I want to use google translate offline lang.packs. But it has to be a diff. app with a diff. icon.
My app has to work completely offline. Google translate does work offline if the packs are on the phone. But the packs are not available as standalone or in API format!
I do know from another answer that the lang packs and the neural model is a major value of the company. So they dont want to give it away for free to devs as API.
Training my own neural model with libs like TensorFlow is daunting task. I want to reuse existing libraries\apps
Based on Google Play Privacy Policy Hiding an App within another App Without User's Knowledge is Considered as a Malicious Behavior.
The following are explicitly prohibited:
Viruses, trojan horses, malware, spyware or any other malicious
software. Apps that link to or facilitate the distribution or
installation of malicious software.
Apps or SDKs that download executable code, such as dex files or
native code, from a source other than Google Play.
Apps that introduce or exploit security vulnerabilities.
Apps that steal a user’s authentication information (such as
usernames or passwords) or that mimic other apps or websites to trick
users into disclosing personal or authentication information.
Apps that install other apps on a device without the user’s prior
consent.
Apps designed to secretly collect device usage, such as commercial
spyware apps.
Here are my Suggestions.
Suggestion 1 : Recommended Way
Check Weather the Required Applications are Installed / Not in User Mobile
try {
context.getPackageManager().getApplicationInfo(packageName, 0);
return true; //Application Installed
}
catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
return false; //Application Not Installed
}
If not Redirect them to the PlayStore (Originally Answered Here)
final String appPackageName = getPackageName(); // getPackageName()
from Context or Activity object try {
startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("market://details?id=" + appPackageName))); } catch
(android.content.ActivityNotFoundException anfe) {
startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" +
appPackageName))); }
Suggestion 2 : If You wish to Distribute the Application offline(Not through PlayStore) Then
Append the Required Apk Files in Assets folder of the Main Application
Do the same Check Like in Suggestion 1. But Instead of Redirecting to PlayStore, Launch the Package Installer for the Apk in Assets Folder.
I have done a Demo Project for this scenario . Please Check it for More Reference
Related
I am trying to customize Android for a media device. We got the firmware from the manufacturer and it's based on Android 7 with minor modifications.
One of the things we would like to do is to restrict installation of apps on the device to certain apps only. We won't install any app store like Google Play on the device. We will build the firmware and install all apps onto the devices at our workshops and deliver to the customers. In future, we may want to install more apps on the devices via OTA or some mechanisms.
We would like to disallow customers sideloading other apps via USB port. We created a file (eg., whitelisted_apps.txt) that has the list of all approved app names, such as -
com.mycompany.android.app1
com.mycompany.android.app2
com.ourpartner.android.appx
We tweaked the PackageInstaller app of AOSP so that when a *.APK file is opened via the file browser and when the methods in PackageInstallerActivity.java are called, it will compare the name of the app to be installed against those in whitelisted_apps.txt and if the name is not found, disallow installation of the new app. It's working.
Now, we want to improve it further because whitelisted_apps.txt can be manipulated. Some people suggest using sqlite to keep the list. We are not sure if it will be the best solution.
Some suggest using certificates and signing and we think it's a better solution than others. We will sign all the apps we want to install on the device with our key. When a *.APK file is sideloaded, the PackageInstaller will get the signature of the APK and compare against ours. If they match, the app can be sideloaded.
We followed this excellent resource: SignatureCheck.java. It's working with the hardcoded APP_SIGNATURE. We have this currently:
public boolean validateAppSignature() throws NameNotFoundException {
boolean sigMatch = false;
String APP_SIGNATURE = "123456784658923C4192E61B16999";
PackageInfo packageInfo3 = mPm.getPackageInfo(
getPackageName(), PackageManager.GET_SIGNATURES);
try {
for (Signature signature : packageInfo3.signatures) {
// SHA1 the signature
String sha1 = getSHA1(signature.toByteArray());
Log.i(TAG, "got this SHA1 of the signature ... "+sha1);
// check if it matches hardcoded value
sigMatch = APP_SIGNATURE.equals(sha1);
if (sigMatch){
return sigMatch;
}
}
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
return false;
}
Just that we don't know how to do that in a real world situation. When we build, install apps or release with OTA, we sign those apps with our private key and then on the device (PackageInstaller app), we hardcode our certificate's SHA1 signature as APP_SIGNATURE so that we can compare? Any other ideas?
Thank you so much.
Seems like you're trying way too hard to partially shut down sideloading. Use a Device Owner to completely turn off installation, and just preload the apps you want. Or make it so the only app that can install is your own downloader that only looks at your server.
I'm trying to find a solution to do a remote update of an APK to 80 tablets. This should preferably be as automated as possible and if this can happen completely in the background without any user input that would be great. Basically what the Playstore currently do which I unfortunately can't use.
Is something like this possible without rooting the device? Any suggestion on libraries/ services that does this?
I'm running Android 4.1.1 and they will all be connected to a Wi-Fi.
You can download the new APK file to SD card, then call this to install it:
Intent shareIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
shareIntent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new File("path-to-APK-file")),
"application/vnd.android.package-archive");
try {
context.startActivity(shareIntent);
} catch (Throwable t) {
// handle the exception here
}
There is only one thing not automatic: the final step. The system will ask the user to confirm installation.
About the MIME type of APK files, here's the wiki page.
No, in the background isn't possible without rooting or having the device's signing key at least as a standard Android APK update. The only semi-reasonable way I can envision something similar to this working is for your app to always check for/download code to run which you load using a class loader. This would be a significant amount of work and not easy.
However, if you're willing to live with some user interaction, it really shouldn't be that hard (though it'll still take some building of infrastructure). Keep a web service that returns the latest version number, compare with the current version number and download the new APK as necessary. Installing an APK programmatically has been covered in many SO questions.
So, I have a fairly large app that I'd like to distribute via packages in the Play store. I see this tactic used quite often. I haven't seen much in the way of actually doing it. From what I've gathered so far the logic in code would work like this:
try {
Start activity in package
} catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) {
Prompt user to play store by using the package name as the URL
}
Aside from that, I'm wondering what kind of setup is required for the packages. They shouldn't be opened from a launcher (my app only).
What intent filters should the packages have applied to them if any?
Is it possible to set up the Manifest in such a way that I can make it unsearchable in Google Play but still be downloaded if linked directly to it?
So one of my applications was rejected from the Amazon app store today. The reason was because inside my app, I linked to the paid version of the app on the Android market. Disappointing, but whatever, I guess everyone wants their cut...
So now I'm left having to modify the application to change the Android market link to an Amazon app store link. Not really a big deal except for now if I do that I'm left with a discrepancy when I want to upload a newer version back to the Android market. After all, it would be rather dumb to link someone to the Amazon app store if they purchase the app from the Android market.
Now we all know that it is a pain supporting/managing multiple versions of the same app. Consequently my question becomes how can I link to both at the same time? Is there a way to tell where an app was downloaded from so I can code both links into the app and thus point the user automatically to one or the other? Secondly, is it against the Amazon TOS to give the user a choice (say I pop up a dialog instead and ask the user where to download from)?
Thanks all.
Edit: Direct from Amazon customer service "Re: Link to both markets" (I wish the approval process was as fast as these guys):
For the time being, we need any
linking to point back to the Amazon
Appstore only for market links.
Linking to your website is allowed,
just not other markets.
When pointing to other apps from
within your app, including up-sells,
completion of purchase must be from
the Amazon Appstore.
Good news! Apparently the latest version of the Amazon store finally sets PackageManager.getInstallerPackageName() to "com.amazon.venezia" to contrast with Google Play's "com.android.vending". This will be the easiest way to determine if your app is sideloaded, installed from Amazon, or installed from Google.
Here's what you can do:
Complete the preparation and signing of your application.
Install it on your test device
Use PackageManager.getPackageInfo
How to do this:
public static boolean isMarket(Context context){
boolean isMarketSig = false;
int currentSig = 1;
try {
Signature[] sigs = context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(context.getPackageName(), PackageManager.GET_SIGNATURES).signatures;
for (Signature sig : sigs)
{
currentSig = sig.hashCode();
Log.i("MyApp", "Signature hashcode : " + sig.hashCode());
// This Log is for first time testing so you can find out what the int value of your signature is.
}
} catch (Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
//-1545485543 was the int I got from the log line above, so I compare the current signature hashCode value with that value to determine if it's market or not.
if (currentSig==-1545485543){
isMarketSig = true;
} else {
isMarketSig = false;
}
return isMarketSig;
}
public static void openStore(Context context){
if (isMarket(context)){
Intent goToMarket = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW,Uri.parse("market://d" +
"etails?id=com.jakar.myapp"));
goToMarket.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
context.startActivity(goToMarket);
} else {
Intent goToAppstore = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW,Uri.parse("http://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/dl/andro" +
"id?p=com.jakar.myapp"));
goToAppstore.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
context.startActivity(goToAppstore);
}
}
Basically, the hashCode() that you get from the app installed on your testing device will be the same one from the market. The hash code from the app store will be different because according to https://developer.amazon.com/help/faq.html, the app store signs the application with a signature specific to your developer account, so that will return a different value that what you actually signed it with.
Note: It works to open the market successfully, but I haven't yet deployed this method on the App Store, so I haven't completely tested it. I am confident it will work, but can make no guarantees, so if you use what I've suggested and it fails, please don't hold me accountable.
You can do the following things:
Check if the device based on its Manufacturer.
For ex: https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/fire/specifications.html
For writing reviews and opening the Amazon App Store use the following intent
amzn://apps/android?p=package_name
where p=Link to the detail page for a specific package name.
Ref: Amazon developer link.
https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/in-app-purchasing/sample-code/deeplink.html
As you said, you could use a boolean and then be forced to build your apps twice, so I bevelive it's not the best way.
The best way is to check if android market is installed and act accordingly: here.
Another even more complex way is to query the name of the installer of your app, using PackageManager.getInstallerPackageName. This needs extra work since the app can be installed by parallel markets even if you are on android device with android market installed, and also you must check if it's installed as debug/development (installer package name is null in this case).
What a hard way to do this. If you just want to open the market url, just check if the intent with the url for android market has any activity that knows how to handle it. If not, open up the amazon appstore with another intent.
/**
* Returns intent that opens app in Google Play or Amazon Appstore
* #param context
* #param packageName
* #return null if no market available, otherwise intent
*/
public static Intent showApp(Activity activity, String packageName)
{
Intent i = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
String url = "market://details?id=" + packageName;
i.setData(Uri.parse(url));
if (isIntentAvailable(activity, i))
{
return i;
}
i.setData(Uri.parse("http://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/dl/android?p=" + packageName));
if (isIntentAvailable(activity, i))
{
return i;
}
return null;
}
public static boolean isIntentAvailable(Context context, Intent intent) {
final PackageManager packageManager = context.getPackageManager();
List<ResolveInfo> list =
packageManager.queryIntentActivities(intent,
PackageManager.MATCH_DEFAULT_ONLY);
return list.size() > 0;
}
Another way is to build using ant. This way you can generate dynamically a java class with constants set to a value that represent the app market, and output different builds with ease. This however takes some learning but when you have it running, it's very easy.
I was also struggling with this, but decided that the instant success I'm seeing with my free app on Amazon warrants the time to create a second set of .apks when I make a new build. I went with the Amazon boolean flag for now, and create one common version, then a version incremented by one for the Amazon market. No other markets demand internal linking, AFAIK.
I eventually intend to code up a market chooser with a slick way to automatically figure out what to do, but there are a lot of variables - not just the market address of one app, but how different markets recognize the company name to find all apps. Some market apps hijack the main Android market protocol (e.g. Appslib and SlideMe if I remember correctly) but don't store the company name the same way. Then you need to decide where upsell links go - to the same market or to a common one (I only submitted my free app to most of the markets I use).
I am waiting for my paid app to be approved, but I am pretty sure it will be worth it to have it available on the Amazon market given how many downloads I've gotten for my free app.
Just refactor most of your project into a Project Library, and then create multiple projects (e.g., for each app store) that have only unique icon and string resources, their own package ID declared in the manifest, and then a main activity that extends the main activity that you have defined in your library.
That way, all the unique URLs can be provided by overriding, in each particular app project's activity, the virtual or abstract methods defined in your library's main activity. The library code that that displays these URLs can obtain them via a polymorphic call to each of those methods.
That way, each such specialized project will be very small, and maintenance will be mainly to your library, as described here:
Multiple Apps with a shared code base
I'm developing a non-public Android app, i.e. the app won't be available in the global Android Market. The app will be installed on a limited number of clients, e.g. by using an apk file.
How can I enable an auto-update functionality in this app?
I see different potential options (I do not know if those are technically hard or even impossible to implement or if there are any existing functionalities that can be reused):
On each launch the app tests if a new version exists (by requesting a server), if so downloads the new apk and replaces itself with the new version.
Use (or develop?) a separated app or service that undertakes the update-check and replacement-process.
Use (or develop?) a private market app which has an auto-update option. This option is similar to the second one, but more generic: The market app would be connected to a repository, i.e. it would handle an arbitrary number of (private) apps.
I would prefer option one since the auto-update functionality is included in the app which needs less development efforts.
janjonas, in the company I work we had a similar problem with Windows Mobile 6.x, and we use pretty much the same solution pointed by EboMike:
The main app check if it's updated, against a WebService. It receives the current version & the URL from where download the new version, if necessary. The main app then start the Updater app, passing the URL, and quit.
The Updater do the download of the new program, via HTTP, showing to the user the % downloaded. The user can cancel the download anytime, in a controlled way, and the Updater can registry this cancellation.
Since the new app is downloaded, the Updater run the new app, and quit.
I think option one is the least amount of work for you, and actually the cleanest one too since it will go through the proper channel of using Android's built-in package installer which includes user notification and the option for the user to abort the installation if desired.
You already have it all outlined - check for a new version on a server (would be nice to give the user the option to turn that off), and if there is a new version, you could either just link to the URL with the APK (which will, IIRC, use the browser's download manager to download it), or you could download it with your app and then point the intent to your local file. Using the HTTP link is technically less work and cleaner - the more you let the operating system do, the better - unless there's a reason not to.
Enabling "Install non-market app" is still needed for any application outside the Google Play. If it not enabled, the installation process is going to ask for it and redirect the user to the Application Settings, and after that, the user can install the app.
Depending on your needs, you can delegate to a third part lib.
Some of the permissions we'll use to get this done are the following:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_SUPERUSER" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
Let me explain a bit... The last, WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, is self-explanatory. With ACCESS_SUPERUSER we'll tell the system that we intend to use root privileges. READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE will be needed in the future in order for your app to read files on SD card.
Assuming that you have downloaded the file and that all those devices can be rooted (limited number of clients, not on Play, etc.), you could do this:
String filePath = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().toString() + "/your_app_directory/your_app_filename.apk";
Process installProcess = null;
int installResult = -1337;
try {
installProcess = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("su -c pm install -r " + filePath);
} catch (IOException e) {
// Handle IOException the way you like.
}
if (installProcess != null) {
try {
installResult = installProcess.waitFor();
} catch(InterruptedException e) {
// Handle InterruptedException the way you like.
}
if (installResult == 0) {
// Success!
} else {
// Failure. :-/
}
} else {
// Failure 2. :-(
}
Here might be a very lame method but for some companies, if you believe its applicable, this might be very easy to implement.
Create an password screen (passwordActivity) that asks a password to access the application.
Once the password is entered, raise a flag (set a boolean value from false to true using sharedpreferences)
Place the .apk file on Google Store.
Change the password once everyone installs the app, and release a new update on Google Play Store.
Since the software is going to cache the flag value, the password screen won`t show up even the password is change. It will only show up for new installations so might need to repeat the process.
Note: This method might better fit if there is not hundreds of users using the application. And don`t forget this method is also not secure. To sum up, if you are looking a way to keep the application private and have no security concerns, this is what I recommend.
Update app
Make sure that you already have your new apk download on location
void installNewVersion(String location) {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new File(location + "app-debug.apk")),
"application/vnd.android.package-archive");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(intent);
}