CC V3 - Empty shelves in grid view

[DiapDealer]

Just a heads-up on the "empty shelf syndrome":
I just downloaded the official 3.0.4 update from Google Play and the syndrome rears its head under very reproduceable circumstances on my Kindle Fire HD 7".

If I open the app (grid or list) with the device oriented landscape, I get the empty shelf (and I see the >>> drawer >>> indicator even though I have it disabled in the settings). When I turn the device back to portrait, everything goes back to normal. Going back to landscape after that works fine, too. Only the initial opening in landscape seems trigger it.

Still love the new look! The bug doesn't really "bug" me at all, but I thought someone might like to know (unless the Fire's flavor of Android isn't intended to be supported at all).

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The bug doesn't really "bug" me at all, but I thought someone might like to know (unless the Fire's flavor of Android isn't intended to be supported at all).

The version of Android under the covers on my Nook HD is ICS 4.0.4. I believe 4.0.4 is also on the Kindle Fire HD as well. I just double checked and with CC 3.0.4, the empty shelf bug is still gone on my device. I even started the app in landscape mode like you described and I can't replicate it anymore. So I doubt that this flavor of Android is the issue. Maybe it's the interface that Amazon overlays on top of Android that is causing the issue?

At any rate, it is a minor bug and appears to be very dependent on the device used. Even if it still occurred on my device, I would never encounter it in normal use since I lock my device in portrait mode when using any reading app. But it's good that Charles knows it's still there in case another customer encounters it and contacts him about it.

--Pat

[DiapDealer]

The Fire HD was based on ICS 4.0.3 for the longest time. I have no idea if that changed with any of the updates though.

[PatNY]

DiapDealer, if you want to find out what version your device is running, from within the browser on your Fire HD go to:

http://whatismyandroidversion.com/

That website will tell you what version your phone or tablet is running.

--Pat

[chaley]

Moderator Notice
Made this into a new thread

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Just a heads-up on the "empty shelf syndrome":
I just downloaded the official 3.0.4 update from Google Play and the syndrome rears its head under very reproduceable circumstances on my Kindle Fire HD 7".

First question: how are you running CC on a kindle fire? It requires access to the google play license service, which AFIK doesn't exist on the fire without rooting. It would be so nice to be wrong ...

Unfortunately we don't have a fire of any kind and we don't know anyone with one, so this will be hard to trace.

If I open the app (grid or list) with the device oriented landscape, I get the empty shelf (and I see the >>> drawer >>> indicator even though I have it disabled in the settings). When I turn the device back to portrait, everything goes back to normal. Going back to landscape after that works fine, too. Only the initial opening in landscape seems trigger it.

To be clear, because there might be an important clue here. Do these steps reproduce the problem?

1) You have CC open in list mode in either portrait or landscape. All is well.
2) You shut down CC by "back"ing out until it quits.
3) You change orientation to landscape. Things settle.
4) You start CC. You see the wood background with no books.

Right?

The interesting thing about this scenario is the change from list to grid. That should not happen, and if it does then I might be able to trace paths in the startup sequence that would allow it.

EDIT:Having looked at the code, I can't see any way for the above to happen. The very first thing CC does on startup is to set up the correct view (grid or list). As such, step 4 is probably "You start CC. You see the same background you were looking at before, but with no books". Is this right?

Still love the new look! The bug doesn't really "bug" me at all, but I thought someone might like to know (unless the Fire's flavor of Android isn't intended to be supported at all).

Thanks!

And yes, we do want to know.

We don't intend or not intend to support the Fire, but defacto is has not been supported. Our problem has always been Amazon, who really don't want CC on the fire. It that restriction has become relatively easy to avoid, then we will need to get access to one for testing.

[chaley]

@DiapDealer: I have a theory about why this is happening, and a possible work-around if I am right. However ...

I am hesitant to publish this on Google Play until I have some idea that it helps. Would you be willing to run a test version? By "test version" I mean a version that is fully signed and licensed, but is signed with a different encryption key than the one available on Google Play. You would be required to uninstall the GP version, then new install the test version. The process erases all your preferences and your book database, but it leaves the actual books. To revert back to the GP version you must do the inverse.

This uninstall/reinstall process can be unpleasant if you have a lot of books on your device (time to scan), your books in CC come from multiple libraries (must reconnect to each library), or if calibre's book matching doesn't work optimally (formats without the book UUID e.g., other than epub) where you would need to use calibre's manual book matching function.

I will completely understand if you don't want to go down the "test version" road.

However, if you are willing could you PM me an email address where I can send the APK?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by chaley

First question: how are you running CC on a kindle fire? It requires access to the google play license service, which AFIK doesn't exist on the fire without rooting. It would be so nice to be wrong ...

Sorry for the confusion. My device is indeed rooted. I have the Google Play store installed and configured as my default market.

Originally Posted by chaley

To be clear, because there might be an important clue here. Do these steps reproduce the problem?

1) You have CC open in list mode in either portrait or landscape. All is well.
2) You shut down CC by "back"ing out until it quits.
3) You change orientation to landscape. Things settle.
4) You start CC. You see the wood background with no books.

Right?

Almost right. I don't see the wood background... only a white background with the title bar (see attached screen-shot).

Originally Posted by chaley

The interesting thing about this scenario is the change from list to grid. That should not happen, and if it does then I might be able to trace paths in the startup sequence that would allow it.

Sorry again for any confusion. It doesn't "change" from list to grid; I only meant that I get the same behavior (partial blank screen) whether I'm configured for list or grid view.

Originally Posted by chaley

EDIT:Having looked at the code, I can't see any way for the above to happen. The very first thing CC does on startup is to set up the correct view (grid or list). As such, step 4 is probably "You start CC. You see the same background you were looking at before, but with no books". Is this right?
Thanks!

Same as above. There is no background, per se (screenshot attached).

Originally Posted by chaley

And yes, we do want to know.

We don't intend or not intend to support the Fire, but defacto is has not been supported. Our problem has always been Amazon, who really don't want CC on the fire. It that restriction has become relatively easy to avoid, then we will need to get access to one for testing.

I guess "relatively easy" is relative. I find the rooting process rather painless myself. I have to do it every time I update the device.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by chaley

@DiapDealer: I have a theory about why this is happening, and a possible work-around if I am right. However ...

I am hesitant to publish this on Google Play until I have some idea that it helps. Would you be willing to run a test version? By "test version" I mean a version that is fully signed and licensed, but is signed with a different encryption key than the one available on Google Play. You would be required to uninstall the GP version, then new install the test version. The process erases all your preferences and your book database, but it leaves the actual books. To revert back to the GP version you must do the inverse.

This uninstall/reinstall process can be unpleasant if you have a lot of books on your device (time to scan), your books in CC come from multiple libraries (must reconnect to each library), or if calibre's book matching doesn't work optimally (formats without the book UUID e.g., other than epub) where you would need to use calibre's manual book matching function.

I will completely understand if you don't want to go down the "test version" road.

However, if you are willing could you PM me an email address where I can send the APK?

I'd be happy to test. I don't keep a lot of books on my device (or in CC) anyway, so the uninstall/reinstall won't be any kind of hardship.

If necessary, I think I could even manage to remember how to use "adb logcat" to get you some logs.

I'll PM you my address.

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'd be happy to test. I don't keep a lot of books on my device (or in CC) anyway, so the uninstall/reinstall won't be any kind of hardship.

Thanks.

If necessary, I think I could even manage to remember how to use "adb logcat" to get you some logs.

That could help immensely if the fix didn't work. Emailing me the log is fine.

I'll PM you my address.

Got it, and APK sent.

[DiapDealer]

Initial (albeit brief) testing of the experimental version seems very promising. I haven't been able to replicate the blank screen in landscape yet.

I'll try to give it a pretty hard workout throughout the day today and get back to you.

Thanks for looking into it!

[chaley]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Initial (albeit brief) testing of the experimental version seems very promising. I haven't been able to replicate the blank screen in landscape yet.

I'll try to give it a pretty hard workout throughout the day today and get back to you.

Thanks for looking into it!

You are very welcome.

Thanks for testing this. We can't know that it affects only the Fire, so I am glad to have some verification that we fixed it.

Our current plans are to release a CC update this evening (UK time), containing this fix and fixes for two other problems that have appeared in the wild. The other two problems are:
- There are some cases where using search will crash CC.
- On some devices, apparently with limited memory, coming back to the book list from the content server will cause crash CC.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by chaley

Thanks for testing this. We can't know that it affects only the Fire, so I am glad to have some verification that we fixed it.

Not a problem. I've been banging at it off and on all morning and I can't get it to mess up.

I'd have volunteered to beta-test sooner if I'd known about the original thread. But I obviously missed it until now. If you'd ever like something tested out on the Fire in the future, feel free to yell.