meteor cordova in-app apk update silently fails

Question

I am trying to implement an autoupdate functionality to distribute an app outside of the regular markets. I use a mix of cordova plugins in order to download and execute a newer version of my app.

I can see that I download the apk to external storage, launch it, allow the installation but then nothing happens (it goes back to my original app).

I have a feeling that this is a permission issue, but I cannot see anything in the logs. If I open the downloaded apk from the filesystem, I can install it without any problems. This is ONLY when I launch the apk from the cordova app, the installation doesn't work.

Here is the code I use to make the update:

/**
 * Begin the download and install of the update for android.
 */
update() {
    let _this = this;
    let update = this._updateResult.get();

    // Check permissions first
    let permissions = cordova.plugins.permissions;
    let list = [permissions.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE];

    let errorPermissions = () => {
        sAlert.error("Cannot update permissions");
    };

    let successPermissions = () => {
        let fileTransfer = new FileTransfer();

        // let targetLocation = cordova.file.externalDataDirectory + "app.apk"; // better use externalCacheDirectory
        let targetLocation = "file:///storage/emulated/0/Download/"+"app-1.4.1.apk";
        console.debug("Begin update in appManager ", update);
        console.info("Download file", update.apk);
        console.info("Download to ", targetLocation);

        let onSuccess = (entry) => {
            let fileURL = entry.toURL();
            console.debug("download complete!", fileURL);

            cordova.plugins.fileOpener2.open(
                fileURL,
                'application/vnd.android.package-archive',
                {
                    error: function (e) {
                        console.log('Error status: ' + e.status + ' - Error message: ' + e.message);
                        _this._updating.set(false);
                    },
                    success: function () {
                        console.log('file opened successfully');
                        _this._updating.set(false);
                    }
                }
            );
        }
        let onError = (error) => {
            _this._updating.set(false);
            console.log("download error source " + error.source);
            console.log("download error target " + error.target);
            console.log("download error code" + error.code);
        }
        let options = {
            chunkedMode: true,
            mimeType: "application/vnd.android.package-archive"
        };

        fileTransfer.download(
            encodeURI(update.apk),
            targetLocation,
            onSuccess,
            onError,
            options,
            true // trustAllHosts
        );
        fileTransfer.onprogress = (progressEvent) => {
            if (progressEvent.lengthComputable) {
                let percent = Math.floor((progressEvent.loaded / progressEvent.total) * 100);
                _this._updating.set(percent);
            } else {
                _this._updating.set(true);
            }
        };
    }

    permissions.hasPermission(list,
        function (status) {
            console.debug("permissions status is", status);
            if (status.hasPermission) {
                successPermissions();
            } else {
                permissions.requestPermissions(
                    list,
                    function (status) {
                        if (!status.hasPermission) {
                            errorPermissions();
                        }
                        successPermissions();
                    },
                    errorPermissions
                );
            }
        }, errorPermissions);
}

I also tried to add other permissions like INSTALL_PACKAGES, DELETE_PACKAGES, RESTART_PACKAGES...

I suppose the only important part of the code should be

cordova.plugins.fileOpener2.open(
                fileURL,
                'application/vnd.android.package-archive',
                {
                    error: function (e) {
                        console.log('Error status: ' + e.status + ' - Error message: ' + e.message);
                        _this._updating.set(false);
                    },
                    success: function () {
                        console.log('file opened successfully');
                        _this._updating.set(false);
                    }
                }
            );

My logs show 'file opened successfully', any help much appreciated :)

Answer 1

After checking the code of the fileopener2 plugins, I found that intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP); was commented out, I tried adding the flag and now the update works.