How to get version number of application from play store using xamarin forms

Question

I need to check current version of Installed Application and Playstore application version. If it is not same app should navigate to Playstore . im using xam.Plugin.LatestVersion(2.1.0) To get the latestversion number of application from play console. unfortunately not getting latest version number of application from play store. The below code im using.

 private async void ChekAppVersion()
      {
          try
          {
               latestVersionNumber = await CrossLatestVersion.Current.GetLatestVersionNumber();
               installedVersionNumber = CrossLatestVersion.Current.InstalledVersionNumber;
              if (installedVersionNumber != latestVersionNumber)
              {
                  await DisplayAlert("New Version", "There is a new version of this app available. Please update now?", "Ok");
                  await CrossLatestVersion.Current.OpenAppInStore();
                  ChekAppVersion();
                                 
              }
              else
              {
                  
              }
          }
          catch (Exception ex)
          {

          }
      }

Im getting the installedVersionNumber, but im unable to get the latestVersionNumber(Playstore). Please help on this.

Answer 1

PR has been made on this plugin... it works again ;-)

Answer 2

They have removed the version from div, now it's displayed with js, but data is still there inside a <script> tag. My current fixed code is:

    private bool _lockCheckUpdates;

    public async Task<bool> CheckNeedUpdate()
    {
        if (Connectivity.NetworkAccess != NetworkAccess.Internet || _lockCheckUpdates)
            return false;

        _lockCheckUpdates = true;

        try
        {
            HttpClient myClient = CreateClient();

            if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.Android)
            {
                var bundle = "com.todo.app"; //ANDROID BUNDLE NAME HERE
                string url = $"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id={bundle}&hl=en";
                string raw = await myClient.GetStringAsync(new Uri(url));

                var doc = new HtmlDocument();

                doc.LoadHtml(raw);

                var scripts = doc.DocumentNode.Descendants()
                    .Where(n => n.Name == "script" && n.InnerText.Contains("AF_initDataCallback({key: 'ds:4'"))
                    .ToArray();

                var script = scripts.First().InnerText;

                var engine = new Jurassic.ScriptEngine();
                var eval = "(function() { var AF_initDataCallback = function(p) { return p.data[1][2][140][0][0][0]; };  return " + script + " })()";
                var result = engine.Evaluate(eval);
                //var json = JSONObject.Stringify(engine, result); //for debug, check in browser console with JSON.parse(json) 

                var remote = $"{result}".ToDouble();
                var local = App.Version.ToDouble();
                return local < remote;

            }
            else if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.iOS)
            {
                var bundle = "com.todo.app";//iOS BUNDLE NAME HERE
                string url = $"http://itunes.apple.com/lookup?bundleId={bundle}";
                string raw = await myClient.GetStringAsync(new Uri(url));

                var dto = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<AppStoreRecord>(raw);
                double local = App.Version.ToDouble();
                if (dto.ResultCount > 0)
                {
                    double remote = dto.Results[0].Version.ToDouble();
                    return remote > local;
                }
            }
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            Logger.Error("CheckNeedUpdate", e);
        }
        finally
        {
            _lockCheckUpdates = false;
        }

        return false;

    }

Using nugets

Jurassic to evaluate the script on page, HtmlAgilityPack to parse html, Xamarin.Essentials to check if we are online, and AppoMobi.Specials for .ToDouble() etc

I hope this could also be useful to fix https://github.com/edsnider/latestversionplugin/issues/43 :)

Answer 3

The plugin you are using no longer works for Android https://github.com/edsnider/latestversionplugin/issues/43

You will need to find a new way to get the desired information.