yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Magisk] Zwulf:
Thx. Already read through issues - my issue is listed there, but that struggle I had was that one here. So, as you say this is normal - so it is an issue that is obviously not fixable. Well, correct me if I'm wrong - even if I use Aurora + Fake Store apps should be able to verify purchased status (e.g. and most important for me: substratum themes) but they don't. So as this doesn't work, I thought I did something wrong or something went wrong with installation.

I did now try with patched Play Store and that worked. Substratum themes can verify purchased status. But if that is only possible with Play Store there is almost no point in using microG, then I could also use OpenGapps, what I just won't anymore. I wanted a Google-free phone, which means no Google services and trackers running in background. I'm pretty sure that even patched Play Store running with microG still contains trackers like Crashlytics, Firebase, Doubleclick,...

What I thought microG would be: a way to install my bought apps on a free phone without digging too deep into Google stuff. What it is (at least for me actually): just reducing proprietary stuff, but still running closed-source non-free services like Play Store in background, phoning home, sending more than the minimum necessary data. No verification of purchased apps without proprietary Play Store possible. Quite disappointing for me. If there was a possibility to get my substratum themes back and the Guitar Tabs Pro in-app purchase without (even patched, but still closed-source) Play Store that would be great.

If that is not possible with Aurora + Fake Store I see no point in installing NanoDroid at all. Just microG apks would be enough to get GCM working. Want no bad blood here, just want to know if I can save space on my device and avoid struggles like that one today if things won't work like I thought they would. Maybe my expectations of possibilities of what NanoDroid can do were just wrong.

Could you please clarify that a bit? Thx! :)
[Magisk] Setialpha:
You need the Play Store for license verification, microG is (more or less) a drop-in replacement for Play Services.

'Just microG' apks usually doesn't work, as you need them to be privapps, need privapp permission whitelisting and libs unpacked.

You can save space easily by telling NanoDroid what to install or not.
[Magisk] Zwulf:
So, in short when installing NanoDroid (I know in both cases microG is the base): license verification with Play Store is possible while license verification is not possible with only Aurora/Yalp + Fake Store, right?
[Magisk] Setialpha:
I'll do some testing latr this week.
[Magisk] PoochyX:
You practically wrote an essay

([emoji3590]09-09-18[emoji813])
[Magisk] Zwulf:
So what?
[Magisk] temporarium:
At least his posts are understandable... Well, mostly ?
[Magisk] Zwulf:
Not to irritate new users, documentation ( https://gitlab.com/Nanolx/NanoDroid#installation ) should be updated. Under issues "Google Play Services are missing" there should be an information that the signature spoofing permission isn't available when using Nanolx patcher (as you mentioned).

Also there should be an information in documentation that license verification only works if Play Store is installed. In documentation it's only mentioned that Play Store is patched to allow in-app purchases, but not that verification of already purchased apps is also not possible without it. Users should know that when reading official documentation.

At the moment NanoDroid is just another way to install minimal Gapps if you want all important features to work. I'm looking forward to a change of this and verification will hopefully work without PS some time in the future.

(I know that my posts may be annoying to some, but I just want to understand and help others to not get in trouble.)
[Magisk] garylawwd:
Minimal gapps? Its a package to actually go gapps-less.

Signature spoofing permission automatically gets granted (no toggle for it) when using the patcher as it patches services.jar for sig spoofing if your using a deodexed rom with no native signature spoofing.

I agree with you in your hopes that verification will work without ps in future but for now playstore is needed just for purchases.
[Magisk] JobMckenna:
Hello

I patched my system to allow signature spoofing and created an app that declared the following permissions WRITE_SETTINGS, FAKE_PACKAGE_SIGNATURE, WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE(with signatureOrSystem). I placed the app inside /priv-app and booted.

On boot, the app was granted WRITE_SETTINGS permissions which is great. I had a look inside the dex files of the NanoDroid patcher but couldn't find anything relevant. My questions is: Why was it that WRITE_SETTINGS granted on boot while the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE wasn't.

I did some extra testing. I placed android:sharedUserId="android.uid.systemui but couldn't install application because of signature mismatch.

If someone could answer I would be forever grateful.

//grammar
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
Affirmative, NanoDroid is more or less an installer but not for GApps (of any size). It installs mircoG (here is the connected thread). And this is the opening statement of the µG Wiki:
[Magisk] Zwulf:
So Play Store isn't a Google app ("GApp")? I wrote minimal because of that. It's the most minimal package you could get, which is indeed nice, but still not Gapps-free if you depend on license verification. NanoDroid is just build on top of microG, it's not the same. microG itself is Gapps-free, sure, but not patched PS of NanoDroid.

And this should be documented. I think it's important that users understand what happens, not "just do anything". If this would have been written in docs, especially in the mentioned issues section, I wouldn't have posted here at all. I think it's important for users to understand that working signature spoofing doesn't lead to working license verification. It's only about users that are new to better understand how it works so they can solve issues themselves without the need for asking or searching many posts just for understanding the way it works and which components do which things. Exact information is better than having to guess. ;)

:good:

---------- Post added at 11:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ----------

I was talking about NanoDroid, not microG. And "if you want all important features to work" (read: license verification) you need a Gapp (PS). But I understand your point, didn't want to say NanoDroid is bad in any way, and sure it's main goal is to install microG, but that is possible through other ways also. So what it makes unique is working license verification (with patched PS).

But you're right, shouldn't have written that in this way, as it could mislead some. Sorry for that.
[Magisk] Setialpha:
You'll never be able to verify licenses through anything else than Play Store. Google would see that as piracy attempt and sue the hell out of microG.
[Magisk] Andycar:
Maybe it's not entirely relevant to microG or signature spoofing, but as I remember, you need to have the same signature in both SystemUI package and your app with "android.uid.systemui" line in manifest.

That boils down to signing all apk's in /system with the same key, obviously.
[Magisk] Zwulf:
If I read it right that shouldn't be a problem as long as Google APIs are used. Referring to that:

https://xdaforums.com/android/apps-games/galaxy-playstore-alternative-t3739733/post75415765
[Magisk] Setialpha:
You're mixing up two things. Aurora/Yalp Store know whether you're allowed to download an app, because you've purchased it or not.

License verification is done in the apps themselves, and they use Google Play API for that and thus you need Google Play.
[Magisk] d1n0x:
I've been having problems with play store on the latest stable release, downloads never finish, they start and then disappear and get stuck forever. Also I get a few "updating play support libraries" notifications a day

EDIT: ignore, user error with afwall :D
[Magisk] Zwulf:
Did you read that post at all? It's just about what is allowed by Google Play APIs TOS and in short it looks like license verification is in no way forbidden by TOS (so they can't sue the hell out of anyone as it's not forbidden) even without official Play Store as long as official APIs and no hacks and no automation without user interaction are used. Seems like it's just a matter of programming skills rather than being not allowed to fully use APIs without PS. Correct me if I'm wrong but an API is not a specific software but a pipeline for third party software. You just have to use it the way TOS allow you to and if it's not forbidden, theoretically any software could implement that.
[Magisk] flieswithhawks:
Too many people are confused/uncertain/criticising this project and it's intended purpose without even understanding what it is that's attempting to be done here...

May I suggest that if you are at all unsure as to what NanoDroid is or what it's trying to solve, then just stay away from using/flashing it UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE MORE READING/RESEARCH!!!

At the very least, if you don't know what you're getting yourself into then PLEASE DO NOT keep cluttering up this thread with useless drivel (as of late), posts that are OT or even going against the OP. These are basic XDA rules which, I'm guessing, you probably haven't even bothered to read either...
[Magisk] Setialpha:
Define 'Interface'. Well Google purposefully did not say 'server interface', or 'application programmable interface', or 'user interface', so, no yeromin is right, Google *may* act. By their lawyers simply assuming that interface means /any/ interface, which then would include API and UI. In that case microG (= API) and Aurora/Yalp (= UI) would break the TOS.

But that's enough, microG does not intent to implement license verification, at least it's not on mar-v-in's todo list, so what we talk about doesn't matter at all.

No, I'm not saying microG is in danger, especially not after recent EU decisions against Google, but license verification may be a red line, because that's where Google/Developers earn money.
[Magisk] flieswithhawks:
If there is ever a legit 3rd party way (other than PayPal/"the like") to go about verifying purchases so that some of us in the Android user base that want to support app development (but not at a cost to ethics/premise) could do so, then you guys better let me know...
[Magisk] Zwulf:
Things that would help users to understand that: official documentation clearly would state what it is, what it's not, what it can do and what it can't and won't (would be not too hard to do that, would it?). This is not the case, instead users have to search hundreds of posts and still have to guess some things. If this would be the case nobody would have gotten on your nerves here. I'm sorry for that but last post from [MENTION=4187311]Setialpha[/MENTION] was exactly the information I was looking for (and I'm sure I'm not the only one). Users should know what it can do, and why it can't and won't do other things (as he finally explained now) like license verification, would be helpful if documentation contained that infos. Not everyone is a programmer and knows that stuff automatically.

I asked so much just to understand and to get to know if there is a chance for this to be changed, as this is an information that I found nowhere else. I didn't say anything against the OP (just tell me where exactly I did so!), nor did I hiijack this post for anything (just asked for understanding things) nor is this useless drivel just because you don't like it. You don't have to get angry when people try to understand how things work, just because this is an information that is self-evident for you - it's not for others.

I'm sorry if I disturbed anyone's peace here, that was not my intention. Bye.

Edit: sorry for not searching this thread, could have found the infos I needed (Play Store needed) regarding license verification through that. Hoped there was a chance for this to change, but now I know there is no chance at all, so I will say goodbye to anything proprietary Google-related. If I want a paid app, I'll purchase it on Labs (which is quite nice - except that flurry tracker included in Labs). Really didn't want to annoy anyone here, although I did so. That won't happen in the future anymore from my side. Sorry again.
[Magisk] temporarium:
Some developers sell their wares on the Play Store because it's the most popular. There are many who use F-Droid, where you can donate to them. Others via XDA, where you can also find a way to donate. Others still (Threema, for example) let you purchase the license directly from their own website, even using Bitcoin.

Most (not all) microG proponents would most likely favor OSS and would probably never need anything from Google, including their Play Store.
[Magisk] amg314:
Besides Android itself, which, unfortunately, is still needed))
[Magisk] gps3dx:
AFAIK, the issues with G MAPS is due to MicroG's core and *not* Nanodroid.

Nonetheless, I wish to report that with Nanodroid 22.2.20190713

I managed to get G MAPS

v9.84.2

working w/o any issue. inc offline maps and user sync :angel::D

Any G MAPS version above v9.84.2, AFAIK, will NOT work with MicroG ( or only partially like w/o being able to download offline maps, or the vector online map itself won't show up ).:eek:

I didn't install Nanodroid's "Maps API v1" - and G MAPS app still works. ( I don't care about 3rd party app that uses G map's API ).

I can GUESS that v9.84.2 works with prior and newer versions of Nanodroid.

As Location Backend I selected all BUT Radiocells.org ( i.e DejaVu, Apple & Mozilla ) in UnifiedNlp Settings.
[Magisk] ChrisDavis0412:
I have a question. I flashed Nanodroid-patcher and Nanodroid-microG. I didn't know flashing just those two would "debloat" my LineageOS install. Is it possible to get my stock apps back?
[Magisk] flieswithhawks:
If you can't beat em, join em... Sadly this is all too true.

---------- Post added at 01:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 AM ----------

I wasn't referring to you in particular and I do realize that the learning curve for this stuff is rather high, which is why made my post.

The simple fact is that having a decent knowledge of these things requires a great deal of effort to do so, and most people won't put in the work/ want others to do it for them and then they never learn themselves.

Also, the OP is rather clearly written and descriptive as to what it does. Easy to understand IMO.

Cheers.
[Magisk] gps3dx:
Debloating happens since you didn't made a config file by "installing" the "setupwizard-*.zip" in which you DESELECT the debloating features of nanodroid.

but no fear - as long as you have the rom zip you used - you can always reinstall everything W/O any need to loose /data ( i.e app's data & config partition ).

so do:

just to be safe - enter recovery and CREATE A BACKUP !

In recovery, only wipe: /system, /cache & /dalvik -

*NOT*

/data !

install rom & any 3rd party kernel if you use.

install Nanodroid's setupwizard ( ONLY NEEDED ONE TIME TO INSTALL & CONFIGURE IT PER NANODROID VERSION )

Read Nanodroid README for any issue/Q about it

only then install Nanodroid main large zip & Nanodroid patcher.

wipe /Dalvik & /Cache again.

reboot.

Don't be surprised that you need to allow any app any permission you approved before & that you need to re-login into google account through MicroG core. ( that's how it is, if you decide to work with MicroG based solutions).
[Magisk] ChrisDavis0412:
Alright, thanks. I was hoping there was a way that didn't require a reinstall. The setup wizard crashed TWRP so I couldn't use it.

It's gonna be rough wiping /system because I will have to deodex manually again :(
[Magisk] Keule-Tm:
…and is Open Source itself (see LineageOS etc).
[Magisk] Setialpha:
That's not intended and fixed in develoment version.

To get them back, issue the following command in a Terminal on-device, as root:

novl -c
[Magisk] Ice Fire:
Hey,

Does the Play Store, which is coming included in the flashable zip, have to constantly detect root after detecting it once because, even though it is not using root it stoped working after i enabled Magisk hide on it.
[Magisk] garylawwd:
Why would you hide the playstore in magisk anyway? Root doesnt effect the playstore
[Magisk] ChrisDavis0412:
Thank you, that worked out.
[Magisk] Ice Fire:
I just wanted to exclude every app from root access that do not need it.
[Magisk] garylawwd:
Adding stuff to magisk hide list that doesn't need to be there may cause issues like you're experiencing. Its written in the magisk documentation to only add apps which are necessary.

If an app works normally without being on the magisk hide list then leave it alone. Its designed to work with only troublesome apps that refuse to work properly once root is detected
[Magisk] Setialpha:
Magisk Hide does not prevent root access (by definition), but more so root detection. Play Store does not detect root itself, it uses Safety Net externally (which uG doesn't pass currently anyway), so it is enough to add Magisk Hide for DroidGuard Helper (which it does by default).

root access = an app requests root permission

root detection = an app checks whether device is rooted

tl;dr what you do isn't required and gives you no benefit.
[Magisk] pseudoheld:
I just installed the latest version and no play store is showing up for me only aurora store.

In my app list under system apps there is an entry for the fakestore but its on 69,63KB large.

Trying to install the playstore from the f-droid repo gives me an error.

Tried with both full nanodroid and nanodroid-microg.

What am I doing wrong?
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
For quite a while (please search the thread for the exact date/version) Aurora is the default store. If you want Google Play Store, please either run the setup-wizard again or manually change the respective content of the .nanodroid-setup file. Afterwards flash again the Nanodroid-microG-sub-module.
[Magisk] eigerzoom:
google playstore hasn't worked for me since beta1 July 3rd build, which is what i've been using

if choosing google playstore is f-droid also needed to update the playstore patch from the repo or something?

i never select f-droid in setup-wizard, because it worked that way before...

just trying to understand what may be causing this
[Magisk] eigerzoom:
ok but it doesn't make sense that the latest nano releases wouldn't include an updated PS

so i think something else is wrong?
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
At the time of the release of NanoDroid/NanoDroid microG sub-module that's true but if a new Play Store (PS) version is released and in turn modified by Setalphia, the PS only gets updated via F-Droid. Guess there's no reason to release a new NanoDroid version if only a new version of PS is available.

But I don't remember and didn't check if there was a new PS version since the last NanoDroid release. I apologise for that.
[Magisk] eigerzoom:
okay then something else must be wrong since beta2, 7/13, and the 7/28 release all dont work on my device when choosing google playstore...

but i will try including f-droid for troubleshooting purposes and report back
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
All working on our devices as advertised. Please advise if you require any assistance.
[Magisk] Setialpha:
22.3 "Transwarp"

Hi all,

version 22.3 Codename: Transwarp is now available.

Highlights

fixed default setting for nanodroid_overlay accross all packages

include Aurora Services with Aurora Store, add optional Aurora Droid as alternative to official F-Droid client

fix Bromite System WebView user installation in Magisk Mode

Full ChangeLog

## 22.3.20190805 [Transwarp](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Transwarp)

### Bugfixes

* build-package
* fix downloading APKs from repos when NanoDroid repo clone is empty
* fix default setting of `nanodroid-overlay` variable across packages
* fix downloading APKs from GitHub

* Magisk Module
* fix installing Bromite System WebView as user-app on first boot

### General Changes

* build-package
* support downloading APKs from GitLab
* improve checking NanoDroid integrity
* use cURL instead of wget for downloads

* Full, microG packages
* when installing Aurora Store, also install Aurora Services

* Full, F-Droid packages
* new value `nanodroid_fdroid=2` setup value
* installs Aurora Droid instead of official F-Droid client
* also installs Aurora Services

* SetupWizard
* update to support new `nanodroid_fdroid=2` value
* clearify that `nanodroid_microg=0` does not effect microG package
* clearify that `nanodroid_fdroid=0` does not effect F-Droid package

### Updates

* automatic
* Aurora Droid (1.0.3)
* Aurora Services (1.0.2)
* Aurora Store (3.0.9)
* Blokada (4.1.5)
* Bromite System WebView (76.0.3809.91)
* F-Droid (1.7.1)
* OsmAnd+ (3.4.5)
* Simple Calendar (6.5.4)
* Simple Gallery (6.9.1)

Download links

Download from Nanolx.

Bug reporting

In case of errors, please provide

/data/media/0/MODID_log_INSTALLDATE

/data/media/0/MODID_twrp_INSTALLDATE

SysTest package logfile

logcat (if applicable)
[Magisk] dhacke:
[MENTION=4187311]Setialpha[/MENTION]

I just want to inform you that the nanodroid bromite webview in version 22.3 fixed my problem which i had.

Now bromite webview is recognized in the dev options of my rom. Thanks for your work.
[Magisk] Setialpha:
build-package report (work-in-progress)

Hi everyone,

for a while now I had in mind to create a package report for each release. So here's the very first implementation in the development version (read: git repo). You can now create a (currently limited to APKs) package report using:

build-package report

What's currently missing:

report for libraries

report for configuration files (/system/etc)

report for binaries, tools, et cetera

Attached find the APK-report that equals to version 22.3.20190805 and let me know if there's room for improvement (I don't need to know if you don't need it at all, btw.)
[Magisk] Tisckkytt:
Is this included in the yesterday's build of nanodroid?
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
On 20190806, I flashed NanoDroid µG sub-module 22.3.20190805. Attached screenshots show the µG Services Core version (0.2.8-17785-mapbox (17785016)) that is now installed. Obviously no update yet via F-Droid.
[Magisk] Setialpha:
Yes, but that's an official nightly test build, that'll never be published through F-Droid.
[Magisk] Oswald Boelcke:
Oh, I know that. It's a matter of the F-Droid process. But I wasn't sufficiently precise in my post; I intended to say that there isn't a new µG Services Core release since NanoDroid µG sub-module 22.3.20190805 has been released.
[Magisk] ydd0ras:
Hey guys, I have just tried after deodexing the services.vdex manually, to flash the ND patcher on my new Xiaomi Mi 9T (actually on Paranoid Android 9.0). When applying 22.3.20190805 or 22.0.20190713 i get the message: !! failed to mount /system )unsupported A/B device) Updater process ended with ERROR: 1

When I try older versions, then get:

!! failed to apply patches Updater process ended with ERROR: 1

Someone using a K20/Mi 9T too and faced the same?

Btw, had the same on MIUI 10!

Many thanks!
[Magisk] Setialpha:
22.2 fixed an issue with system-as-root on non-A/B devices. So it's likely fixed by using a newer version.
[Magisk] ydd0ras:
Could it be TWRP issue? Won't work. I have no clue, why not!
[Magisk] eigerzoom:
So i tried enabling f-droid to try and solve the non functionality of every release since beta1 on my device (lg v30+) (google playstore doesn't open)

it didn't solve the issue in the latest release

google playstore will open until i add a google account through microg and then all i get is a white screen if opening google playstore

also my calendar isn't sync'd even though the accounts settings says it synced, absolutely nothing shows in my calendar which states no calendars are synced in the calendar app

microg self check - phonesky has correct signature is unchecked

please read my previous comments
[Magisk] DiabolusExMachina:
Hi! So what is the preferred way to upgrade nanodroid? Just update the packes over fdroid or flash the newest nanodroid release with twrp?

I'll ask because you seem to change things that I don't get for example aurorar services