• pyro

    • Post #1
    • Edited

    I just switched to the new Graphene-internal location provider and it appears to work in all apps using location except for NINA. That app is provided by the "Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance" in Germany and is supposed to display local alerts. It states "Ortungsdienste deaktiviert" (translates to "location services deactivated").

    It used to work when using the Google Location service, but when switching back to that it still claims 'deactivated'.
    So I assume that app uses some kind of non-standard interface to obtain location information. Is there a simple way to figure out what they do, to file an upstream bug report?

    Google Play Link

      5 days later

      pyro I just installed the app, gave it all the permissions it requested, enabled "current location", and I don't get the error message. The system says that it's using location services.

      This is my setup:
      Pixel 6a
      GrapheneOS 2025030700
      Play services 25.08.32 (not sure if that's relevant)

      Before installing the app:

      • Reroute location requests to the OS enabled
      • Network location feature enabled
      • WiFi Scanning and Bluetooth Scanning enabled
      • Play services did not have the location permission

      I didn't adjust these settings after installing the app.

        pyro
        Google Location Accuracy has to be activated for NINA to find current location (Play Services location permission denied), all other location-dependent apps incl. KATWARN and Google Maps do work fine for me with Graphene location provider and 'GLA' switched-off.

            Berlino Google Location Accuracy has to be activated for NINA to find current location

            I didn't need this.

                fid02
                Weird, I needed it for localization in NINA-App on my P8/P9P...seems it is still tied to Google somehow. The only thing I could imagine that is has something to do with registration for gcm if you don't do a fresh app-install!?

                  Try disable memory tapping and allow dynamic code loading. I need to do it with OsmAnd on P9P to get location to work.

                    null
                    Memory tagging already is disabled, the same goes for Dynamic code loading enabled (both default settings). I only get initial current location in NINA-App with Google Location Accuracy enabled, all other location-related settings activated to Graphene Location Provider.

                      @fid02 I see the exact same on a spare phone. Fresh install of GrapheneOS, Reroute location requests to the OS active and NINA works.

                      On my primary phone (that I switched from Google to the internal provider) I get "Ortungsdienste deaktiviert", even after a reinstall of the app. Fun fakt: NINA does not even ask for location permission before displaying the error.

                      The only explanation I have is that some Google specific remnant stayed behind after the switch and somehow NINA is the only app that gets triggered by that.

                      Berlino You appear to have location rerouting disabled which is why you need the Google network location service. You can enable our network location service instead (turn on Network location and also Wi-Fi scanning to make it work with Wi-Fi off), re-enable location rerouting (it's enabled by default) and revoke Location from Play services. This app probably requires network location but we have our own implementation now so you don't need to use the Google Play services one.

                          GrapheneOS
                          Thank you for you answer, location rerouting already is enabled and I totally switched to graphene location service. All location-related apps work like a charm with graphene's service, but NINA additionally needs Google Location Accuracy activated for working service. I think some google fragments are left after switching from google location to graphene location service. Location permission for Play services are denied as well.

                              GrapheneOS
                              No, but I deleted data and cache for NINA on P8 and set it up again with same result. Maybe it has to do with formerly registration for gcm and these fragments are still active/required for NINA to work!? I experience the same as @pyro
                              I'm going to try a reinstall for NINA and test it.

                                A reinstall of NINA ends with 'please wait, NINA is being setup' followed by a message stating an error while registering (Google Location Accuracy switched-off this time).

                                GrapheneOS I did. Same issue again. It claims "location disabled" before even asking for location permission.

                                  5 days later

                                  From the 20250313 changelog:

                                  Sandboxed Google Play compatibility layer: overhaul our default enabled reimplementation of the Google Play location service (location request rerouting) to provide much better compatibility for apps depending on network-based location by always telling apps that the Google Improve Location Accuracy toggle is enabled and providing fallback to GNSS for low power location requests when the OS network location service is disabled as it is by default (unlike Google Play services, which has no fallback, but apps assume users enable the feature)

                                  This reads very much like it could solve the issue.