Project Administrator app usage allow?

Support
1

1. What is the issue? Please be detailed.

When running ODK Collect on Android x86 9 in VMWare, there's no simple way to get camera access

You get an error that reads
Barcode Scanner
Sorry, the Android camera encountered a problem. You may need to restart the device. (OK?)

Then the app quits.

If you deny camera access, the app asks for camera access. If you don't give it, the app quits.

2. What steps can we take to reproduce this issue?

  • fire up Android x86 9 on VMware Workstation
  • install ODK collect from the play store
  • add project, try to find a way to make that work with collect
  • wonder why user/pass of an admin account doesn't have app access, given you can enter the credentials. Strange.
  • manually import the QR code, for some reason the app insists on camera permissions
  • refuse, can't import the project
  • grant, app quits (same error as above)
  • Go back to trying to debug this issue, try entering the long URL, not likely without some typo.
  • be sad and frustrated.
  • go to dinner and drink a little extra to feel better
  • try again tomorrow.

3. What have you tried to fix the issue?

  • reboot
  • quit restart
  • click many times
  • tab around

4. Upload any forms or screenshots you can share publicly below.

Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-58-43
Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-58-431007×733 19.2 KB

Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-59-08
Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-59-081001×747 94.8 KB

Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-59-56
Screenshot from 2023-03-17 20-59-561025×792 27 KB

Screenshot from 2023-03-17 21-00-23
Screenshot from 2023-03-17 21-00-41

2

Hi @gessel

Sorry for the late response! Please answer my questions to help us track down the issue:

  1. What version of ODK Collect is that?
  2. Does the crash take place immediately when you open the camera or maybe when you start scanning codes?
  3. Have you experienced anything like that taking photos/videos using our widgets?
3

What version of ODK Collect is that?

2023.1.0

Does the crash take place immediately when you open the camera or maybe when you start scanning codes?

During initial setup, after launch, trying to import a form via QR code.

Have you experienced anything like that taking photos/videos using our widgets?

Haven't gotten that far - can't set up the form. Note that this is a highly atypical install, but one that is easily replicated if you have VMWare workstation (or possibly VirtualBox, I didn't test that) It happens running the Android-x86 9.0-R2 Pie VM image from https://www.osboxes.org/android-x86/#android-x86-9-0-r2-vmware

For me it is a relatively low priority issue, but I think it would be helpful for form development to have a desktop accessible version of the app to test with and get screen grabs from for instructions - at least that's what I was going to do with it.

4

Thanks for the details. Yeah, it's not a high priority if it's a virtual machine.

5

Fair enough. I'd argue it is helpful but not critical if the bug is fixed, but I'd also argue that unless it persists in the next release of android x86, it may well be an OS issue. If not an annoyance to do so, perhaps keep keep the bug open and I'll retest on the next release and if the bug persists there's at least some weight that it is an application fault, whether or not that's worth allocating resources to investigate further.

If that leaves a an unclosed annoyance, I'm fine with closing and then, if the bug persists across releases and I have reason to test, reopening. Either is cool by me.