NeoApplications
Neo Store cannot update itself
I just started using Neo Store at version 1.00. In the subsequent two new versions, 1.01, and 1.02, I have observed that Neo Store cannot update itself to the newer version. It appears to download, but then simply stops. One has to install F-Droid in order to update Neo Store.
Android 13 on Pixel 8.
This issue is also observed on two other Xiaomi phones I use.
Expected behavior - Neo Store should not require another app to update; it should be able to update itself.
That should be Android 14 on Pixel 8, not Android 13.
Xiaomi phones are Redmi Note 11s, running Lineage OS 13, and Evolution X 13.
I guess you have the download stuck or something in that direction (try deleting the item in the downloaded list and sync) … Here's some needed information:
- Did you disable battery optimization for NS?
- Is the auto-update enabled?
- Did other apps get updated?
- What is your selected installer?
Thank you for replying.
I did delete the downloaded update; rebooted, with no luck. However, I did not try to re-sync because the new version showed as available (manual install), and or immediately attempted to download and install. No joy.
- Yes, battery optimization is disabled for Neo Store.
- It would not update under auto-update, or under manual.
- Other apps update fine.
- I only used the root installer on all devices.
Can you try installing the latest version through tapping the install button on the suggested version at the bottom of the app sheet?
@machiav3lli ~~Found the bug. I navigated to the folder where Neo Store caches the downloaded APKs. The APK was incorrectly downloaded/corrupted in some manner. Tapping on it caused the "There was a problem parsing this package" dialogue.~~
~~The APK can be deleted manually or by clearing the cache. But re-downloading keeps giving the same broken APK.~~
^ Incorrect. See: https://github.com/NeoApplications/Neo-Store/issues/614#issuecomment-2143779944.
I'm trying to update from 1.0.1 -> 1.0.2. Didn't face this bug in previous updates.
BTW, the rest of the apps download and update just fine, though this is the same repo index update cycle. ~~It is only Neo Store itself which has a corrupt APK when self-downloading. Also, APKs downloaded from Github and F-Droid's website are parsed perfectly fine.~~
On a hunch, tried toggling the System download manager off and on. That didn't work. This happened on multiple devices so the bug is surely in Neo Store.
@machiav3lli Do you want to do any tests? I'm still on 1.0.1 just in case you do.
On a hunch, tried toggling the System download manager off and on. That didn't work.
^
I normally use system, not default. But this bug seems to be occurring for both.
Update: Apparently, the non-parsable APK in the cache folder wasn't necessarily broken, because ALL APKs seem to be in the same state, even if the apps/updates install successfully.
So Neo Store is simply not carrying out the install step for some reason. I also tried this with the default session installer.
Edit: Also, this bug is a bit random, because it is happening on two devices with LOS 21, but not on two others, also with the exact same OS and general settings.
I am experiencing this issue on every device on which I happened to upgrade to version 1.0.1. Upgrading to version 1.0.2 does not seem to fix it. I used a different F-Droid client to upgrade Neo Store and then told Neo Store to reinstall itself. On other devices upon which I upgraded directly from Neo Store 1.0.0 to 1.0.2, the issue did not occur, and Neo Store 1.0.2 reinstalled itself when requested. All devices were running LineageOS 21 or 20 and the root session installer method.
Welp, this seems to have turned into a permanent problem. I can't update from 1.0.2 to 1.0.3 either.
Neo Store still will not itself update 1.02 to 1.03, or 1.04. Still need F-droid to do it.
Hm, I guess, I'll have to check if Android had any API-changes that would cause this.
I have been messing with this issue on several devices.
Here is what I found on an Huawei MediaTab T5 Android 9 system that is NOT rooted:
The install program is "looping" ... in other words you tap "install" and it immediately loops the installer back to the prompt to install the update. In frustration I just kept hammering "install" and it eventually installed after about 40+ attempts. Not sure this will help with the issue, but I can repeat it at will on the T5 tablet. To me, it is likely something similar happening in later versions of Android, but you just do not see it if you are using the root installer.
If you use the new android api, you can only update apps in the background which where installed or updated once with the third party store. Maybe that causes a problem?
Nor will Neo Store 1.03 update to 1.04.
Try clearing storage for Neo Store. You'll need to set up your settings and repos again.
If you use the new android api, you can only update apps in the background which where installed or updated once with the third party store. Maybe that causes a problem?
Isn't that already implemented as the auto-updater for Android 13+?
it is used but I haven't tried older versions of neo store on older OS versions to see when exactly this bug appeared.
Update: I can't believe this occurred to me to try only now. I simply copied the APK downloaded by Neo Store and put it in my downloads folder. Then installing it worked. So the APK itself is definitely fine. Neo Store is just not going ahead with the installation for some reason.
Yeah, as suggested earlier it's nothing fundamental with the apks, rather maybe some API changes or funny interactions between using the different installers.
So to test the second point: How does it look on the installers' side? Were different installers used in different versions e.g. root till 1.0.1 then session on later? What are the tested installers of this issue?
Good idea. The root installer bug caused me to switch to default. I'll test with root on the next update.
I switched to the root installer when it was released, and it wouldn't install the downloaded Neo Store v1.0.4 APK from v1.0.3, I had to install it manually. Thanks
Neither session, nor root installer has worked for me ever, but I only started using Neo Store at 1.01.
I have gone back as far as Android 8 and it it still has the issue. 1.04 will not update to 1.05 unless manually installed, or updated by F-Droid etc.
but I only started using Neo Store at 1.01
That's when the bug was introduced. The 1.0.0 -> 1.0.1 update worked fine.
I am using the root installer and it can't update. Just failed again for the 1. 04 - >1.05 Update like the two previous ones.
I cleared data for Neo Store in version 1.0.3 and it has updated itself to 1.0.4 and 1.0.5 okay since then.
Well, there haven't been an update in a while, so we'll know next time it happens
It seems to me that this issue must be solved by operating system. I think GrapheneOS refuses to let neo start update itself for security. If security was so important, then GrapheneOS should let me pick a list of programs that can update themselves. Android should let me do so, too.