URL Bar is not Hiding - progressive-web-apps

Question

We are developing PWA application to submit it to Play Store. We used TWA, followed all concepts but somehow we cant manage to hide the URL BAR.
Digital asset links are configured and tested. We have connected website with TWA, we have successfully tested mapping editor, we have added intent filter, association with assetlinks.json was successfully tested
Android Manifest
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
package="eu.clubforceone.mobile">
<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="#mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="#string/appName"
android:supportsRtl="true"
android:theme="#style/Theme.LauncherActivity">
<meta-data
android:name="asset_statements"
android:resource="#string/assetStatements" />
<activity
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.LauncherActivity"
android:label="#string/appName">
<tools:validation testUrl="https://login.clubforce.eu" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.DEFAULT_URL"
android:value="#string/launchUrl" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.STATUS_BAR_COLOR"
android:resource="#color/colorPrimary" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.SPLASH_IMAGE_DRAWABLE"
android:resource="#drawable/splash" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.SPLASH_SCREEN_BACKGROUND_COLOR"
android:resource="#color/whiteColor" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.SPLASH_SCREEN_FADE_OUT_DURATION"
android:value="300" />
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.FILE_PROVIDER_AUTHORITY"
android:value="#string/providerAuthority" />
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
</intent-filter>
<intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data
android:scheme="https"
android:host="login.clubforce.eu" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
<provider
android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="#string/providerAuthority"
android:grantUriPermissions="true"
android:exported="false">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/filepaths" />
</provider>
<service
android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.TrustedWebActivityService"
android:enabled="#bool/enableNotification"
android:exported="#bool/enableNotification">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.support.customtabs.trusted.TRUSTED_WEB_ACTIVITY_SERVICE" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
</intent-filter>
</service>
</application>
</manifest>
build.gradle module app
apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
def twaManifest = [
applicationId: 'eu.clubforceone.mobile',
hostName: 'login.clubforce.eu', // The domain being opened in the TWA.
launchUrl: '/', // The start path for the TWA. Must be relative to the domain.
name: 'Clubforce', // The name shown on the Android Launcher.
themeColor: '#283795', // The color used for the status bar.
backgroundColor: '#F6F6F6', // The color used for the splash screen background.
whiteColor: '#FFFFFF', // The color used for the splash screen background.
enableNotifications: false // Set to true to enable notification delegation
]
android {
compileSdkVersion 28
defaultConfig {
applicationId "eu.clubforceone.mobile"
minSdkVersion 16
targetSdkVersion 28
versionCode 20003
versionName '2.2'
testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
// The name for the application on the Android Launcher
resValue "string", "appName", twaManifest.name
// The URL that will be used when launching the TWA from the Android Launcher
resValue "string", "launchUrl", "https://" + twaManifest.hostName + twaManifest.launchUrl
// The hostname is used when building the intent-filter, so the TWA is able to
// handle Intents to open https://svgomg.firebaseapp.com.
resValue "string", "hostName", twaManifest.hostName
// This variable below expresses the relationship between the app and the site,
// as documented in the TWA documentation at
// https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2017/10/using-twa#set_up_digital_asset_links_in_an_android_app
// and is injected into the AndroidManifest.xml
resValue "string", "assetStatements",
'[{ \\"relation\\": [\\"delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls\\"],' +
'\\"target\\": {\\"namespace\\": \\"web\\", \\"site\\": \\"https://' +
twaManifest.hostName + '\\"}}]'
// This attribute sets the status bar color for the TWA. It can be either set here or in
// `res/values/colors.xml`. Setting in both places is an error and the app will not
// compile. If not set, the status bar color defaults to #FFFFFF - white.
resValue "color", "colorPrimary", twaManifest.themeColor
// Sets the color for the background used for the splash screen when launching the
// Trusted Web Activity.
resValue "color", "backgroundColor", twaManifest.backgroundColor
// used only for specific situation where white color is needed
resValue "color", "whiteColor", twaManifest.whiteColor
// Defines a provider authority fot the Splash Screen
resValue "string", "providerAuthority", twaManifest.applicationId + '.fileprovider'
// The enableNotification resource is used to enable or disable the
// TrustedWebActivityService, by changing the android:enabled and android:exported
// attributes
resValue "bool", "enableNotification", twaManifest.enableNotifications.toString()
}
buildTypes {
release {
minifyEnabled false
proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
}
}
compileOptions {
sourceCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
targetCompatibility JavaVersion.VERSION_1_8
}
productFlavors {
}
}
dependencies {
implementation fileTree(include: ['*.jar'], dir: 'libs')
implementation 'com.github.GoogleChrome.custom-tabs-client:customtabs:91b4a1270b511ce70245d3440e6267762c5f1c6b'
}
assetLinks.json
[{
"relation": ["delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"],
"target": {
"namespace": "android_app",
"package_name": "eu.clubforceone.mobile",
"sha256_cert_fingerprints":
["CD:D5:D1:54:AC:8F:17:0B:8A:E6:5D:0F:C2:07:1D:FC:D7:2C:16:EE:66:A4:D9:F6:DA:1C:57:12:1B:57:A5:F9"]
}
}]
I just have no idea what to do...
This is my result from running "keytool -list -printcert -jarfile app-release.apk"
Signer #1:
Signature:
Owner: deleted for privacy reason
Issuer: deleted for privacy reason
Serial number: 6beb859e
Valid from: Sun Apr 01 14:33:45 CEST 2018 until: Thu Aug 17 14:33:45 CEST 2045
Certificate fingerprints:
MD5: 29:FC:96:6C:FC:D0:E4:69:BC:BC:B1:95:01:DA:6D:2D
SHA1: 00:7E:76:27:F9:5E:51:83:6A:77:70:57:90:A1:B7:56:66:66:A3:99
SHA256: CD:D5:D1:54:AC:8F:17:0B:8A:E6:5D:0F:C2:07:1D:FC:D7:2C:16:EE:66:A4:D9:F6:DA:1C:57:12:1B:57:A5:F9
Signature algorithm name: SHA256withRSA
Version: 3
Extensions:
#1: ObjectId: 2.5.29.14 Criticality=false
SubjectKeyIdentifier [
KeyIdentifier [
0000: 06 A2 63 AE E8 BD 9A 56 00 66 4E 8B 9C 09 EA 13 ..c....V.fN.....
0010: 20 C8 E5 4E ..N
]
]

Answer 1

You could use PWA2APK to simplify the procedure:
PWA2APK

Answer 2

The 'package_name' field in the 'assetlinks.json' file needs to point to the application package-name (which is the same as the applicationId).
Here's what the assetlinks.json file should look like:
[{
"relation": ["delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"],
"target": {
"namespace": "android_app",
"package_name": "eu.clubforceone.mobile",
"sha256_cert_fingerprints":
["CD:D5:D1:54:AC:8F:17:0B:8A:E6:5D:0F:C2:07:1D:FC:D7:2C:16:EE:66:A4:D9:F6:DA:1C:57:12:1B:57:A5:F9"]
}
}]

Answer 3

If you're letting the Play store manage your signatures, check that your assetlinks.json contains the SHA215 from your Play store settings rather than the one generated by keytool. As described in this other answer.
That said, I'm in the same situation as you. I also can't remove the URL bar from my TWA app.