rn-android-apk-install v0.0.3

React Native APK Installer

Install an Android APK from your react-native project. This project is based react-native-install-apk with enhancements to support current RN versions.

Installing ApkInstaller

1. Add rn-android-apk-install to your project

• Install directly from npm: npm install --save rn-android-apk-install.
• Or do npm install --save git+https://github.com/walterleong95/rn-android-apk-install.git in your main project.

2. Link the library:

• Add the following to android/settings.gradle:

    include ':rn-android-apk-install'
    project(':rn-android-apk-install').projectDir = new File(settingsDir, '../node_modules/rn-android-apk-install/android')

• Add the following to android/app/build.gradle:

    ...
  
    dependencies {
        ...
        implementation project(':rn-android-apk-install')
    }

• Add the following to android/app/src/main/java/**/MainApplication.java:

    ...
    import com.wl.apkinstall.ApkInstallerPackage;  // add this for rn-android-apk-install
  
    public class MainApplication extends Application implements ReactApplication {
  
        @Override
        protected List<ReactPackage> getPackages() {
            return Arrays.<ReactPackage>asList(
                new MainReactPackage(),
                ...
                new ApkInstallerPackage()     // add this for rn-android-apk-install
            );
        }
    }

4. Add the following to your AndroidManifest.xml file. Take note of the value of android:authorities. It will be used in the last step. For example, (APP_BUNDLE_ID).provider.

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES"/>

     <provider
             android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
             android:authorities="${applicationId}.provider"
             android:exported="false"
             android:grantUriPermissions="true"
             tools:replace="android:authorities">
             <!-- you might need the tools:replace thing to workaround rn-fetch-blob or other definitions of provider -->
             <!-- just make sure if you "replace" here that you include all the paths you are replacing *plus* the cache path we use -->
             <meta-data tools:replace="android:resource"
                 android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
                 android:resource="@xml/filepaths"/>
         </provider>

5. Create a file named filepaths.xml in the res/xml directory & append it with the following content.

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

<!-- Select one of the following based on your apk location -->

<!-- cache dir is always available and requires no permissions, but space may be limited -->
<cache-path name="cache" path="/" />
<root-path name="root" path="." />

<!-- <files-path name="name" path="/" />  -->

<!-- External cache dir is maybe user-friendly for downloaded APKs, but you must be careful. -->
<!-- 1) in API <19 (KitKat) this requires WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. >=19, no permission -->
<!-- 2) this directory may not be available, check Environment.isExternalStorageEmulated(file) to see -->
<!-- 3) there may be no beneifit versus cache-path if external storage is emulated. Check Environment.isExternalStorageEmulated(File) to verify -->
<!-- 4) the path will change for each app 'com.example' must be replaced by your application package -->
<!-- <external-cache-path name="external-cache" path="/data/user/0/com.example/cache" /> -->

<!-- Note that these external paths require WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission -->
<!-- <external-path name="some_external_path" path="put-your-specific-external-path-here" />  -->
<!-- <external-files-path name="external-files" path="/data/user/0/com.example/cache" />  -->
<!-- <external-media-path name="external-media" path="put-your-path-to-media-here" />  -->

6. Lastly, add import ApkInstaller from 'rn-android-apk-install' to the list of imports. (You might also need to install react-native-fs package). Note: Your file provider ID must be the same as the one you've defined in step 4

     import RNFS from 'react-native-fs';
     import ApkInstaller from 'rn-android-apk-install'
   
      try {
          var filePath = RNFS.CachesDirectoryPath + '/com.example.app.apk';
          var download = RNFS.downloadFile({
            fromUrl: 'http://example.com/com.example.app.apk',
            toFile: filePath,
            progress: res => {
                console.log((res.bytesWritten / res.contentLength).toFixed(2));
            },
            progressDivider: 1
          });
   
          download.promise.then(result => {
            if(result.statusCode == 200) {
              console.log(filePath);
              ApkInstaller.install(filePath, 'com.your.application.provider');
            }
          });
      }
      catch(error) {
          console.warn(error);
      }