Android-TV app shows white screen

Question

I've built an App with react-native and expo. Installed it on my Android-TV and my Android-TV emulator.

The app works when I run it through the ES File Explorer app, however when I try to run it regularly by clicking it on the Android-TV app section I get a constant white screen.

Built the apk with expo through $exp build:android. App.json code:

 {
  "expo": {
    "name": "CommuniTV",
    "description": "The future of watching TV is here!",
    "slug": "CommuniTV",
    "privacy": "public",
    "sdkVersion": "26.0.0",
    "platforms": ["ios", "android"],
    "version": "1.0.4",
    "orientation": "landscape",
    "entryPoint": "./App.js",
    "icon": "./assets/icon.png",
    "splash": {
      "image": "./assets/splash.png",
      "resizeMode": "contain",
      "backgroundColor": "#ffffff"
    },
    "updates": {
      "fallbackToCacheTimeout": 0
    },
    "assetBundlePatterns": [
      "**/*"
    ],
    "ios": {
      "supportsTablet": true
    },
    "android": {
      "package": "project.communiTV.com",
      "versionCode": 104,
      "permissions": [],
      "icon": "./AppIcon.png",
      "adaptiveIcon": {
        "foregroundImage": "./launcherIcon.png" // size is 1024x1024
      }
    }
  }
}

Couldn't find any solution on the web and I'm stuck.

Any suggestions? First screenshot - I click here I get a white screen

Second screenshot - I'll start it from here the App works fine

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 22 '19 at 20:55

After spending some time looking at the native code I managed to solve this issue by adding the proper configuration to app.json:

"android": {
  ...
  "intentFilters": [
    {
      "action": "MAIN",
      "category": [
        "LEANBACK_LAUNCHER"
      ]
    }
  ]
},

More detailed answer can be found here: https://gist.github.com/miazga/2e6449e0c591e3ac8e22185b2edb447d

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 07 '18 at 16:43

0

As recommended in this thread, Go to File -> Setting -> Build,Execution,Deployment -> Instant Run then uncheck the Enable Instant Run if it is checked, then run the project.

Also from this link, when your app starts, it first uses the theme of the launching activity to display the window background. If you don't specify windowBackground in your styles.xml, the default white will be used, and damage the UX.

answered Aug 07 '18 at 16:43

abielita

13,147
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It's not the problem with my app. The app just won't load, it stays white screen until I'll exit the app... But works perfectly fine through the ES File Explorer with the splash icon and no white screen at all. – dor mitzafon Aug 11 '18 at 10:51

ImShrey · Answer 3 · 2021-01-04T17:50:01.113

Matt's answer seems to be oudated as of now, its throwing build time error while reading manifest.

TypeError: Cannot convert undefined or null to object
    at Function.entries (<anonymous>)
    at renderIntentFilterDatumEntries (/app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidIntentFilters.js:33:17)
    at /app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidIntentFilters.js:37:70
    at Array.map (<anonymous>)
    at renderIntentFilterData (/app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidIntentFilters.js:37:48)
    at /app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidIntentFilters.js:25:9
    at Array.map (<anonymous>)
    at renderIntentFilters (/app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidIntentFilters.js:22:24)
    at runShellAppModificationsAsync (/app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidShellApp.js:632:115)
    at async Object.createAndroidShellAppAsync (/app/turtle/node_modules/@expo/xdl/build/detach/AndroidShellApp.js:392:3)
    at async runShellAppBuilder (/app/turtle/build/builders/android.js:95:9)
    at async Object.buildAndroid [as android] (/app/turtle/build/builders/android.js:43:28)
    at async build (/app/turtle/build/jobManager.js:181:33)
    at async processJob (/app/turtle/build/jobManager.js:118:32)
    at async Object.doJob (/app/turtle/build/jobManager.js:49:5)
    at async main (/app/turtle/build/server.js:66:13)

I updated it with data property, now seems to work fine, tested on expo 39 & 40

Also note that you have to include "LAUNCHER" too in category or else some devices may still show white screen.

"intentFilters": [
        {
          "action": "MAIN",
          "data":{},
          "category": [
            "LEANBACK_LAUNCHER",
            "LAUNCHER"
          ]
        }
      ]

Android-TV app shows white screen

3 Answers3