Android Question How to catch problems with Firebase when PlayServices not available/OutDated?

[ivan.tellez]

I have an App that IS WORKING with firebase it receive notifications. But I have a COUPLE of cases when a device never receive notifications, somethimes it crashes whith this error:

Exception java.lang.SecurityException: Not allowed to start service Intent { act=com.google.android.c2dm.intent.REGISTER pkg=com.google.android.gms (has extras) } without permission com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE
android.app.ContextImpl.startServiceCommon (ContextImpl.java:1409)
android.app.ContextImpl.startService (ContextImpl.java:1386)
android.content.ContextWrapper.startService (ContextWrapper.java:613)
com.google.firebase.iid.zzan.zze ()
com.google.firebase.iid.zzan.zzd ()
com.google.firebase.iid.zzan.zzc ()
com.google.firebase.iid.zzo.zza ()
com.google.firebase.iid.zzp.run ()
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker (ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1133)
java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run (ThreadPoolExecutor.java:607)
java.lang.Thread.run (Thread.java:761)

The problem is NOT about security or permissions, the app is working in most cases. I have isolated the problem to happen only when Google Play Services is not working or is outdated. Only SOMETIMES Android shows a notification "The app XXXXXX will not work until Play Services is updated"

I found this code to check Play Services:

Sub CheckForGooglePlayServices As Boolean
   Dim GoogleApiAvailablity As JavaObject
   GoogleApiAvailablity = GoogleApiAvailablity.InitializeStatic("com.google.android.gms.common.GoogleApiAvailability").RunMethod("getInstance", Null)
   Dim context As JavaObject
   context.InitializeContext
   If GoogleApiAvailablity.RunMethod("isGooglePlayServicesAvailable", Array(context)) <> 0 Then
     GoogleApiAvailablity.RunMethod("makeGooglePlayServicesAvailable", Array(context))
     Return False
   End If
   Return True
End Sub

So, I have some questions:

1. Where/how can I trap this error (Exception java.lang.SecurityException: Not allowed to start service Intent { act=com.google.android.c2dm.intent.REGISTER pkg=com.google.android.gms (has extras) } ) before it crashes the app?

2. Which firebase services require this check? Notifications, remote config, Analitics?

3. It can be checked on starter and stop services to be created?

Thanks

 

[Erel]

1. You cannot catch this error except of in Application_Error.
2. Analytics will work without google play services at all. Most other firebase services will need a recent Google Play Services version.
3. I'm pretty sure that it will work from the starter service. You need to test it.