Corona apps not available on Android tablets that has "landscape lock" ?

Solar2D Android
#1

I recently got a report from a customer who tells me that our product (Puzzingo) all of a sudden can’t be found in Google Play via his android device. He did some more digging for us. (The customer happens to work for a smaller android tablet maker and had access to beta devices).

It appears that the source of the problem is that this company’s tablet is intended to only be used in landscape mode. And when they put a “landscape lock” on it, then our app disappears from the list of available apps. It seems the problem is that Corona SDK requires that the Android tablets support portrait mode, even though our app only requires and support landscape made.

I did some digging around and it does appear to be the case. Attached screenshot from Google Play shows that our Corona App requires the portrait mode, but our build.settings clearly does not require it:

        orientation =
        {
            default = “landscapeRight”,
–            content = “landscapeRight”, – this locks the orientation
                supported =
                {
                
–                        “landscapeLeft”, “landscapeRight”, “portrait”, “portraitUpsideDown”,
                        “landscapeLeft”, “landscapeRight”
                },

        },
            
Can someone tell me if I am understanding this correctly? Also, is there a way for us to configure around this issue? I don’t know how many landscape-only devices are out there, but we definitely want to make sure we work across all devices possible!

Thanks,

Andrew

#2

Try adding the following to your “build.settings” file…

settings = { android = { usesFeatures = { { name = "android.hardware.screen.portrait", required = false }, { name = "android.hardware.screen.landscape", required = false }, }, }, }

 
 
The above settings tell the app store that “portrait” or “landscape” orientations are not required.  So, this will allow a device that does not support portrait or landscape orientations to buy your app.  At least that’s the theory.  I’ve never seen an Android device not support portrait or landscape before.
 
Just so you know, the above feature settings were taken from Google’s website here…
   http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/uses-feature-element.html#hw-features
 
We document our “usesFeatures” option in our “build.settings” file here…
   http://docs.coronalabs.com/daily/guide/distribution/buildSettings/index.html#features
 
I hope this helps!

#3

@Josh Thanks for the speedy response as always! I’ll give this a try and let you know if we still run into troubles.

Yeah, I find it a bit puzzling as well that the device maker would actually turn off a particular orientation support. But I think they are pretty determined to make sure the device is only used in landscape.

Thanks!

Andrew

#4

Happy to help Andrew!

I’ve also written this up to be investigated in the future in case this is something that Corona is triggering by mistake.  Or at least to see if we can automatically add the appropriate AndroidManifest.xml settings to avoid this issue.  Thanks for bringing this up.

#5

Try adding the following to your “build.settings” file…

settings = { android = { usesFeatures = { { name = "android.hardware.screen.portrait", required = false }, { name = "android.hardware.screen.landscape", required = false }, }, }, }

 
 
The above settings tell the app store that “portrait” or “landscape” orientations are not required.  So, this will allow a device that does not support portrait or landscape orientations to buy your app.  At least that’s the theory.  I’ve never seen an Android device not support portrait or landscape before.
 
Just so you know, the above feature settings were taken from Google’s website here…
   http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/uses-feature-element.html#hw-features
 
We document our “usesFeatures” option in our “build.settings” file here…
   http://docs.coronalabs.com/daily/guide/distribution/buildSettings/index.html#features
 
I hope this helps!

#6

@Josh Thanks for the speedy response as always! I’ll give this a try and let you know if we still run into troubles.

Yeah, I find it a bit puzzling as well that the device maker would actually turn off a particular orientation support. But I think they are pretty determined to make sure the device is only used in landscape.

Thanks!

Andrew

#7

Happy to help Andrew!

I’ve also written this up to be investigated in the future in case this is something that Corona is triggering by mistake.  Or at least to see if we can automatically add the appropriate AndroidManifest.xml settings to avoid this issue.  Thanks for bringing this up.

#8

Andrew,

After some investigation, we’ve found what was causing a Corona built app to require a “portrait” orientation and have found a solution.  As of daily build #1184, a landscape only app will no longer require a portrait orientation unless you specifically set it for yourself via the “usesFeature” build setting.  Note that the work-around I posted up above where setting portrait to not required will work as well.

Also, I’ve discovered that the Nvidia Shield is one of those devices that does not support portrait only apps.  We have a couple of those devices in the office and it makes perfect sense considering the form factor.  So, if you want to support that device and your app is landscape only, then this is a very important thing to note.

And thanks for bringing this issue up.

#9

@Josh - thanks for the great followup. It’s great to know!

#10

I just download your Puzzingo app on my Nvidia Shield.  I’m guessing you’ve set up your to not require portrait orientation, right?  If so, then it’s working!

Assuming that this is your app here…

   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sx.puzzingo&hl=en

#11

Oh and here is another interesting thing we just discovered.  Nvidia shield pushed out an update recently that allows it to buy/download portrait only apps from Google Play anyways.

#12

Josh - yes, that is our app. Yeah, we put in the work around that you suggusted before…

Argh… and all that work. :slight_smile: Many thanks!

#13

Andrew,

After some investigation, we’ve found what was causing a Corona built app to require a “portrait” orientation and have found a solution.  As of daily build #1184, a landscape only app will no longer require a portrait orientation unless you specifically set it for yourself via the “usesFeature” build setting.  Note that the work-around I posted up above where setting portrait to not required will work as well.

Also, I’ve discovered that the Nvidia Shield is one of those devices that does not support portrait only apps.  We have a couple of those devices in the office and it makes perfect sense considering the form factor.  So, if you want to support that device and your app is landscape only, then this is a very important thing to note.

And thanks for bringing this issue up.

#14

@Josh - thanks for the great followup. It’s great to know!

#15

I just download your Puzzingo app on my Nvidia Shield.  I’m guessing you’ve set up your to not require portrait orientation, right?  If so, then it’s working!

Assuming that this is your app here…

   https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sx.puzzingo&hl=en

#16

Oh and here is another interesting thing we just discovered.  Nvidia shield pushed out an update recently that allows it to buy/download portrait only apps from Google Play anyways.

#17

Josh - yes, that is our app. Yeah, we put in the work around that you suggusted before…

Argh… and all that work. :slight_smile: Many thanks!