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- Edited
numbersinthenamefield this is maybe a Google friendly distro, which DOES use Firebase or other Google services?
The GrapheneOS Operating system itself doesn't use any Google service, including Firebase.
Do I need Google service for Wechat calls?
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Thanks. Yep.
I was just guessing that maaaaaybe the Wechat version distributed via Google Play might be a different build that the one used in China, and maybe it relies on Googly bits like that... but from the error log, it doesn't seem to be the case.
Thanks!
- Edited
other8026
Thanks!
Good lead!
Just checked - setting is already on "session installer".
I see if you download it directly from weixin.qq.com - it is 252MB.
The size reported by Aurora is 270MB.
Yeah, I'm sure its a different build.
Hmmm - I wonder if I want to risk installing the one from weixin directly :/
Inside Aurora, when viewing the Wechat app, context menu -> Downloads, I can see there are 4 different files downloaded for Wechat...
The base app, and 3 config ones.
Prob one of those are supposed to have the flutter lib in it...
I downloaded them all (long-press-copy-link), and they do add up to 270MB...
Will do some more investigation.
other8026
OK, I downloaded all 4 APKs that Aurora showed for Wechat (the parts), and unzipped them all. The arm64_v8a "config app" contains all the JNI binaries (I guess - not Java stuff).
There 107 .so files in there, but nothing remotely named "flutter".
So - mmmaybe that App was built without flutter? Flutter is Google's cross platform app development thingy...
Maybe this lib is supposed to be present at the OS level, not the app level? Like a global dependency?
other8026 Hmm - one more note:
When I download the full APK from Weixin - it def contains libflutter.co, and libapp.so (from what I read online - these 2 go together).
The 4 files I got from Aurora don't contain these.
Also, the version number on Weixin is a few ahead of what is on the Google play store.
So - I am thinking - probably this is a build-package time defect, where the correct chunks of the app is not rolled into the correct packages which exist in Google Play Store.
Maybe they will fix it?
Maybe it is an Aurora issue, where it is not picking the correct packages to pull from Play store, or maybe not getting all of them?
Anyway - I'm reasonably sure now its not any fault of GrapheneOS.
Maybe possible ways forward:
I do have play store in my Sandbox account...
I think if I sign in there, download app, install, then sign out again, then Wechat form the Owner profile...
OR - looks like you can pick the version to download via Auroa... maybe if I try older (or newer?) versions - it might be fixed there...
Any more ideas?
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The only idea that comes to mind is DO NOT use WeChat. It is not E2EE and has one of the poorest security and privacy ratings. If this does not put you off, I am afraid there is no hope for Harry regardless of what problems you are facing with installation of this pollutant. ANY alternative will be better.
[deleted] haha, yes - 100% agree. Unfortunately need it to communicate with people in China, and Signal is blocked.
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@numbersinthenamefield You should try to install WeChat from Google Play store and report back
numbersinthenamefield I think if I sign in there, download app, install, then sign out again, then Wechat form the Owner profile...
From what you've said earlier, it sounds like you have Google Play installed in another profile? You can try installing it from that profile. Since apps are installed "globally", that should update the one that you have in your other profile that is messed up. You can just keep WeChat in that profile but disabled or not logged in. That profile can handle updating WeChat so it's not messed up again, but also kept up to date.
tl;dr:
I think it was a missing "display over other apps" permission.
OK, I tried this:
Removed 'Exploit protection compatibility mode' on Wechat app.
Uninstalled it.
Logged into Sandbox profile.
Logged into Playstore.
Downloaded Wechat.
Interesting observation: the reported app size is now 150MB, and not 270MB! Maybe its a regional thing? I see in Aurora the language flips between German, Spanish... maybe due to regional settings underneath for the dummy accounts Aurora uses... Version number is the same however.
Swapped profiles back to Owner.
Can't see Wechat app! I thought I'd be here? - I also thought apps are installed globally?
Reboot phone.
Still can't see Wechat in Owner profile.
Logged back into Sandbox profile - Wechat is there.
@&#^$%!
Log out of Sandbox profile with 'End Session'.
Back into Owner profile.
Go into Manage users.
App installs and updates are active for Sandbox.
Under Install available apps its possible to install an app from Owner, into Sandbox... (no Wechat here obvs)
Click on Owner profile - can only change name...
Back into Sandbox.
Uninstall Wechat.
End session, back into Owner.
Install Wechat again. (Didn't run it)
What the heck? Install is done, Aurora prompts to OPEN the app, but I can't see the App icon in the app drawer?!
Ok, app appeared in drawer but it took a while... Strange
Back into Sandbox profile.
Back into Play store.
Install Wechat again. (Didn't run it)
Install took a looong time.
I'm hoping this somehow overwrites the App installed from Owner profile??
Check App Info for Wechat from App drawer. Version looks ok. App size reported at 0.90GB.
End session.
Back into Owner profile.
Wechat is still there.
Check App Info for Wechat from App drawer. Version looks ok. Same.
Storage and cache menu option disabled! Cannot check app install size.
Hmmm
Close App Info. Try again.
Check App Info for Wechat from App drawer. Ok, looks better now. Version looks ok, can also see versionCode value now. Same. App size reported at 0.90GB.
OK!
Run Wechat.
Do the stupid convoluted login ritual... SMS actually arrived this time. Imagine that!
Ok, logged in.
Try voice call. Prompts for permissions. Allow.
Wechat restarts :(
Checked permissions - allow camera, mic, network, sensors. Set location: ask every time.
Enable Exploit protection compatibility mode.
Try sending camera shot in wechat - works.
Try voice call again. CRASH!
Try video call CRASH!
Enable Developer Options.
Plug into USB again.
Check logcat.
Still *&^&$% missing flutter lib!!!! :O
Log out of Wechat.
Back into in Sandbox.
Log into Wechat.
Allow permissions.
Start voice call.
Allow more permissions.
Call starts!!
Permission prompt to display on top of other apps...
Whoa! This is different! didn't get this prompt in the Owner profile
Allow permission.
OK!
Back to Owner profile.
Search in system Settings for "display over other apps"
Enable for Wechat.
Back into Wechat, start voice call.
IT WORKS!!!!
OMG what a PITA!
Along the way also tried installing from Aurora with Native installer option selected - it bombed as you might have expected.
numbersinthenamefield Do the stupid convoluted login ritual... SMS actually arrived this time. Imagine that!
Their login thing is so horrible.
numbersinthenamefield I think it was a missing "display over other apps" permission.
numbersinthenamefield IT WORKS!!!!
This is very weird, but if it's working then this is very helpful info. Thanks for trying so many things and for finally figuring out this very weird solution!
What I tried this time was - before uninstalling, I went into account settings, and reset my password (even though I use a psw manager and know I don't have an incorrect password).
Then, I took note of the "username" which was just my phone number in E164 format:
I also recorded a voice-prompt thing... that is new.
When I logged in again, I did not enter my phone number in the first box, I clicked the link below to log in with another method.
Then chose the "username or qq id login method"-something option.
Then I entered my phone number in that same E164 format as username, and my newly reset password. That seems to work.
I got prompted once for the slidy-thing, and then a SMS, which came through immediately.
Thats it - no drama.
Prior to this, I've always struggled with login... password never works. SMS doesn't arrive. Usually have to do account recover by getting your contacts to send you back a verification code or something.
I dunno if resetting the password made a difference. I'm guessing our account records in wechat-land have been migrated so many times... Probably somewhere along the line - something got mangled or a salt got reset or something.
Resetting it probably made it work in the current system.
Oh, the voice recognition thing cannot be used to log into a new device - only on same device if you logged out, and then trying to log back in...
Thanks again for the help and comments.
3 months later
I'm facing the same issue. I installed it on the sandbox profile through AuroraStore and have given the permission to display on top of other apps. Still, the app crashes everytime i try to call someone. All permissions have been granted, the exploit protection compatibility mode is enabled also.
So what could be the problem now? Do i necessarily have to install it from the play store on the owner profile and then install it to the sandbox profile through GrapheneOS's settings for it to work? Because i don't have play services on my main profile (and don't want to have them), nor have i a google account to use just for that...
poubellier Do i necessarily have to install it from the play store on the owner profile and then install it to the sandbox profile through GrapheneOS's settings for it to work?
No, that wouldn't make a difference I'd expect.
poubellier So what could be the problem now?
Can't know for sure. I found the logs you shared on Matrix and it appears the issue you're experiencing is different. You said you installed it via Aurora. Did you install it using the session installer (if you are/were using an older version of Aurora)? If not, you can try reinstalling.
other8026 I reinstalled Aurora latest version, and WeChat throught the session installer and the app still crashes... I don't know if any fix exists at this point
poubellier
Hi, hmm, trying to decipher my comments above, I think the thing was - go into sandbox account, log into google play, install wechat, then log out of play store, and then log back into owner account.
Maybe have to wait a bit for the app to show / become available. Maybe restart / allow for app optimization.
Then, set permissions against app itself, AND set the"Display over other apps" permission, which sits somewhere in the main android menu, not against the app itself (you can just search for it in the main menu).
So, I guess the logs above on the missing flutter lib, was either a red herring or solved with install from play store.
The enabled permissions I have against the app itself are: camera, mic, music & audio, network, notifications, photo and video, sensors.
And then that other global permission for display over other apps.
Hope that helps.
I'm on version 8.0.37 / 2368
10 days later
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I had the same issue in CalyxOS. In Reddit someone suggested to just download the Chinese version directly from Weixin and install it over the existing installation from the Aurora store. It only updates the installation and the installed language remains the same. But (video) calling works now.
Maybe it would also be an option for GOS and maybe even without google play store.