[Release] Element Android v1.6.26

[bmarty]

Release checklist

Before the release

• Weblate sync, fix lint issue if any (in a dedicated PR)
• Check the update of the store descriptions (using Google Translate if necessary) to ensure that the changes are acceptable to be published to the stores.
• While Weblate is locked, and after the PR from Weblate has been merged, handle all the TODOs in the main strings.xml file
• Run the script ./tools/release/pushPlayStoreMetaData.sh. You can check in the GooglePlay console the Activity log to check the effect.
• Ensure all the required PRs have been merged

Do the release

• Run the script ./tools/release/releaseScript.sh and follow the steps.

Once tested and validated internally

• Create a new open testing release on the GooglePlay console and upload the 4 signed Apks.
• Check that the version codes are correct
• Copy the fastlane change to the GooglePlay console in the section en-GB.
• Push the open testing release to 100% of the users
• Notify the F-Droid team here so that they can schedule the publication on F-Droid
• The application is available to the PlayStore testers (live). Google can take between 1 hour and up to 7 days to approve the release.
• The application is available to the F-Droid users.

Once open testing is live on PlayStore

• Ping the Android public room and update its topic

Once Live on F-Droid

• Update the Android public room topic

After at least 2 days (generally next Monday)

• Check the rageshakes
• Check the crash reports on the GooglePlay console
• Check the Android Element room for any reported issues on the new version
• If all is OK, promote the open testing release to production. Generally using a 100% roll out, but can be a smaller value depending on the release content.
• The application is available to the PlayStore users (live). Google can take (again!) between 1 hour and up to 7 days to approve the release.

Once production is live on PlayStore

• Ping the Android public room and update its topic
• Add an entry in the internal diary

Android SDK2

The SDK2 and the sample app are released only when Element has been pushed to production.

• On the SDK2 project, run the script ./tools/releaseScript.sh and follow the instructions.

Note: if the step ./gradlew closeAndReleaseRepository fails (for instance, several repositories are waiting to be handled), you have to close and release the repository manually. Do the following steps:

• Connect to https://s01.oss.sonatype.org
• Click on Staging Repositories and check the the files have been uploaded
• Click on close
• Wait (check Activity tab until step "Repository closed" is displayed)
• Click on release. The staging repository will disappear

Android SDK2 sample

https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-android-sdk2-sample

• Update the dependency to the new version of the SDK2. It can take a few minutes for MavenCentral to make the library available. You can check status on https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/matrix/android/matrix-android-sdk2/
• Build and run the sample, you may have to fix some API break
• Commit and push directly on main

[ToddCrimson]

Thank you @bmarty

Checking to see if the following issues have been resolved, or are planned for next release?

1. App Crash issue has been resolved? Version 1.6.24 - App Crashes when Phone Locked and an incoming call comes in #8964
2. Some conversations switching to Silent? Version 1.6.24 - Some rooms / conversations switched to "Silent Notifications". #8963

Also, noticing the following red tags on your Github main page. See screenshot:

[ThoreKr]

Is there a timeline when we can see 1.6.26 in app stores? Responses not being displayed is a mayor blow to the user experience and I can't recommend endusers in good conscience to sideload APKs.

[DF3LX]

Is there a timeline when we can see 1.6.26 in app stores? Responses not being displayed is a mayor blow to the user experience and I can't recommend endusers in good conscience to sideload APKs.

The current workaround with opening the context menu of this message, which also shows the content, works only for short answers.

I can't see any effort or marking as a critical bug, which would at least let us understand, that somebody is on it.

[DF3LX]

@bmarty do you have any insights into the duration we will have to expect, till Element is usable again?

[ToddCrimson]

@DF3LX , we had to go back a few version. Take a look at my post here.
#8964 (comment)

Also look at: #8964 (comment)
Specifically for media auth.

If you're using gplay version, use the same logic.

[DF3LX]

@ToddCrimson
Unfortunately Google Play does not offer the possibility to downgrade.

I'm sorry for getting out of the dev pov:

I am co-maintaining a matrix server for ~ 3.000 registered users.
We are (and I think Element too) can't expect everybody to switch releases and or the update path. Element Android is so far beyond the point of "devs will understand it".

The user base is luckily much more diverse.
But to keep that, the amount of frustration (maybe correlates with the amount of user faced errors in published versions?)

There is a real need for a promptly new version, even if it's just the previous version with a higher version number.

But this is in my opinion not something that should originate from a "basic outsider".

I'm happy to help, but it's too much for an outstanding person. #helpwanted

[ToddCrimson]

@DF3LX I feel your requirements. I would love to have the ability to program myself. I'm not that savvy. Another user here like you, trying to find ways to work.

But you can downgrade. Here is what you can do:

1. Delete the app from the phone / device.
2. Download the gplay version directly from here - Specific Links to each version:

--> arm64 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-arm64-v8a-release-signed.apk
--> armeabi - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-armeabi-v7a-release-signed.apk
--> x86 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-x86-release-signed.apk
--> x86_64 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-x86-release-signed.apk

Your android phone will be arm64.

After you download the file. You can install it, just have to enable on your android device the source. In this case your browser. Or you can open file manager. Either way you can install from another source.

[ThoreKr]

After you download the file. You can install it, just have to enable on your android device the source. In this case your browser. Or you can open file manager. Either way you can install from another source.

For non tech-savvy end users I think this is a horrible idea. A lot of malware tries to trick users to install APKs from somewhere. I do not want to be the person who gets them in the habit of just installing applications on their phone from somewhere off the internet.

SchildiChat appears to have been updated. I'm going to take a look at it. Maybe Fluffy as well.
This again seems to be proof of my suspicion that Element (HQ) is the closest runner up to Grafana for being the most misguided open source project.
So much lost potential.

[DF3LX]

@ThoreKr would be very interested in your findings/experience with SchildiChat.

[ToddCrimson]

@ThoreKr , I do hope that they (the group that manages and updates this app) comes back to take a look at all the issues soon. I'm assuming that they have been sort of busy with (1) the other app and (2) new year.

We heavily depend on this to work.

PS: I agree with both your sentiment and am in the same boat guys. I was just trying to find alternative ways so that this can work for you.

I'd be very interested to know your experience with SchildChat and FluffyChat. We didn't have a very good experience.

[DF3LX]

Didn't work for me, and I won't debug this.

As mentioned you can downgrade.
But for a normal user this is the exact click path like downloading sketchy APKs from somewhere.

@ThoreKr comment summarizes it on point.

@DF3LX I feel your requirements. I would love to have the ability to program myself. I'm not that savvy. Another user here like you, trying to find ways to work.

But you can downgrade. Here is what you can do:

1. Delete the app from the phone / device.
2. Download the gplay version directly from here - Specific Links to each version:

--> arm64 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-arm64-v8a-release-signed.apk
--> armeabi - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-armeabi-v7a-release-signed.apk
--> x86 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-x86-release-signed.apk
--> x86_64 - https://github.com/element-hq/element-android/releases/download/v1.6.18/vector-gplay-x86-release-signed.apk

Your android phone will be arm64.

After you download the file. You can install it, just have to enable on your android device the source. In this case your browser. Or you can open file manager. Either way you can install from another source.