Testing LineageOS with picoGapps on Nexus 5

EDIT 20180402:
Conclusion about SafeInCloud
EDIT 20180330:
Went through install of LineageOS and picoGapps again, attempting to fix SafeInCloud. See dark-red text below.

So far, have been playing with LineageOS and microG. Follow the posts from here:

http://bkhome.org/news/201803/google-maps-on-lineageos-microg.html

I decided that the testing is incomplete without trying OpenGapps, which installs the official Google Play Services, instead of microG.

This has to be installed in a certain specific way. OpenGapps must be installed immediately after LineagOS is installed, and before LineageOS first bootup. This summarises how I did it:

I downloaded the smallest Opengapps, 'picoGapps', to my computer (which only has the 'Play Store' app):

http://opengapps.org/?api=7.1&variant=pico

With computer connected to phone, and talking to each other by 'adb' (with USB cable):

Note: TWRP is already installed, with USB-debugging and APK-sideloading enabled in the Settings.
Install TWRP: http://bkhome.org/news/201803/nexus-5-updated-to-android-810.html
Sideloading: https://linuxconfig.org/sideload-apps-from-ubuntu-to-your-android-device 

pc: # ./adb reboot recovery
ph: Wipe -> Format Data
ph: swipe -> Wipe -> Advance Wipe -> tick all checkboxes -> swipe
    back, back, back -> Advanced --> ADB Sideload -> swipe 
pc: # ./adb sideload lineage-14.1-20180322-nightly-hammerhead-signed.zip
ph: back -> ADB Sideload -> swipe
pc: # ./adb sideload open_gapps-arm-7.1-pico-20180327.zip
ph: Reboot System -> swipe

This time, using my new Google account, I installed SafeInCloud from the Google Play Store -- and paid for it (again, because previous payment was on my main Google account).

SafeInCloud works, except for one important detail -- cannot save the database to local storage. This seems to be an issue with how LineageOS is setup. The error notification is from Privacy Guard:

"SafeInCloud will not be able to access personal data"

...and I was unable to bypass or disable that!!!

Another very interesting point: with LineageOS/microG, I just sideloaded the SafeInCloud .apk, and it already thought that it was the paid "Pro" version, has the extra Pro features and did not ask for money, and both online sync and local saving worked.

Another thing to consider is that microG is an open source non-commercial project, written for the users, with heaps of configuration options.

So, this experiment looks like it is coming to a halt. If I go back to microG, should be able to use YalpStore to install the paid-for SafeInCloud from my new Google account.

Sideloading the older SafeInCloud .apk from my Mlais phone, it works perfectly, local backup and restore works. The problem is with the latest version in the Google Play Store. Makes no difference whether using picoGapps or microG, the latest SIC from Play Store won't save locally. I am currently communicating with Andrey, the developer of SafeInCloud.

Andrey, the SafeInCloud developer, sent a special debug version, and I returned a test file. His conclusion:

I see no errors in the apps log. It seems that LineageOS does some "tricks" with the Android's content provider system, which causes the problem. Unfortunately, I cannot test it myself.

Well, the older version of SIC works! Perhaps time for me to look for another app.

Tags: tech