Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839

davivel · 2016-11-21T13:39:18Z

To reactivate the BETA program we should add a new build configuration that allows to install the beta versions of the app in a device that already holds the stable app, granting that both operate independently.

To get it, will be needed a buildType different to release (debug could be good enough) where at least:

a different applicationIdSuffix is specified, so that both BETA and sable versions can be installed in the same device;
some values in res/values/setup.xml are replaced by different ones (for instance, appending the same applicationIdSuffix) for the current build.

The list of values to update in setup.xml should include:

app_name
account_type
authority
document_provider_authority
file_provider_authority
search_suggest_authority
search_suggest_intent_action
data_folder
user_agent (optional, but convenient)

cc @theScrabi , FYI. For any question or improvement, let's comment here :)

Follow up https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/merge_requests/2344

AC:

Create a new buildType or productFlavor with a different applicationIdSuffix.
Create a separate version of res/values/setup.xml specific for the new builtType, with new values for app_name, account_type, authority, document_provider_authority, file_provider_authority, search_suggest_authority, search_suggest_intent_action, data_folder, user_agent
Generate an appropriate version name & number for the beta build.
Replace usage of .sendStickyBroadcast(intent) in the app with calls to LocalBroadcastManager#sendBroadcast(intent).
Variant app icon
Decide: builtType or productFlavor. We've chosen buildType

cc @davigonz

BUGS & IMPROVEMENTS

(1) Manage space in device settings, crash Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839 (comment) [FIXED]
(2) Sharing with oC or oCß crashes Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839 (comment) [FIXED]
(3) URL not customizable Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839 (comment)

The text was updated successfully, but these errors were encountered:

xylo · 2016-11-22T15:35:32Z

Sorry when I ask this question, but I don't see how this new beta build configuration differs from the old one. The old beta could also be installed separately to the stable version and operated independently.

theScrabi · 2016-11-23T09:27:44Z

@davivel Maybe we should also use a different icon for the beta app, so you can directly distinguish between this an the stable app.

xylo · 2016-11-23T12:06:07Z

@theScrabi
FYI: #1227

davivel · 2017-06-20T08:25:51Z

Sorry when I ask this question, but I don't see how this new beta build configuration differs from the old one.

The old one is currently unmaintained.

The variant build configuration should allow to build the new beta easily.

Also, the new beta will be built from master, not from a separate branch. That should mean that any change included in the beta app should be available in the next official release, unless something really wrong is revealed during testing.

By the way, sorry for coming back so late, but finally the time has come :)

michaelstingl · 2017-06-20T08:48:59Z

@lefherz FYI ^

davigonz · 2017-06-21T10:53:22Z

Maybe we should also use a different icon for the beta app, so you can directly distinguish between this an the stable app.

I've created an icon variant for the beta app. Here it is:

Any feedback is welcome

CC @michaelstingl @theScrabi @davivel

jesmrec · 2017-06-22T11:35:30Z

Test plan execution:

https://github.com/owncloud/QA/blob/master/Mobile/Android/Beta%20Program/Beta_test.md

jesmrec · 2017-06-22T11:53:42Z

(1) Bug (fixed)

Steps:

Install the beta version
Go to device settings -> Apps -> ownCloud Beta -> Storage
Tap on Manage Space

Current: Crash
Expected: not Crash

Tested with Huawei 6P v7, Nexus 5 v5

@davivel @davigonz

jesmrec · 2017-06-22T12:19:04Z

(2) Bug (fixed)

Steps:

Install the beta version, release/debug version, or both
Share content from other apps, or share text, with ownCloud or ownCloud Beta

Current: Crash
Expected: Content shared

Tested with Huawei 6P v7

@davivel @davigonz

davivel · 2017-06-22T13:09:25Z

Both bugs ready to be tested, @jesmrec

jesmrec · 2017-06-23T07:09:44Z

(3) Improvement

In `setup.xml' , set a server_url.
Build the app and install

Current: URL does not appear in login view
Expected: URL appears

jesmrec · 2017-06-23T08:15:30Z

Approved

@davivel @davigonz

theScrabi · 2017-06-23T19:12:18Z

The merge for the reworked metafile for fdroid is submited:
https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/merge_requests/2344

However I've noticed several things:

The app must not be debugable, which means the line initWith debug here must be removed.
fdroid can handle build flavors better than build variants.

davigonz · 2017-06-26T07:34:54Z

Hi @theScrabi , thank you for the merge creation, I have several questions about the things you've noticed.

The app must not be debugable, which means the line initWith debug here must be removed.

Why should the app be debuggable? Is it a fdroid requirement? We think that It would be good to keep this option enabled so that community can give us some logs to track and fix the errors easily, which is basically the aim of the beta version.

fdroid can handle build flavors better than build variants.

We were discussing about it before the beta implementation, reading some documentation about the topic and we finally decided to use build variants because:

They are more appropriate for different builds of an application that aren't functionally different. In our case, beta, debug and release have differences that aren't important to the end user, and only the release variant will be deployed to end users.
On the other hand, product flavours are used when multiple variants are going to be deployed to users and the app variants are notably different in some way.

CC @michaelstingl

theScrabi · 2017-06-26T22:51:51Z

Hello @davigonz:

Why should the app be debuggable? Is it a fdroid requirement? We think that It would be good to keep this option enabled so that community can give us some logs to track and fix the errors easily, which is basically the aim of the beta version.

I see your point. However, I was not able to compile the app unless I disabled debug. As you said it, fdroid probities that.
We may have to ask the fdroid people if it is possible to have a debugable app in their repository.

About the build variants:
As I said fdroid was better in handling flavors, but in the end using build variants was not such a big problem, so we can keep that.

davigonz · 2017-06-27T15:05:16Z

Hi again @theScrabi , I've just seen you've asked to fdroid people about uploading the app debuggable, thank you.

In case it is not possible to put the app debuggable in fdroid and we have to disable debugging, we will have to sign the apk but I can't see that part in the merge request build, it seems that the apk is being generated without signing it. How does it work on fDroid? Because Android system requires that all installed applications be digitally signed with a certificate

theScrabi · 2017-06-27T21:44:32Z

Fdroid will sign the app with their own certificate.

davigonz · 2017-06-29T10:36:55Z

Hello again @theScrabi , I've just removed the debug flag and updated the oc-android-2.5.0-beta.1 tag with the recent changes in the code so you should be able to compile the app now.

Do you know when could it be published in FDroid? Thank you very much

theScrabi · 2017-07-04T12:13:59Z

The state and the buildstate of the app on fdroid can be found here:
https://f-droid.org/wiki/page/com.owncloud.android.beta

lefherz · 2017-07-04T13:24:55Z

will it be automatically updated, once the gitlab PR comes into effect?

theScrabi · 2017-07-04T14:14:22Z

Yes

lefherz · 2017-07-06T12:46:12Z

It's on fdroid! We did it! nice work, guys!

I'll publish a blog post announcing the new testing client tomorrow.

davigonz · 2017-07-07T08:16:47Z

Hi @theScrabi , could you please check the url https://fdroid.org/packages/com.owncloud.android.beta/? It should include the beta owncloud apk and more details but Not found is shown instead.

theScrabi · 2017-07-07T09:21:06Z

Hm. God question why this does not work, but I assume that it might be because fdroid changed the website recently.

davivel · 2017-07-11T08:27:43Z

The URL https://fdroid.org/packages/com.owncloud.android.beta is working now. I would say our work here is done, the problems with the web and with the certificate are specific of F-Droid website.

Thanks everybody!

davivel added Beta enhancement labels Nov 21, 2016

davivel mentioned this issue Mar 14, 2017

Beta link broken #1903

Closed

davivel added this to the 2.5.0 milestone Jun 20, 2017

davivel assigned davigonz and davivel Jun 20, 2017

davigonz mentioned this issue Jun 22, 2017

Beta build configuration #1992

Merged

jesmrec closed this as completed Jun 22, 2017

jesmrec reopened this Jun 22, 2017

jesmrec added the Approved by qa label Jun 23, 2017

davigonz closed this as completed Jun 23, 2017

davigonz reopened this Jun 28, 2017

davivel closed this as completed Jul 11, 2017

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Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839

Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839

davivel commented Nov 21, 2016 •

edited by davigonz

xylo commented Nov 22, 2016 •

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theScrabi commented Nov 23, 2016

xylo commented Nov 23, 2016

davivel commented Jun 20, 2017

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davivel commented Jul 11, 2017

Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839

Add a new build configuration for BETA program #1839

Comments

davivel commented Nov 21, 2016 • edited by davigonz

AC:

xylo commented Nov 22, 2016 • edited

theScrabi commented Nov 23, 2016

xylo commented Nov 23, 2016

davivel commented Jun 20, 2017

michaelstingl commented Jun 20, 2017

davigonz commented Jun 21, 2017 • edited

jesmrec commented Jun 22, 2017

jesmrec commented Jun 22, 2017 • edited

(1) Bug (fixed)

jesmrec commented Jun 22, 2017 • edited

(2) Bug (fixed)

davivel commented Jun 22, 2017

jesmrec commented Jun 23, 2017

(3) Improvement

jesmrec commented Jun 23, 2017

theScrabi commented Jun 23, 2017 • edited

davigonz commented Jun 26, 2017 • edited

theScrabi commented Jun 26, 2017 • edited

davigonz commented Jun 27, 2017 • edited

theScrabi commented Jun 27, 2017 • edited

davigonz commented Jun 29, 2017 • edited

theScrabi commented Jul 4, 2017

lefherz commented Jul 4, 2017

theScrabi commented Jul 4, 2017

lefherz commented Jul 6, 2017

davigonz commented Jul 7, 2017 • edited

theScrabi commented Jul 7, 2017

davivel commented Jul 11, 2017

davivel commented Nov 21, 2016 •

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xylo commented Nov 22, 2016 •

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davigonz commented Jun 21, 2017 •

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jesmrec commented Jun 22, 2017 •

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theScrabi commented Jun 23, 2017 •

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davigonz commented Jun 26, 2017 •

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