Cordova APK does not ask for permissions on first run

Question

I am new to Android development. I try to build APK in Cordova, but on first application run it doesn't ask for any permissions, thus works incorrect. Previous developer had built it, I have his APK and it asks for permissions on first run.

What am I doing wrong? Any ideas?

Below are my config and manifest:

Config:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<widget id="com.phonegap.ettractions" version="1.4.3" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/ns/widgets" xmlns:gap="http://phonegap.com/ns/1.0">
    <name>Ettractions</name>
    <description>
        Ettractions application.
    </description>
    <author email="ebsupport@ettractions.com" href="http://ettractions.com">
        Ettractions Team
    </author>
    <preference name="permissions" value="none" />
    <preference name="orientation" value="landscape" />
    <preference name="target-device" value="universal" />
    <preference name="fullscreen" value="true" />
    <preference name="webviewbounce" value="true" />
    <preference name="splash-screen-duration" value="0" />
    <preference name="prerendered-icon" value="true" />
    <preference name="stay-in-webview" value="false" />
    <preference name="ios-statusbarstyle" value="black-opaque" />
    <preference name="detect-data-types" value="true" />
    <preference name="exit-on-suspend" value="false" />
    <preference name="show-splash-screen-spinner" value="true" />
    <preference name="auto-hide-splash-screen" value="true" />
    <preference name="disable-cursor" value="false" />
    <preference name="android-minSdkVersion" value="19" />
    <preference name="android-installLocation" value="auto" />
    <preference name="AndroidPersistentFileLocation" value="Compatibility" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.battery-status" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.camera" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.media-capture" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.console" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.contacts" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.device" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.device-motion" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.device-orientation" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.dialogs" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.file" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.file-transfer" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.geolocation" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.globalization" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.inappbrowser" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.media" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.network-information" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.splashscreen" />
    <gap:plugin name="org.apache.cordova.vibration" />
    <icon src="icon.png" />
    <access origin="*" />
    <allow-intent href="http://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="https://*/*" />
    <allow-intent href="tel:*" />
    <allow-intent href="sms:*" />
    <allow-intent href="mailto:*" />
    <allow-intent href="geo:*" />
    <platform name="android">
        <allow-intent href="market:*" />
    </platform>
    <platform name="ios">
        <allow-intent href="itms:*" />
        <allow-intent href="itms-apps:*" />
    </platform>
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-whitelist" spec="1" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-file" spec="~6.0.2" />
    <plugin name="cordova-plugin-file-transfer" spec="~1.7.1" />
</widget>

Manifest:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.phonegap.ettractions"
    android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
    android:versionCode="10403"
    android:versionName="1.4.3" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="19"
        android:targetSdkVersion="28" />

    <supports-screens
        android:anyDensity="true"
        android:largeScreens="true"
        android:normalScreens="true"
        android:resizeable="true"
        android:smallScreens="true"
        android:xlargeScreens="true" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_VIDEO" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />

    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.location.gps" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />

    <application
        android:debuggable="true"
        android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:supportsRtl="true" >
        <activity
            android:name="com.phonegap.ettractions.MainActivity"
            android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|keyboard|screenSize|locale|smallestScreenSize|screenLayout|uiMode"
            android:label="@string/activity_name"
            android:launchMode="singleTop"
            android:screenOrientation="landscape"
            android:theme="@android:style/Theme.DeviceDefault.NoActionBar"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize" >
            <intent-filter android:label="@string/launcher_name" >
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

        <provider
            android:name="org.apache.cordova.camera.FileProvider"
            android:authorities="com.phonegap.ettractions.provider"
            android:exported="false"
            android:grantUriPermissions="true" >
            <meta-data
                android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
                android:resource="@xml/camera_provider_paths" />
        </provider>
    </application>

</manifest>

Answer 1

Android Permissions didn't work for me. The promise never resolved in any way. Finally, Android Diagnostic plugin worked. Check this.

Answer 2

Since Android 6.0, permissions are not asked automatically on install or first run anymore. You have to declare what permissions you want to use in your manifest, and also ask manually the user for the permissions when it is needed.

For example, the application has lots of screens, and only one uses geolocation. It is better to ask for the location permissions only when the user access that screen, not on first run. This is why permissions have to be asked manually now.

When working with Cordova, you cannot directly call the Android functions to ask for permissions, and you will have to use plugins.

For reference: Android permission documentation

You declare that your app needs a permission by listing the permission in the app manifest and then requesting that the user approve each permission at runtime (on Android 6.0 and higher).

You might also want to look at an example plugin on how to ask for permissions: https://github.com/NeoLSN/cordova-plugin-android-permissions