New aab files created by MIT app inventor not uploading to Google Play

[ReligiousBurp]

I haven’t uploaded a MIT created app to Google Play for about 5 years. I’m now trying to upload a new one and I keep getting error messages saying “Your APK or Android App Bundle needs to have the package name appinventor.ai.ConversationStarters”. When I try to rename the file, I’m still getting the same error.

I’m assuming it can’t be this complex to create an app and upload it to Google Play. Has anyone got a dummy’s guide for why this isn’t working and how I can make it work? Thanks in advance.

[Anke]

@ReligiousBurp

“Your APK or Android App Bundle needs to have the package name appinventor.ai.ConversationStarters”.

Post a screenshot of this message from your Google Play Dev Console.
It should be appinventor.ai_ConversationStarters.

[ReligiousBurp]

Hi Anke. Thanks for your help.

Screenshot below. Where in MIT can I name the app so that it has the underscore? Is the error message below even suggesting the underscore is the issue? Google searches seem to suggest there is some code somewhere within the app creating the issue rather than the name of the file as it appears when built.

[Anke]

Strange. When did you build and publish the first version of your app. And did you build it with AI2 or AI2Offline, because I dont understand why there isn't an underscore.

[ReligiousBurp]

Hi Anke,

Originally built in 2017, maybe earlier. Modified periodically. Built through MIT, I guess AI2 (was that the former name for MIT) online rather than offline.

Thanks again.

[ReligiousBurp]

Google Play isn’t asking for an underscore though.

[Anke]

Package name problem in mit appinventor and in play console

The packageName with AI2 is: appinventor.ai_<yourEmail>.<yourProjectName> <yourProjectName> => <yourProjectName>.aia In my case (for example): myProjectName = "AT_pro".aia packageName in my example: appinventor.ai_bodymindpower.AT_pro [grafik] In your case: [grafik] Btw, that really is a "horrible" packageName. But this cannot be changed afterwards unless you rebuild the app (with a suitable packageName) and unpublish your old app from the Play Store. See also here:

[Anke]

@ReligiousBurp

Google Play isn’t asking for an underscore

Download the first version APK from the Play Dev console, upload it to Google Drive and post the link or send it me via PM.

[ReligiousBurp]

Can I just save it with a new package name? There is a lot of inputted data in the app, so rebuilding it from scratch is out of the question.

[ReligiousBurp]

Thanks. Messaged

[Taifun]

@ReligiousBurp

Your APK or Android App Bundle needs to have the package name appinventor.ai.ConversationStarters

The package name usually lools like this

appinventor.ai_<yourEmail>.<yourProjectName>

In your case the email part is missing, which means, you manually modified the package name

Taifun

[ReligiousBurp]

Thanks Taifun. How do I fix it and what should I rename it so that Google Play is happy?

[Taifun]

See here

Package name - how do you set a custom package name?

In order to be able to release an app in the Play Store, at least the following requirements must be met: The version code is higher than the current version. The packageName is the same (as the previous / original one). The keystore is identical (with the previous / initial version). The targetSdkVersion corresponds to the minimum SDK required by Google (from Aug 2021: SDK 30 for new apps and from Nov 2021 also for updates).

Taifun

[Patryk_F]

@Taifun

which means, you manually modified the package name

Perhaps he built the application without logging in using an email address? In that case, the email address would simply be "ai".

[Anke]

I checked your APK. The packageName of your app is:
appinventor.ai_stevobenbow.ConversationStarters

[Anke]

@Patryk_F

Perhaps he built the application without logging in using an email address? In that case, the email address would simply be "ai"

No, than the packageName ist something like this:
appinventor.ai_anon3218928309402.test

[Anke]

@ReligiousBurp

I haven’t uploaded a MIT created app to Google Play for about 5 years.

EDIT: Ok, then where does this package name come from: appinventor.ai.ConversationStarters?

In other words, there must be a version published in the Play Store (at least as an internal test track). I need to check this APK.

[Anke]

@ReligiousBurp

Originally built in 2017

The targetSdk in 2017 was 26 (Android 8).

[ReligiousBurp]

I changed the Minimum SDK for this one because I read that it needed to be higher. The previous 2-17 would have been lower.

[ReligiousBurp]

Thanks. So is it possible to input something in Google Play so that it once an app with this name, or do I need to edit the app itself?