Signal-android: Camera viewfinder turns black on rotation.

[herrfisk]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
• [x] I am submitting a bug report for existing functionality that does not work as intended
• [x] I have read https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports
• [x] This isn't a feature request or a discussion topic

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Bug description

The camera turns black on rotation but when the device is turned back again the image returns. When the viewfinder is black you can get an image again in the current state by switching back and forth between the front and back camera.

Steps to reproduce

• Compose a message and click the camera button
• Tilt the phone, camera goes black.
• Tilt phone back again and the image is back

Actual result: The camera turns black instead of going into the right rotation (landscape/portrait)
Expected result: The camera should rotate

Device info

Device: LG Nexus 5x
Android version: 8.1.0
Signal version: 4.19.3

Link to debug log

https://debuglogs.org/2a5f1d1e0e413b56869fecd0512373be3114943f3efb3536422c8b28cf0b89c3

[igor2x]

This is a duplicate of #5855 and #4843 and #7442 with possible fix #7449.

I know this was a problem once on my device, but I tried to reproduce right now and I am unable to reproduce a problem. Flipping phone from portrait to landscape and back in message composition works fine in my case. I am having exactly the same device as @herrfisk and exactly the same versions of Android and Signal.

[herrfisk]

Very strange with same setup but different results. I'll have to try clearing cache and data and/or reinstall

[Kage1]

I have the same issue. An interesting querk, when upright with the camera on and rotating it goes black. When already rotated the camera works but rotating upright the camera goes black.

Device info
Device: OnePlus 5
Android version: 8.1.0
Oxygen OS: 5.1.2
Signal version: 4.20.6

Debug log: https://debuglogs.org/5374119d150f4d8fd6b52cc48694e4fec6cafaeaed5ba64130ad4af6a49e77b9

[erik55]

On my Samsung Galaxy S7 it happened a minute ago.

Android 8.0.0
Signal 4.21.0

I does not happen always. I tried it a few times.

Click photo,
portrait mode works,
turn 90 degrees: black in landscape mode.
Turn back to portrait mode: works.

Did it several times with several contacts.

Suddenly for one contact after a second of waiting in landscape mode it began to work. Then I turned it back to portrait mode: now black!

Once it works, it works all the time until I don't use it for some time, then it could get broke again.

What helps is if you click on change camera two times (change to front and again to back camera).

[Dyras]

This happens on both Huawei P20 Pro and Google Pixel XL :(

[mathsen]

Happens also on my Huawei P20 Lite, Android 8

[brs17]

Looks like there is a PR open here with a potential fix: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/pull/7449

[greyson-signal]

There's a new photo capture flow being introduced in #8215 that does not have this problem.