Can't uninstall Android app if Android support isn't started

asked 2017-05-10 14:50:23 +0300

Mathieu gravatar image

updated 2017-05-10 15:47:59 +0300

I had installed an app in the past directly from the downloaded apk file: F-Droid.

I just saw that it's now available in the Jolla Store, in the Market Places category, so I figured I'd uninstall the apk and reinstall it from the store.

However, I can't uninstall F-Droid:

  • it doesn't appear in "My Applications"
  • a long-press on the app icon followed by a click on the X button gives me the "Will uninstall in 5 seconds" message, but nothing happens when the timeout expires.

Any other way I can uninstall this app?

This is on a Jolla phone with Sailfish OS 2.1.0.11 (the latest update as of now)

Ok, I think I found what the problem was, thanks to @coderus who, in a comment above, asked whether I had "aliendalvik" launched.

Dalvik being the Android byte-code VM, I assumed that corresponds to "Android Support" in Sailfish.

So I went to the Settings, found "Android Support", and then started it.

I could then remove the app with a long-press on the icon followed by a click on the X button. :)

I guess Android apps can only be removed if the Android Support is running then, which is entirely unobvious.

This seems like a bug, though. Ideally the Android support would be automatically started so that the app can be removed (and probbaly automatically stopped after that)

At worst, there could be an error message asking the user to start the Android support as that's required to uninstall the app. That would be a much worse UX than just doing the right thing, but at least it wouldn't silently fail.

I'm editing this question to reflect that.

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Comments

could you please give the sfos version and the device?

cemoi71 ( 2017-05-10 14:55:17 +0300 )edit

Oops, I forgot, sorry. I added them now.

Mathieu ( 2017-05-10 15:28:26 +0300 )edit
1

do you have aliendalvik launched?

coderus ( 2017-05-10 15:37:58 +0300 )edit

@coderus What's that? How do I check for it?

Mathieu ( 2017-05-10 15:40:39 +0300 )edit

I'd say, your remark is correct.
That is a missed information which could appear through notification on sfos.

I can represent myself that to install or uninstall an app, the android support is needed.
Only the android support may know how it works to install or uninstall its own apps.

And if the interface don't works, sfos should only give the infos "aborted! seems that the android support is deactivated".

cemoi71 ( 2017-05-11 10:16:37 +0300 )edit