Newpipe: Download page doesn't open from notification

[Fusseldieb]

Version

• 0.19.2

Steps to reproduce the bug

1. Press "a new NewPipe update x.xx is available" from the notifications
2. The browser will open

Expected behavior

The browser to open and to navigate to the NewPipe download page

Actual behaviour

The browser opens, begins to navigate to the NewPipe download page and then suddenly cancels and stays on the last visited page. Happens on Chrome and on both my S7 and S10 and this issue exists since I've first known NewPipe.

Screenshots/Screen recordings

Logs

[PeterHindes]

Have encountered this on multiple devices.

[PeterHindes]

Iirc there is a pull request to make the download happen internally and just launch the installer.

[B0pol]

Iirc there is a pull request to make the download happen internally and just launch the installer.

It was closed, I let you read why here https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/pull/3141

[Stypox]

This seems to be an issue with the browser you are using, for me it has always worked, with Firefox and Firefox Preview browsers

[Fusseldieb]

This seems to be an issue with the browser you are using, for me it has always worked, with Firefox and Firefox Preview browsers

Chrome? It's a pretty common browser. It has even more market share than Firefox, if you will. Also, people will probably use Chrome more often just due the fact alone that this browser already comes preinstalled on all devices who have Google Services (all of them, basically, except maybe clean AOSP roms and such)

But with that out of the way, I'm using the latest Chrome on my phone (at the time of writing).

[B0pol]

Being the most used doesn't prevent from bugs :joy:
I've just tested it with NewPipe 0.19.1:
With Firefox preview, it asks for download confirmation, with Bromite (chromium based) it starts the download as soon as the page is loaded. I can't reproduce your issue.

[Fusseldieb]

Being the most used doesn't prevent from bugs 😂
I've just tested it with NewPipe 0.19.1:
With Firefox preview, it asks for download confirmation, with Bromite (chromium based) it starts the download as soon as the page is loaded. I can't reproduce your issue.

Well, then I'll wait until the next version and screencapture it. There's no way* to reproduce it now, it only happens on the "new version" notification (Android notification).
But it clearly opens the URL (as it's shown on the URL bar) and then midway it's like "screw-it", stops and displays the last visited page on Chrome.

It happened previously on my S7 Edge (Android 7) and now on my S10e (Android 10). It might not even be Chrome, maybe it's the Android version, the framework it runs on (Samsung) or else. But I guarantee you it happens, and not only to me.

* ~I have saved playlists on my device and there's apparently no way to export them, so if I uninstall this version to install the previous, I'll lose everything, hence "no way" to reproduce the issue right now.~

[B0pol]

First: I didn't want to personally attack you, just this argument isn't valid. Look at Vscode repo, this software is widely used but has about 4500 reported issues, and likely more with crashlytics.
And thank you for reporting an issue.

How to try to reproduce:

1. Optional but recommended: Backup your data in settings -> content -> export database
2. Uninstall NewPipe
3. Download NewPipe v0.19.1 from releases page
4. Install it. The notification should appear. If not, close the app and re-open.

At the end, when you recorded, you can update to last version and recover your data in Settings -> Content -> Import database and pick your previously exported database.

[Fusseldieb]

I managed to replicate the issue, but only if the download doesn't exist beforehand. If it asks you "do you want to download again", delete the file and try again. It won't start.

[wb9688]

Maybe we should just link to e.g. https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases/tag/v0.19.2 instead of e.g. https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases/download/v0.19.2/NewPipe_v0.19.2.apk

[Fusseldieb]

Maybe we should just link to e.g. https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases/tag/v0.19.2 instead of e.g. https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases/download/v0.19.2/NewPipe_v0.19.2.apk

That or even better that:

Iirc there is a pull request to make the download happen internally and just launch the installer.

[B0pol]

Can you please test this version and tell if it's resolved? @Fusseldieb @PeterHindes
(You don't need to backup anything, it will install as "NewPipe update", then as another app).
NewPipe_update.zip

[Fusseldieb]

Can you please test this version and tell if it's resolved? @Fusseldieb @PeterHindes
(You don't need to backup anything, it will install as "NewPipe update", then as another app).
NewPipe_update.zip

Just tried this apk. Upon clicking the notification, it opens the GitHub Release page for 0.19.2. Clicking on download there works :)

The only downside with this approach is that less tech-savvy users wouldn't find the file to download.

Also, I downloaded NewPipe once from another page and then tried to update via GitHub, and the certificate didn't match & it cancelled the installation/update.

The first problem would be solved with an internal updater.

The second I don't know, but if the installation fails, the user could be prompted to uninstall & reinstall the app, if that's possible.

Just a suggestion and thanks for your time!

[B0pol]

The only downside with this approach is that less tech-savvy users wouldn't find the file to download.

I don't think it's a problem. Firstly, people using NewPipe know how to install APKs (F-Droid or NewPipe directly). Secondly, people using NewPipe builds from GitHub and receiving these notifications already have installed at least once NewPipe from here https://github.com/teamnewpipe/newpipe/releases. So they will know how to do another time. Lastly, we can add a note saying the apk is in _assets_.

The first problem would be solved with an internal updater.

I've already answered why we won't (at least soon) implement an internal updater: see https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/pull/3141 (spoiler: we prefer to use F-Droid).

Also, I downloaded NewPipe once from another page and then tried to update via GitHub, and the certificate didn't match & it cancelled the installation/update.

It's because NewPipe APKs from GitHub are being built by TeamNewPipe. NewPipe APKs from F-Droid are being built by F-Droid, and the signature keys are therefore not the same, but the package name is still org.schabi.newpipe, so android installer blocks the installation. Also see https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues/1981.

[Fusseldieb]

The only downside with this approach is that less tech-savvy users wouldn't find the file to download.

I don't think it's a problem. Firstly, people using NewPipe know how to install APKs (F-Droid or NewPipe directly). Secondly, people using NewPipe builds from GitHub and receiving these notifications already have installed at least once NewPipe from here https://github.com/teamnewpipe/newpipe/releases. So they will know how to do another time. Lastly, we can add a note saying the apk is in _assets_.

The problem isn't me, but people like my parents, friends who want NewPipe, but don't get how to download it, even if I explain.
At least once in a month someone texts me: "Hey, NewPipe has stopped working for me, what happened?" and when I look, it's out-of-date for like weeks.
This is what I'm saying. If the App doesn't update itself (or doesn't provide an super easy way, people like those won't get it).

I've already answered why we won't (at least soon) implement an internal updater: see #3141 (spoiler: we prefer to use F-Droid).

I don't see a problem with GitHub. The whole code is uploaded here, why shouldn't the APK? And even if it's not 'great enough', someone could still use F-Droid as the host.

It's because NewPipe APKs from GitHub are being built by TeamNewPipe. NewPipe APKs from F-Droid are being built by F-Droid, and the signature keys are therefore not the same, but the package name is still org.schabi.newpipe, so android installer blocks the installation. Also see #1981.

But why? I still trust GitHub more than any other site out there. It's always possible to get a bad file, but it's extremely unlikely with such a project hosted on GitHub.
When I tried to update over that page (F-Droid) and I saw that the certificate didn't match, I got extremely skeptical on why it wasn't the same certificate and headed straight over to GitHub to download it from there.

My experiences of course.

[gkeegan]

But why?

F-Droid builds the apk straight from the source code using their signature, while the GitHub releases are signed with someone else's (@TobiGr ?) signature. This is to prevent the possibility of someone having good source code but uploading an apk that is malicious or something.

It is a security measure F-Droid uses to minimize the chances they get malware onto their platform. They don't allow people to upload their own apks.

If I was the owner of the repo and wanted to upload malware into the release, I could, but that would not work on F-Droid.