Android "PUBLISH"? IAP problems

Solar2D Monetization (in-app purchases, ads, etc.)
#1

The online docs are incredibly confusing for in-app purchasing. 

I’m trying to test in-app purchases on Google play. I’ve created a test group, uploaded my apk to the “beta version” tab (where the testers are set up). But the app still doesn’t show up for the testers in google play, and when you try to buy an item it still can’t “find the item in the store”.

Google’s docs say you have to upload the app to the beta tab and then “publish” the app. I’m afraid if I do that the version that is uploaded to my Production tab will go live and I don’t want to go live. It doesn’t appear that there is a “publish or not publish” version for each version of the app…it appears to be a global toggle. 

Can anyone help with the steps involved with testing in-app purchases on Google play?

Thanks,

Todd

#2

Is anybody DOING in-app purchases in Corona on Google play? I’ve seen a few posts with questions and not too many replies (other that a link to the tutorial…which sadly doesn’t cover what I’m asking about).

Thanks,

Todd

#3

I’m using IAP with Android. I was testing with live purchases though 'cause I’m a cowboy. Here’s a link that discusses Google IAP, testing and production implementation: 

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/48254-google-iap-heads-up/#entry252141

#4

Thanks…from what I can tell…there’s not much I can do (other than creating a new app strictly for testing, because I already uploaded an apk to the production tab and…pretty much you can’t remove it after that. 

I’m not getting the same results as in the thread…where publishing an app to alpha or beta removes the production apk. In fact a FAQ specifically states that won’t happen.

So I guess I’ll go live to test…which is just…stupid. 

To be clear…I’m totally frustrated at Google…not Corona on this. This is Google’s bad.

Thanks, 

Todd

#5

if you have an *unpublished* draft apk, then all you need to do is upload an apk to beta and publish it.

your *published* beta will take precedence (and wipe out) your draft production.

tho note that once you publish any version, that commits you to doing version number updates.

suggestion:  use 1-99 for alpha/beta, then use 100 to mean “1.0.0” and above in production (unless you think you’ll need > 100 betas, then use 1000=1.0.0.0)

#6

re docs:  it was fairly recently when google changed where you can’t do test IAP’s against a draft production.  I think most of the doc “weirdness” going on there right now is related to that.  best advice is to look for revision dates if present, then ignore anything over 6 months old (-ish, or so).

corona doesn’t help the doc situation either.  go read (carefully) the Syntax block for v3 purchase, here: http://docs.coronalabs.com/plugin/google-iap-v3/purchase.html 

the code sample appears to give a single sku string, the description says it’s an array of strings, huh?

same thing, only worse, for consumePurchase:  http://docs.coronalabs.com/plugin/google-iap-v3/consumePurchase.html

which, in addition to the scalar vs array confusion, also seems to indicate consume can have it’s own listener (apart from the one specified in init), but as of last testing (tho subject to daily revision, since it’s a plugin) that wasn’t the case.

frankly, yes, it’s amazing anyone does IAP on Google!  :D

#7

Will do Dave. Thanks. I’ll take a look at all that.

#8

Is anybody DOING in-app purchases in Corona on Google play? I’ve seen a few posts with questions and not too many replies (other that a link to the tutorial…which sadly doesn’t cover what I’m asking about).

Thanks,

Todd

#9

I’m using IAP with Android. I was testing with live purchases though 'cause I’m a cowboy. Here’s a link that discusses Google IAP, testing and production implementation: 

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/48254-google-iap-heads-up/#entry252141

#10

Thanks…from what I can tell…there’s not much I can do (other than creating a new app strictly for testing, because I already uploaded an apk to the production tab and…pretty much you can’t remove it after that. 

I’m not getting the same results as in the thread…where publishing an app to alpha or beta removes the production apk. In fact a FAQ specifically states that won’t happen.

So I guess I’ll go live to test…which is just…stupid. 

To be clear…I’m totally frustrated at Google…not Corona on this. This is Google’s bad.

Thanks, 

Todd

#11

if you have an *unpublished* draft apk, then all you need to do is upload an apk to beta and publish it.

your *published* beta will take precedence (and wipe out) your draft production.

tho note that once you publish any version, that commits you to doing version number updates.

suggestion:  use 1-99 for alpha/beta, then use 100 to mean “1.0.0” and above in production (unless you think you’ll need > 100 betas, then use 1000=1.0.0.0)

#12

re docs:  it was fairly recently when google changed where you can’t do test IAP’s against a draft production.  I think most of the doc “weirdness” going on there right now is related to that.  best advice is to look for revision dates if present, then ignore anything over 6 months old (-ish, or so).

corona doesn’t help the doc situation either.  go read (carefully) the Syntax block for v3 purchase, here: http://docs.coronalabs.com/plugin/google-iap-v3/purchase.html 

the code sample appears to give a single sku string, the description says it’s an array of strings, huh?

same thing, only worse, for consumePurchase:  http://docs.coronalabs.com/plugin/google-iap-v3/consumePurchase.html

which, in addition to the scalar vs array confusion, also seems to indicate consume can have it’s own listener (apart from the one specified in init), but as of last testing (tho subject to daily revision, since it’s a plugin) that wasn’t the case.

frankly, yes, it’s amazing anyone does IAP on Google!  :D

#13

Will do Dave. Thanks. I’ll take a look at all that.