Use of nightly-versions android

Valued Delta-chat team, developers,

my person likes to ask, first, whether make use of nightly versions is welcome, and second (as they carry the info gplay) whether they are possible to use if having not connection and account on google services?

And, in possible case:

If understanding right in regard of new installation of app, it’s required to save a backup first and new app would fetch if automaticaly from the download folder, right?

whether make use of nightly versions is welcome

Yes, it is, especially if one reports bugs back to us including the nightly version so that we know it’s not a bug on the stable releases :slightly_smiling_face:

whether they are possible to use if having not connection and account on google services?

This should work too. We don’t use any gplay services, so it’s only signed with the gplay certificate (I think). I used the nightly version already on some phones without any google stuf finstalled.

If understanding right in regard of new installation of app, it’s required to save a backup first and new app would fetch if automaticaly from the download folder, right?

If you switch from the fdroid version to a nightly or gplay version, you have to export and import the backup as the appid changes. If the appid stays the same, everything is fine and no need for this. But if you play with nightly versions, it’s possible that coming back to an older/stable version is not possible. Sometimes the database is getting upgraded if the core version changes, but downgrading is not possible.

Having used a version from apk-pure my person guesses it might have a goggle play id as well. Looks anyway like just jumping into the cold water. Appreciation for care, good master Jikstra.

One problem with nightly versions is that they can’t be upgraded without reinstallation, so if you want to recommend Delta Chat to new users, it is better to give them stable versions, F-Droid or Google Play. Otherwise they may never update it and still use old nightly many months later.

Sadhu for suggestion and info, good master link2xt. Looking anyway forward that disconnected download will be coming (at least my person would not like others lead to get bond “insecure”). And consciously given and received, instead of third part automatic, is much better to value what owes gratitude (right view).

Maybe better to make seperat topic on it, if not existing now, to give maybe usefull infos on use of “nightly version”. How ever, since opened already many topics, better leave it to those look after possible desired forum structur yet and “feed back” here:

version 18.2.2021:

  • Sadhu for bringing up “mailing lists” (no reply?). Seems to work fine. Just some are not recogniced as same “maillist”, what ever might be the reason. Delta-chat forum info for example. Although same “header”, just one of many and others also not fetched. Other websites notifications: two different maillists, althought “same, same”

  • Not sure if it is a individual issue: Updating wouldn’t work, gives an error. So always deleting old version and making new install.

  • Overseen again, and maybe good to change it: backup needs to be made for each email account separately. Something easy oversen, even if gotten known about.

  • Marks of status info, send, pending… are not easy to be seen, having got white color (before green. Screenshot attached. (mentionet before somewhere already).

  • Avatar colors are changed. More pleasing as pastel-colors and possible more different.

  • Backup: some settings, like size of font, aren’t restored, not sure if it is the only not saved setting.

I guess the nightly build are signed with an different certificate, maybe we could change it to have a different app id in the future so you can install both apps side by side.
@Hocuri and @link2xt should know more about the nightly builds.

Good idea, feel free to open a feature proposal for that here on the forum.

Yes the color hash function has been updated by @link2xt to output more unique colors: Changeable Contact Icon Color - #6 by link2xt

Currently it saves only core data, the User Interfaces also store some config elsewhere. There were plans to allow the UIs to store their configuration in the core-accountdata (account database config table) too, but nothing super concrete yet.

There is already a “fat” build alongside “gplay”. It still has to be reinstalled each time, but can be installed side-by-side with google play version.

done as suggested, good Master Simon: Backup for all accounts

There was, just to mention, a hint on “not possible” before here.
Maybe a way, not aware now, by master Link2tx

Maillist: current one wouldn’t be able to reply, right? For example notifications from this forum here would allow to post via email.

Reply into maylists (not just no-reply mails) is something usual. Maybe by “maillists” “just” info-mail (no-reply mails) was meant?

Delta Chat displays mailing lists which allow replying too. You just can’t reply :slight_smile: We could write “newsletter” here probably, it’s a common name for no-reply list.

Just tryed via ordinary email-client, good master @link2tx , and it (this speciality maybe) worked possible, didn’t it?

So “You just can’t replay” might need "with delta-chat, (for such specials) in addition, right?

metta & mudita
Samana Johann
(One may feel welcome to visit sangham.net)


Added hint in email via screenshot:

Would be surely great to do so, at least within the “heart” of delta-chat’s public teaser, to communicate via DC.

Maybe good to call it (the special display, the info) “newsletter” or “no-replay message” then, to cause no confusion?

Good team,

“Newsletter” (no or special replay mails) (nightly version 20.02.2021): it seems as it those messages (at least from support forum here) aren’t moved to delta-chat folder althought in chats already.

Another, .io maillist email, do not appear in the app at all. But that is maybe a “mailing list” issue.

And render of chat-name group name seems to be “bugy”, selecting between longest […], maybe.

chat-name_newsletter

A devotee tried to install nightly-versin on new device and Android 11 and failed to do till now (seemingly blocked by a google-aliance). Maybe useful to know and maybe someone has tips&tricks
here the topic on it: Assistance for installation of Sārahārī-Saṅghaṃ (delta-chat)

Good team, developers, user,

Maybe useful feed-forward:

Having tried to run the last nightly-version (15.03, before used 20.02, and made backups with it before deleting and reinstall new), both, google and fdroid downloads can be installed, can be opened, settings can be accessed, but once one clicks on any chat, it would “sorry…” and break down, at least on my persons useable device.
Just tried nightly-14.03, seems to work fine in tjis regard, not causing crash, as well as new record action way, Sadhu! (just yesterday thought “good if not so burdensome in record longer”)