Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

cristian.anceschi — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:46:37 GMT

Hello

Thank you very much for your support.

With the nRF DFU app settings left at their default values, the process ends with the error shown in the attached screenshot. The corresponding log file is also attached.

Following your suggestions, I enabled the packet receipt notification in the nRF DFU application and set the value to 6. This has definitively resolved the flashing issue.

Kind regards

Cristian

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../Log-2024_2D00_11_2D00_14-09_5F00_54_5F00_54.txt

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

Aleksander Nowakowski — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 08:13:29 GMT

Hello,

In nRF DFU app we're using "neverForLocation" flag (https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/bluetooth/bt-permissions#assert-never-for-location) when requesting for Bluetooth Scan permission. This means that the app doesn't need location permission but also doesn't get iBeacons and Eddystone (and perhaps other) beacons in scan results.

[quote userid="65729" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/116277/issue-with-nrf-dfu-app-v2-7-0-on-android-11-and-14-dfu-update-fails-due-to-missing-location-permission"]In nRF Connect, the app explicitly requests Location permissions, and the DFU update completes successfully without any issues.[/quote]

In nRF Connect we actually do want to scan for any Bluetooth LE device, including beacons, therefore we are requesting for location.

[quote userid="65729" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/116277/issue-with-nrf-dfu-app-v2-7-0-on-android-11-and-14-dfu-update-fails-due-to-missing-location-permission"]When I perform the same DFU update using nRF Connect, the process works correctly.[/quote]

The current version of nRF Connect is using a bit older version of DFU library than the nRF DFU app. I'm actually working now on integrating the latest version into the app.

Answering your question, nRF DFU app should work with any DFU from nRF5 SDK from 4.3 up until 17.1. Indeed, we introduced some speed optimizations in the latest version, which may cause your device to respond with an error due to too slow flash save operations on the device. Could you clarify what error are you getting here: "it shows a generic error message".

Possible solutions:
1. In nRF DFU app tap the Settings icon and enable Packet Receipt Notification and set the value to 6. This should fix the flash problem.
2. Before doing DFU install nRF Logger app. Then, when your upload fails, tap the log icon (magnifying glass) in the top-right corner, to see the logs. Please share them here.

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

cristian.anceschi — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 07:16:18 GMT

In the nRF DFU app, rel. 2.07, there are no explicit error messages related to the lack of location access. Once the DFU process is started, the update procedure either gets stuck, causing the app to freeze, or it shows a generic error message and the device being updated resets.

The conclusion, possibly incorrect, comes from a comparison between versions 2.07 and 2.04. During installation, version 2.04 requests permission to access the mobile device’s location. Once this permission is granted, the app functions normally, and the DFU operation completes successfully. However, if you go to the settings of the nRF DFU app and deny location access, version 2.04 exhibits the same faulty behavior as version 2.07, meaning the DFU process can no longer be completed.

That said, there is no issue on our end with switching to the nRF Connect app instead of using the nRF DFU app.

Thanks and kind regards

Cristian

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

Menon — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 20:40:58 GMT

Hello,

Are there any error messages or logs indicating the issue? How did you conclude that location access is causing trouble with DFU? I'm not sure what might be causing the issue, I mostly need to ask this internally.

[quote user="cristian.anceschi"]Do you see any contraindications to having them use the latest version of the nRF Connect mobile application?[/quote]

AFAIK, using nRF connect mbile application should be fine, See here.

Kind Regards,

Abhijith

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

cristian.anceschi — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:18:29 GMT

Hi Abhijith

Thank you for your response.

The current project was developed on SDK 17.0.2. No problems with using the nRF Connect mobile application to perform a DFU.

However, we have at some customers, some products developed on the outdated SDK 8, where there was no secure bootloader.

Do you see any contraindications to having them use the latest version of the nRF Connect mobile application?

Thanks and kind regards

Cristian

RE: Issue with nRF DFU App (v2.7.0) on Android 11 and 14: DFU Update Fails Due to Missing Location Permission?

Menon — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:51:33 GMT

Hello,

The nRF DFU mobile app is not recommended to use in the nRF Connect SDK; this mobile application is only fit for updating the nRF5 SDK-based application, which uses secure bootloader.

Are you working with the old SDK? If so, please let me know. If not, I recommend you use the nRF Connect mobile application or the nRF device manager app for doing a DFU.

Kind Regards,

Abhijith