It's new also to me, I need to investigate.
I can't exclude a new protection feature added silently by google or maybe by some car maker.
To keep an app working is an endless job, every time you solve an issue, there's a new feature or limitation that breaks something else. And so on forever.
I'm sorry to to hear that you can't still use the app.
Thanks for your patience
Android AUTO - official discussion
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
Yea I totally get it must tiring and a neverending job to keep the app alive and for the record I think you did amazing job introducing new features and improving this app which I find genuinely useful, so thank your very much for all your work! If we can support you in some way, buying you a coffee or something don't hesitate to let us know, you deserve it!
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
Ciao admin
Anche io ho acquistato l'app di recente, complimenti per l'impegno, veramente bella e semplice,e soprattutto una delle poche che funziona con android auto ( con il piccolo handicap che si riesce a visualizzare solo da fermi
)ma penso che questo ostacolo sia risolvibile vista la bravura nel creare un App così fantastica!
Anche io ho acquistato l'app di recente, complimenti per l'impegno, veramente bella e semplice,e soprattutto una delle poche che funziona con android auto ( con il piccolo handicap che si riesce a visualizzare solo da fermi
)ma penso che questo ostacolo sia risolvibile vista la bravura nel creare un App così fantastica!Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
Your support here is a great help for me and it's everything I need from you 
Thanks Tollo 84 for your trust
I checked the possibile reasons but there's something not completely clear to me, it seems something related to the limitation of the driver's distraction, but I can't understand if it comes from Android Auto or from the car.
Can you give me more details about the behavior? Does it happen instantly when you start the app of after some second/minute of driving? Does it happen both starting the app from AA and from the smartphone (old method)?
Can you try to disable the last 9 fields tapping on the on the smartphone's screen and let active the first 3 only, then launch AA and check if the limitation is still present? I'm wondering if the issue is related to the high number of screen refresh requests or to the too high layout complexity (it seems ridiculous but in AA it's required a very basic layout).
thanks
Thanks Tollo 84 for your trust
I checked the possibile reasons but there's something not completely clear to me, it seems something related to the limitation of the driver's distraction, but I can't understand if it comes from Android Auto or from the car.
Can you give me more details about the behavior? Does it happen instantly when you start the app of after some second/minute of driving? Does it happen both starting the app from AA and from the smartphone (old method)?
Can you try to disable the last 9 fields tapping on the on the smartphone's screen and let active the first 3 only, then launch AA and check if the limitation is still present? I'm wondering if the issue is related to the high number of screen refresh requests or to the too high layout complexity (it seems ridiculous but in AA it's required a very basic layout).
thanks
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
I finally managed to replicate the problem, now I can hopefully limit the search to some specific constraints only.
In my test I usually set the "2 Tabs" layout option for Android Auto, but the issue appears only when "1 tab" layout is set, at least with my car.
Can you verify if the same happens in your car?
If confirmed, I think the issue is related to a car maker limit for gridTemplate fields that is exceeded when the app tries to use a 12 fields grid in the "1 tab" layout, instead of 6 fields of the "2 tabs".
In my test I usually set the "2 Tabs" layout option for Android Auto, but the issue appears only when "1 tab" layout is set, at least with my car.
Can you verify if the same happens in your car?
If confirmed, I think the issue is related to a car maker limit for gridTemplate fields that is exceeded when the app tries to use a 12 fields grid in the "1 tab" layout, instead of 6 fields of the "2 tabs".
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
I did have a chance to check the behavior extensively today and these are my findings (in Skoda Kodiaq II 2024):
- the number of active fields doesn't make any difference (it's the same no matter if only 3 or all 12 are active)
- if the vehicle is parked or stationary the app can be always started either from the phone or the infotainment and all values will display normally
Now, if the vehicle is in motion things get more complicated, what I find is that these two things play some role:
- 1 tab layout or 2 tab layout
- If you first start the app on the phone or on the infotainment
First, I should probably mention that I have the option to "Automatically connect the adapter on start" active, not sure if that makes any difference or not on the below behavior.
In general, for 1 tab layout it's never possible to start the app from the infotainment and have the values displayed (as long as the vehicle is in motion)
Specifically:
1) 1 tab layout, start the app on the phone first
Start the app on the phone, let it connect, then activate the app on the infotainment - values will display even if the vehicle is in motion. Then disconnect through the phone and connect again through phone and values will be displayed once again. Do it again and values will not display anymore on any further attempts, instead you will see the message. And in any case, the message will be always displayed when using "Connect" button from the infotainment.
2) 1 tab layout, start the app on the infotainment first
Start the app on the infotainment, then start the app on the phone and connect through the phone - values will be displayed even if vehicle is in motion. However, any subsequent disconnects and reconnects will only display the message and as with the first case, the message will be always displayed when using "Connect" button from the infotainment.
3) 2 tab layout, start the app on the phone first
Start the app on the phone, then activate the app on the infotainment - values will display regardless of if you "Connect" through the infotainment or the phone. After disconnecting on phone and connecting again through phone values will be displayed once again. If you try to connect for the second time from the infotainment the message will be displayed and no values will be shown. Any subsequent attempts will only display the message, regardless if you connect through phone or infotainment.
4) 2 tab layout, start the app on the infotainment first
Start the app on the infotainment and connect through the infotainment or the phone - values will be displayed even if vehicle is in motion. However, any subsequent disconnects and reconnects will only display the message.
So in a nutshell:
- starting the app on the phone first gives you one more opportunity to display the values. Not sure why that is or if it behaves like this only on my car/phone.
- starting the app in the 2 tabs layout gives you exactly one opportunity to connect through the infotainment and having the values displayed even if vehicle is in motion.
Hopefully this is at least a bit clear and not completely confusing and will be of some use. And if there are some further tests or things to try I will be happy to help.
- the number of active fields doesn't make any difference (it's the same no matter if only 3 or all 12 are active)
- if the vehicle is parked or stationary the app can be always started either from the phone or the infotainment and all values will display normally
Now, if the vehicle is in motion things get more complicated, what I find is that these two things play some role:
- 1 tab layout or 2 tab layout
- If you first start the app on the phone or on the infotainment
First, I should probably mention that I have the option to "Automatically connect the adapter on start" active, not sure if that makes any difference or not on the below behavior.
In general, for 1 tab layout it's never possible to start the app from the infotainment and have the values displayed (as long as the vehicle is in motion)
Specifically:
1) 1 tab layout, start the app on the phone first
Start the app on the phone, let it connect, then activate the app on the infotainment - values will display even if the vehicle is in motion. Then disconnect through the phone and connect again through phone and values will be displayed once again. Do it again and values will not display anymore on any further attempts, instead you will see the message. And in any case, the message will be always displayed when using "Connect" button from the infotainment.
2) 1 tab layout, start the app on the infotainment first
Start the app on the infotainment, then start the app on the phone and connect through the phone - values will be displayed even if vehicle is in motion. However, any subsequent disconnects and reconnects will only display the message and as with the first case, the message will be always displayed when using "Connect" button from the infotainment.
3) 2 tab layout, start the app on the phone first
Start the app on the phone, then activate the app on the infotainment - values will display regardless of if you "Connect" through the infotainment or the phone. After disconnecting on phone and connecting again through phone values will be displayed once again. If you try to connect for the second time from the infotainment the message will be displayed and no values will be shown. Any subsequent attempts will only display the message, regardless if you connect through phone or infotainment.
4) 2 tab layout, start the app on the infotainment first
Start the app on the infotainment and connect through the infotainment or the phone - values will be displayed even if vehicle is in motion. However, any subsequent disconnects and reconnects will only display the message.
So in a nutshell:
- starting the app on the phone first gives you one more opportunity to display the values. Not sure why that is or if it behaves like this only on my car/phone.
- starting the app in the 2 tabs layout gives you exactly one opportunity to connect through the infotainment and having the values displayed even if vehicle is in motion.
Hopefully this is at least a bit clear and not completely confusing and will be of some use. And if there are some further tests or things to try I will be happy to help.
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
Extremely useful and detailed!! thanks
I obtained more or less the same results yesterday night and I found a way to reproduce it on the emulator. The issue seems related to the maximum template quota of 5 layouts and to the way the OS considers a new template instead a refreshed template.
I'm investigating on that.
I obtained more or less the same results yesterday night and I found a way to reproduce it on the emulator. The issue seems related to the maximum template quota of 5 layouts and to the way the OS considers a new template instead a refreshed template.
I'm investigating on that.
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
Update: yesterday and today I massively changed the AA layout management in the app and I probably solved the issue.
Before, the app was sending every new page as a new layout, either for new layouts and old reused layouts, then the quota counter increased for every page change. This is the reason why after 1-2 disconnect+reconnect actions, the app was becoming locked.
I forced all layouts to re-open the previous one when existing: now the quota counter decreases, avoiding to exceed the limit of 5 layouts.
It's a strange layout management strategy in AA, but I understand there is a big focus on the driver's distraction.
After some final test, in some day I should release an update, but as usual you have to consider 5-7 additional days for the google's check. This is currently the time they take.
Before, the app was sending every new page as a new layout, either for new layouts and old reused layouts, then the quota counter increased for every page change. This is the reason why after 1-2 disconnect+reconnect actions, the app was becoming locked.
I forced all layouts to re-open the previous one when existing: now the quota counter decreases, avoiding to exceed the limit of 5 layouts.
It's a strange layout management strategy in AA, but I understand there is a big focus on the driver's distraction.
After some final test, in some day I should release an update, but as usual you have to consider 5-7 additional days for the google's check. This is currently the time they take.
Re: Android AUTO - official discussion
That's great news admin, looking forward to test the new release once it's available in Play Store!