Android - App gets stuck setting Schedule when bringing app out of background sleep to foreground

[sangwinacher]

Arlo Pro 2 with latest Android mobile application version.

A new issue has now started since they fixed the Android app and cloud patch for the session timeout issue: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-2/Android-quot-Your-session-has-expired-Please-log-in-quot...

After the Arlo app is put into the background for a longer period of time (haven't figured out how long) and I decide I want to change the Mode, I:

1. Open the app, it brings it to the foreground

2. I click Mode

3. I select Schedule

4. "Turning On Schedule"... message appears and it just sits and hangs there.   I'm unable to go back or exit back to view cameras, I have to kill the entire app and log back in. 

The Schedule change DOES appear to take effect during the hang.  If I check it on a computer, or when I log back in to mobile, it shows the Schedule is currently active.  The problem here is that coming out of background sleep, then changing the Mode is causing the app's interface to hang and not recover for some reason. 

This is an obvious bug.   Arlo, please investigate. 

[JamesC]

sangwinacher,

What version of Android are you using and with what model Android device? Additionally, do you have any power saving settings enabled?

JamesC

[sangwinacher]

Android OS 8.1.0
Latest Arlo Android version 2.4.11_20331
Google Pixel (1st gen)

No power savings settings.  If the app is left running in the background for X amount of time and you open up Arlo app, depending on how long it's been in the background for, sometimes it has to do a full re-connect to the base station, and takes several seconds to refresh the live view icons and camera status, etc. but the app allows you to modify the Mode instantaneously after bringing it to the foreground. I'm wondering if the Mode happens to be changed mid-base station/camera refresh causes this race condition. I can't seem to figure out how long it needs to sleep in order for it to happen but it happens daily for me because I'm toggling between modes throughout the day depending on who is home.

[sangwinacher]

Hi JamesC,

I saw there was a new version for the Android app released but the release notes don't have any specifics about what actually was fixed. Was this issue included in this? If not what was?

[JamesC]

sangwinacher,

This was a small release, fixing various internal bugs that would not have been immediately visible to most users. That being said, it did seem to address an issue with how the Android client communicates with Arlo devices. Are you still experiencing the same issue as described?

JamesC

[sangwinacher]

It doesn't seem to be 100% resolved, but  connecting more quickly to the cameras seems to have improved.  Before the update, I do know about 6 hours or so I had the app in the background not being used, when I opened it up, I immediately went to Mode to change it and it would just sit there and spin like I mentioned and eventually indicate a failure, but it would be successful behind the scenes.  How I know that is because I had to logout and login for me to be able to successfully enable any Mode, and it reflected the new Mode I had set.  After this latest update, I had it in the background for several hours (at least 3) and when I brought it to the foreground, I quickly went to Mode and changed the mode before it could successfully sync with the cameras I guess, so it sat there spinning and then I got an error "Unable to get modes from base station" or something similar, can't exactly remember the verbiage.  But then once I hit OK to the error, I was then able to re-attempt to change the mode and it worked.  So there's still a race condition with the app connecting to the base station before allowing you to change the Mode, even though the Mode indicates what current schedule is active (If the app wasn't connected, it would say "Retrieving" in the Mode setting until it connected, which it's not doing). 

[sangwinacher]

Now today, the "Mode" tab is completely gone from the app.  Are they doing some sort of maintenance on it?  I've deleted the cache, powered off my phone, uninstalled the app and the "Mode" tab across the top banner still won't display so I cannot change it unless I'm at a computer.  See screen shot below.

[JamesC]

sangwinacher,

This is currently being investigated by the engineering team. I will provide an update when I have more information.

JamesC

[sangwinacher]

Thanks... I couldn't help but think they may have started messing with it while investigating this thread's issue 😄

[Bunker12]

I am having the same problem on my android app. No mode selection tab. Can't keep your home safe if you can't activate the cameras.

[sangwinacher]

It looks like they fixed the issue on the server side with the Mode tab not showing anymore - it's back.  However, my initial problem for this thread still remains.

[sangwinacher · Accepted solution]

The latest version seems to have addressed this hang issue when selecting Mode immediately after opening the app when it's been in the background.