Database Info

[Q] what is the process for upgrade pre-installed app?

Hi,
In my understand, the pre-installed apps are placed on path /system/app, and the /system partition should be read-only partition without rooted, right?
So how the pre-installed apps can be upgraded?
For example, the pre-installed Google Maps app can be updated from Android Market. How it can replace the old Google Maps app with a new one on /system/app? What is the process?
Can someone help me to understand it?

They're installed normally to /data/app, then system uses them instead of files from /system/app. You could have checked this out by yourself.

what is the details about Google maps upgrade?
Hi, Brut
Thank you.
But could you please explain more details? I'm using Motorola ME600, no built-in Google Maps and Android Market. I can't check it by myself.
If the updated apps are installed in /data/app, how can they do that? I mean they should not be installed successfully if the updated apps used the same package name as the olds. It should fail due to the old one still exist. And how about the signature of updated app? Should it same as the old one?
Even the update apps can be installed, how does the system use them to replace the built-ins? I think we should find 2 icons in the Lanucher if they have same main entry. But in fact, there is only one icon. Why?
PS: Sorry, I have no way to find the details by myself. Please give me a hand. Thanks in advance.

I think Android OS treats system apps differently. It knows these apps can't be overwritten directly, so it uses above technique for updating them. It permits to have these apps installed twice and then it ignores system ones. Of course both files have to be signed by the same key.
If you have root, then you could check this by yourself without Market or Maps.
Remount /system .
If you have 0 free space on this partition, then remove something to have at least 100KB.
Create empty app, build it and sign.
"adb push YourApp.apk /system/app/" - Android OS should detect this and install your app. You could see this in the logcat.
"adb install -r YourApp.apk" - Android will install it to /data and use it instead of version installed to /system .
Maybe Android not always prefers /data app, but one with greater versionCode. I don't know, didn't test this.

Thanks, Brut
I followed your suggestion and tried. Yes, system replace the /system one with /data one.
Thank you help me to know this behavior of Android system.

[Q][CM10]Cannot install Maps-based Apps

Hi there!
I bought Runtastic PRO when I was using my Sensation with its stock ROM.
Recently I started rooting and flashing my HTC Sensation with this ROM: CM10. (The version from 19th of Oct. 2012)
The rooting was done via HTCdev.com, the Sensation is S-OFF.
Actually, I am using CWM 6.0.0.0, I wiped the cache, data and so on, cleared the Dalvik cache.
The problem, that arises is, that I am unable to (re-)install Runtastic PRO:
The market says the app is now incompatible with my device.
I changed the build.prop so it stated Nexus S, cleared the Store cache before and afterwards, rebooted.
adb install run.apk gives these entries in logcat:
Code:
E/PackageManager( 346): Package com.runtastic.android.pro2 requires unavailable shared library com.google.android.maps; failing!
W/PackageManager( 346): Package couldn't be installed in /data/app/com.runtastic.android.pro2-1.apk
I was looking around the internet and also here and the solution I found was to put two files from the gapps zips directly into /system:
com.google.android.maps.jar => /system/framework/
com.google.android.maps.xml => /system/etc/permissions/
Afterwards, I fixed the permissions and rebooted the device.
I tried copying the apk directly to /system/app/, fixed permissions and rebooted again, but the App does not show up at all.
Is this a ROM-based problem, a App-based problem or is it my fault?
Surely it's the last one...
Thanks in advance,
vista200

vista200 said:
Hi there!
I bought Runtastic PRO when I was using my Sensation with its stock ROM.
Recently I started rooting and flashing my HTC Sensation with this ROM: CM10. (The version from 19th of Oct. 2012)
The rooting was done via HTCdev.com, the Sensation is S-OFF.
Actually, I am using CWM 6.0.0.0, I wiped the cache, data and so on, cleared the Dalvik cache.
The problem, that arises is, that I am unable to (re-)install Runtastic PRO:
The market says the app is now incompatible with my device.
I changed the build.prop so it stated Nexus S, cleared the Store cache before and afterwards, rebooted.
adb install run.apk gives these entries in logcat:
Code:
E/PackageManager( 346): Package com.runtastic.android.pro2 requires unavailable shared library com.google.android.maps; failing!
W/PackageManager( 346): Package couldn't be installed in /data/app/com.runtastic.android.pro2-1.apk
I was looking around the internet and also here and the solution I found was to put two files from the gapps zips directly into /system:
com.google.android.maps.jar => /system/framework/
com.google.android.maps.xml => /system/etc/permissions/
Afterwards, I fixed the permissions and rebooted the device.
I tried copying the apk directly to /system/app/, fixed permissions and rebooted again, but the App does not show up at all.
Is this a ROM-based problem, a App-based problem or is it my fault?
Surely it's the last one...
Thanks in advance,
vista200
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The app itself might not be compatible with Jelly Bean. All that other stuff you did shouldn't be necessary.
If installing the APK by itself (not through the Play Store) doesn't let it run, then Android Version incompatibility would be my guess. But it's just a guess without knowing anything about that app.

[Q] Play Store keeps force closing

Last night I was trying to root and flash a custom rom to my tablet, I wasn't able to finish flashing the rom because I noticed Google Play Store wasn't opening. I couldn't download Rom Manager or any other apps for that matter. I was doing everything I could from clearing the cache, data, even wiping the data and cash in the fastboot mode and flashing another GApps to the tablet. Everything I've tried won't get me anywhere. It tells me to log in with an account, then immediately says: The application Google Play Store (process com.android.vending) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. I did try flashing a rom through fastboot mode, even though it didn't do anything, so I thought this might be the problem? I haven't tried anything else yet. Any help is appreciated.
EDIT: I have the SCH-i815 verizon 4G LTE tablet on stock android 3.2. It is rooted.
EDIT 2: I also noticed that Google Maps and other such apps are no longer on my device. I noticed that Google Services Framework (not sure of words) are on my other devices but not on this one. I tried going into the check for system update settings and it crashed giving me almost the same message as the Google Play Store crash force close message

redlinkfs said:
Last night I was trying to root and flash a custom rom to my tablet, I wasn't able to finish flashing the rom because I noticed Google Play Store wasn't opening. I couldn't download Rom Manager or any other apps for that matter. I was doing everything I could from clearing the cache, data, even wiping the data and cash in the fastboot mode and flashing another GApps to the tablet. Everything I've tried won't get me anywhere. It tells me to log in with an account, then immediately says: The application Google Play Store (process com.android.vending) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. I did try flashing a rom through fastboot mode, even though it didn't do anything, so I thought this might be the problem? I haven't tried anything else yet. Any help is appreciated.
EDIT: I have the SCH-i815 verizon 4G LTE tablet on stock android 3.2. It is rooted.
EDIT 2: I also noticed that Google Maps and other such apps are no longer on my device. I noticed that Google Services Framework (not sure of words) are on my other devices but not on this one. I tried going into the check for system update settings and it crashed giving me almost the same message as the Google Play Store crash force close message
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recall having FC issues with previous tabs. Repaired by Fixing Permissions in CWM.
HTH

Hi there,
If anyone still encountering FC/not dowloading apps for Playstore or market, it might also be the cause of new partition or something like that, you can try this another option freely other than fixing permission of vending.apk on /system/app/..
This might help you guys .
1. check if cache folder has "download" folder inside it, if it no download folder then create one inside /cache, e.g. mkdir /cache/download.
2. then chmod the /cache folder to 777, also make sure the com.android.vending folder is present inside /data/data/ folder.
3. You can achive it through shell terminal.
Hope this helps you guys fix the FC(Force close or not downloading apps on playstore or market).
Hit thanks if it helps.
Thanks
~imon

[Q] Manually link app files and dalvik cache via Terminal Emulator

Hay!
I have been using s2ext and Link2sd for a while now and I'm tired of having problems like:
- mount error
- permission denied
- phone storage space is getting low
- phone storage not changing (even after uninstalling several large apps)
- wondering if the links worked or if storage is getting used by duplicate files
- or just simply not having any idea what these apps are doing.
I saw in a few posts people posting that they linked the apk and dalvik cache themselves and I have been searching xda, androidforums and google without finding how. Is there a guide or a link somehow that explains:
1. How to determine if a file is a symlink or a regular file in terminal emulator.
2. The folders in which I should create the aliases and the folders to which the latter should point.
** I know that when I will update my apps, the links won't be valid and I will have to relink, I can live with that.

NaturalBornCamper said:
Hay!
I have been using s2ext and Link2sd for a while now and I'm tired of having problems like:
- mount error
- permission denied
- phone storage space is getting low
- phone storage not changing (even after uninstalling several large apps)
- wondering if the links worked or if storage is getting used by duplicate files
- or just simply not having any idea what these apps are doing.
I saw in a few posts people posting that they linked the apk and dalvik cache themselves and I have been searching xda, androidforums and google without finding how. Is there a guide or a link somehow that explains:
1. How to determine if a file is a symlink or a regular file in terminal emulator.
2. The folders in which I should create the aliases and the folders to which the latter should point.
** I know that when I will update my apps, the links won't be valid and I will have to relink, I can live with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would like to know that too

Cannot install APK files?

I have Android 7.0 on my Note 5. I'm trying to install an older version of Gmail (I have the Unknown Sources thing already turned on) . I have tried downloading the APK files from various sites, but every time I click "install" it always says it can't install the file because it's corrupt.
I've had a few updates since getting the Note (it's been about a year now since I got it from AT&T) and I think one of those updates may be what's causing it to stop installing the APKs. Obviously other changes have been made under the hood, but it has to be the OS because I could install APKs when I first got the phone (back when it had Marshmallow on it).
I've tried wiping the cache and even doing a factory reset and it still won't install the APK file. I've tried several APK files and I keep getting the same response; App not installed. The package appears to be corrupt.
What's really odd is yesterday I was reading an article and it mentioned installing a APK for Google Now integration with Nova Launcher. I thought what the heck and downloaded the APK. It installed without any problems. I got this APK from the same place (APKMirror) I was getting the older APK versions of Gmail. I wonder why this one worked and the Gmail ones didn't?
If anyone could help me out I would appreciate it.
Thanks.

I managed to install an older version of ES File Explorer this morning. I got it from the APKMirror webite. Unfortunately, none of the Gmail APKs will work. Obviously I can still install APK files, so I'm going to have to search around on some other sites and see if I can find a good one for Gmail.