 # The database Meteor supports right now

• blaze-html-templates@1.0.4 # Compile .html files into Meteor Blaze views

• reactive-var@1.0.11 # Reactive variable for tracker

• jquery@1.11.10 # Helpful client-side library

• tracker@1.1.1 # Meteor's client-side reactive programming library

• standard-minifier-js@1.2.1 # JS minifier run for production mode

• es5-shim@4.6.15 # ECMAScript 5 compatibility for older browsers.

• ecmascript@0.6.1 # Enable ECMAScript2015+ syntax in app code

• reactive-dict@1.1.8

• kadira:flow-router

• kadira:blaze-layout

• fourseven:scss

• session@1.1.7

• http@1.2.10

• aldeed:simple-schema

• aldeed:collection2

• fastclick@1.0.13

• dburles:google-maps

• abpetkov:switchery

• seba:minifiers-autoprefixer

• zimme:active-route

• momentjs:moment

• udondan:slick

• nolimits4web:swiper

• accounts-ui@1.1.9

• btafel:accounts-facebook-cordova

• philippspo:momentum-flow-router

• dschulz:jquery-qrcode

• shell-server@0.2.1

• ground:db

• percolate:momentum

• joncursi:socket-io-client

• mrt:jquery-easing

Cordova plugins:

• com.phonegap.plugins.facebookconnect@file://../cordova_plugins/Facebook/
• com.phonegap.plugins.nativesettingsopener@file://../cordova_plugins/Cordova-open-native-settings/
• cordova-background-geolocation-lt@2.2.0
• cordova-plugin-EGAnimatedFullScreenImage@https://github.com/grundmanise/cordova-plugin-EGAnimatedFullScreenImage.git#d8da9f9b965bf08084466328aa62c134862af5b7
• cordova-plugin-actionsheet@2.3.1
• cordova-plugin-appavailability@0.4.2
• cordova-plugin-contacts@2.2.1
• cordova-plugin-device@1.1.3
• cordova-plugin-dialogs@1.3.1
• cordova-plugin-googlemaps@https://github.com/grundmanise/cordova-plugin-googlemaps.git#6ad1874ae7312ef8b0c63e1889c6f53bb71882ec
• cordova-plugin-inappbrowser@1.5.0
• cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp@https://github.com/grundmanise/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp.git#011d9e8086628861d5b37c5aa26f71ac70f986de //@1.4.1 with this fix: GCD local web server should run in the background cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp#24
• cordova-plugin-nativestorage@2.2.0
• cordova-plugin-splashscreen@4.0.1
• cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine@https://github.com/grundmanise/cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine.git#f4a01b4d5fadb905ca28c556736f6bdac6416353
• cordova-plugin-x-socialsharing@5.1.2
• ionic-plugin-keyboard@2.2.1
• onesignal-cordova-plugin@2.0.10
• twitter-connect-plugin@file://../cordova_plugins/twitter-connect-plugin/
• uk.co.workingedge.phonegap.plugin.launchnavigator@3.2.1

Problem
After the app was some time in bg state when I open the "minimized" app it loses connection to the local web server:

• Safari console outputs: could not connect to http://localhost:{myAppPortNumber}
• Xcode console outputs: "App startup timed out, reverting to last known good version".

location.reload(); - does not work - console outputs the same error: could not connect to http://localhost:{myAppPortNumber}.
Restarting the app from the CDVWKWebViewEngine.m with [(WKWebView*)_engineWebView reload]; - does not work.
Restarting the app from the WebAppLocalServer.swift using

    func forceReload() {
        if let webView = self.webView as? WKWebView {
            webView.reloadFromOrigin()
        }
    }

does not work.

The only solution is to completely close the app and reopen it.
(Note: all these restart & reload methods work until the app loses connection to the local web server.)

Does anyone have any thoughts?

1. Is it possible to completely reload a cordova app? Google & SO says- 'no'
2. Any thought on how to fix it?

p.s. I even use the solution from this isse transistorsoft/cordova-background-geolocation-lt#221 that should prevent the GCDWebServer from ever stopping.. it works for the BG location, but does not prevent my app from losing a connection to the localhost (local web server).

[grundmanise]

Restarting localserver every time the app enters foreground does not help either. (grundmanise/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp@9a414d8)

[awwx]

Possibly a duplicate of meteor/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp#24 ?

[grundmanise]

@awwx It's not the same. As stated above I already use:

cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp@https://github.com/grundmanise/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp.git#011d9e8086628861d5b37c5aa26f71ac70f986de //@1.4.1 with this fix: meteor/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp#24

[macrozone]

@grundmanise did you find a solution or workaround yet for this problem in your project? We are really suffering from this problem and I don't really know what to do anymore.

[grundmanise]

@macrozone Unfortunately no. We are currently migrating to RN...

[Slavrix]

We are experiencing a this (or similar) issue. The first step we have taken is to add a call to Meteor.reconnect() within the platform resume event.

Though this hasn't fully fixed out issue yet either.

[hwillson]

Since this is already being tracked in meteor/cordova-plugin-meteor-webapp#27, let's close it here. Thanks!