[android-developers] Re: Widget Product Updates

Sadly, this does not work at all well. Just as when you have a widget
and you uninstall the app you get the horrid "Problem Loading Widget"
message, the same thing happens when the user accepts the update from
the Play site. I think this is a serious problem and I am certain I
loose users because of it but there is absolutely nothing to be done
about it.

I don't think the Android developers thought this through at all.

Also watch out for irritating things like ghost widgets on lower API
levels (1.6) when unexpected things happen like there's not enough
home screen space for your widget. I keep my own track of the widgets
so I can detect and ignore ghost widgets.

Your might even consider whether or not you should use Live Wallpaper
instead. It is active behind the unlock screen and handles the update
cycle better but of course it is only available on 2.2+.

On Jun 3, 7:36 am, Doug Gordon <gordo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'll shortly be releasing my first widget product and am wondering if
> there are any restrictions as to how the user updates a widget when a
> new version is posted. I've noticed that if you use the App Manager to
> delete a widget that's in use without removing it from the home screens,
> an error message ends up being displayed in that location on the screen
> (which you then have to remove in the standard way).
>
> But if an updated version is installed over the existing version, is the
> updated widget now displayed as expected on the home screen? Or would
> the user be forced to remove the existing instances and add back the
> updated widget?
>
> Doug Gordon
> GHCS Software

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