App has "encountered a lua error or been corrupted" on Android

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#21

Update: I followed up with one of the users and provided them a previous version of our apk (Corona build 986).  It works fine.  

So to confirm your understanding:

  1.  So far this has only been reported by Xperia Z users. 3 reports for me and  3+ for Ian.  

  2.  I re-checked my release notes and I was mistaken – our previous version for android was built with build #986.  I have a different app that was on #1137 and I have had no complaints (165k downloads).  I can’t be 100% sure that 1137 is ok, only that 986 is.

  1. The user I have been working with is on Sony Android 4.2.2.  I can’t be sure it isn’t happening on earlier versions.  

FWIW, I was able to install the latest available Sony Add-on in SDK Manager. Unfortunately the SDK is out of date 4.1.2 (API 16).  When tested with Sony 4.1.2 add-ons in the emulator, our app worked fine – no errors in logcat.  Not sure when Sony will provide an update for their Add-on SDK to bring it up to 4.2.2 and I’m not sure the problem would happen in the emulator anyway.

#22

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if there has been any update on this at all?

I still haven’t managed to get hold of an Xperia Z device.

Brett - have you guys had a chance to look into this at all?

Happy to send you some code - how would you like to receive it? I can e-mail a zip file over?

Cheers,

Ian

#23

Hi Ian, @dvboren,

I have an update for you (although not ideal). We’re going to test this, but we need to obtain one of these phones. That will take some time, then we need to schedule it in for testing. So, this isn’t likely to happen in the immediate future (as in, not this week or anything).

At this point, we also need to confirm that the issue isn’t being caused by something specific to your apps. Although it may not seem likely, sometimes the weirdest, seemingly unrelated thing will cause an app to crash. For example, people are reporting XPeria devices crashing if the Thai language is enabled on their phones: http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/124269?start=60&tstart=0. So, we need to test some basic Corona-built projects on this phone (like “Hello World”), but of course, we don’t yet have the phone… chicken and egg problem here.

In the meantime, the engineers are advising that you temporarily turn off support for the Xperia Z in Google Play. I know this isn’t the final resolution, but at least it would help prevent bad reviews from users until we can investigate this.

Best regards,

Brent

#24

Thanks Brent - good to know you’ll be looking into it. I am trying to get hold of one of these devices myself still but as yet nobody I know has got back to me to say they own one and shelling out several hundred pounds / dollars every time a different Android issue occurs just isn’t an option for most of us.

If I can get hold of one and I get any feedback I’ll obviously post here but otherwise I look forward to hearing back from you. Will remove that device in Google Play for the moment as suggested. I reckon 90% of my support time is spent messing around with different Android devices and I imagine the same goes for you guys. If only everything were as simple as iOS!

Thanks,

Ian

#25

Just to update - I’ve had a second customer get in touch now with the exact same issue. Both are using the same device - the Sony Xperia Z - and the second one had the app working fine until yesterday when it just stopped working and displayed this error.

The default png doesn’t even display - the error literally occurs after pressing the icon to launch the app, and as far as I can tell only on this device.

Is there a chance the device itself is causing the issue because of a software update? Just seems weird that it suddenly stopped working. Neither customer has updated the app prior to the error occurring.

It’s going to cost £400 for me to buy the device which I could really do without but obviously if that’s the only way to figure it out I’ll have to I guess. It’s a popular device so not sure I can just not support it.

If anyone has any ideas that would be great! Life is so much easier with iOS.

Cheers,

Ian

#26

I should also add that if anyone has a Sony Xperia Z and would be prepared to run my APK and send me the log files I’ll happily pay a small fee for their time.

#27

Hi Ian,

Can you be more specific about the “update” you’re talking about? An update to the version of Android on the devices? Or an update to which Corona build you’re using to build the apk?

Brent

#28

Thanks Brent.  Another user today with Xperia ZL (same processor as the Z so I guess that was to be expected).

I did turn off support for Xperia Z in Google Play and for existing users I am providing a link to those who contact our support so they can sideload the previous working version of our app.

Any progress on securing an actual device to test on?

#29

Be happy to test on mine, amount of info back depends on how easy it is to set up logging. :slight_smile: (I already have logging working in Eclipse though, will it appear there?)

Note that the Sony phones come with the Sony-modified Android OS on it. The most major difference is the app switcher in the lower right corner.

Mine is AOS 4.1.2 (the version it shipped with).

#30

Hi all,

To speed up this process, we just ordered an Xperia Z outright. I’m not sure when we’ll get to the actual testing after the device arrives.

In the meantime, you should request the crash report from Google Play. It may provide clues as to what went wrong. Something like a Java exception stack trace. Please do this so we can have something more to base the tests off, when the device arrives.

Thanks,

Brent

#31

Hi Brent,

Thanks for getting back to me.

Sorry - I meant could an update the Sony Experia Z had to its OS have caused this problem? I know different devices can run their own version of Android so I’m wondering if this device is running a slightly altered version.

The issue does seem to be specific to this particular device and occurs before even the default png has had a chance to display. In my mind that would suggest an issue being found when loading the build.settings file but I can’t find an error in that.

I don’t have one of these devices to test on unfortunately and I’m going to bankrupt myself if I have to buy every Android device out there!

Have you heard from anyone else with the same issue - is there anyone there at Corona with one of these devices? Might be worth looking into as I can’t find an issue in my code and the app functions correctly on all 10 of my test devices (iOS and Android).

Thanks,

Ian

#32

Hi Brent,

When you say “request the crash report from google play” do you mean something different than the “Crashes & ANRs” reports in the Google Play developer console?  If we are talking about Crashes & ANRs, I have none at all for the current release(corona build 1177) of our app so no clues there. 

-Dave

#33

Hi Dave,

You’re in the correct place (Crashes & ANRs). If the app was purchased from Google Play, then the Android device is supposed to send a crash report to the Google Play Developer Console. If nothing is getting reported, then perhaps the app is not really crashing? Or perhaps Google Play no longer thinks the app was purchased from the store (failed validation)?

Brent

#34

Hi Ian,

I haven’t heard any other reports of this, but as you say, it’s pretty common for an Android device to be running some “altered” version of the OS. I assume the Xperia is doing exactly that. Is there anything “unusual” with the actual “default” image? Is it immense in overall size (pixels)?

I think we have one Xperia device around for testing, but I’m not sure it’s the same one (“Z”). If you can compile your project into the most basic/core element of showing this issue, I can attempt to test it and see if we can replicate the issue.

Thanks,

Brent

#35

I too am seeing no crash reports in Google for these devices but have had reports from users that this is happening. To be fair I get virtually no crash reports in Google for any of my apps but have received e-mails from customers in the past on various issues with Android so I’m not sure how well Google’s crash reporting actually works.

Thanks for ordering a device - be interested to see what it turns up.

#36

Hi Brent,

Thanks for getting back to me.

The default images are just the usual sizes I always use and that are stipulated in your guidelines. I’ve enabled the largeheap setting too.

I’m happy to send you the APK to see if you can replicate it and a copy of my build.settings file in case you can spot anything obvious in there. Just let me know where to send the files.

I have an older Sony Xperia (not the “Z”) and the app runs fine on that. Very frustrating!

With an older or less popular device I wouldn’t see it as such an issue but this is a very popular device so I’m keen to solve the issue.

Thanks,

Ian

#37

do you know if it runs on

sony xperia zl

htc butterfly

lg optimus g

lg nexus 4

all of these use the same processor.

 

#38

Thanks for the reply.

I don’t have any of those devices for testing or access to any unless I can find someone who has recently got one.

I have the Google Nexus 10 tablet (app works fine on that) but not the Nexus 4 - presume they aren’t the same processor.

#39

Google only listed those devices with the same processor maybe someone in forum has one and can test for you

#40

Thanks - yes if I don’t hear anything definite from anyone who has the Xperia Z it’s worth seeing if anyone has one of the other devices. Will post a separate thread begging for help!