Continuing the discussion from OBDLink app unable to load add-ons:
Preamble:
This is about using Google stuff. If you want to keep your phone 100% Google free, stop reading!
Nevertheless, in some scenarios this might be the lesser of two evils, if the other is to go back to a fully Google bloated stock ROM.
There may be situations when you inevitable need paid apps from the Google Play Store. In many cases you can simply use the Aurora Store to install apps you bought (just buy the app from a web browser by visiting https://play.google.com). But if you somehow must be able (or simply want to) use an app with an in app license check or in app purchases, Aurora Store can’t help you.
One thing you can do in this case is to separately install the Google Play Store app. Be aware, this theoretically gives Google already full control over your phone, as if you’re running a Stock-Google ROM. If you’re nevertheless still willing to continue, this is how it’s done:
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Prerequisite: You got TWRP and/or Magisk installed and you know how to get a root shell on your device.
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Place a textfile in the user accessible storage (at /data/media/0, so right beside the folders Download, Bluetooth, …):
.nanodroid-setup
This is the file content:
(most important part is thenanodroid_play=10, see also here)
nanodroid_microg=0
nanodroid_nlpbackend=0000
nanodroid_mapsv1=0
nanodroid_play=10
nanodroid_fdroid=0
nanodroid_apps=0
nanodroid_overlay=1
nanodroid_bash=0
nanodroid_init=""
nanodroid_gsync=0
nanodroid_swipe=0
nanodroid_forcesystem=0
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Install NanoDroid-microG-*.zip either via TWRP or via Magisk.
(the.nanodroid-setupfile will tell NanoDroid how to install)
Then reboot.
See also: gitlab.com/Nanolx/NanoDroid -
Grant “Signature spoof permission” to the customized Play Store by NanoDroid. You must do this as root on a shell in the running eOS-Android (not from TWRP).
pm grant com.android.vending android.permission.FAKE_PACKAGE_SIGNATURE -
Reboot
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You maybe need to repeat at least step 3 (install NanoDroid) after an /e/ eOS update.
Appendix:
Many paid apps it might need the Play Store just one time to check their license. So it might be OK to disable the Play Store app, disable the Magisk NanoDroid module or even completely uninstall NanoDroid after the paid app got what it needed.
One time I observed a problem where the name of the microG Settings app and some other strings inside the app somehow “changed”. E.g. the name of the microG Settings app became no longer installed, although it was still working. See here for details:
) and Simple Calendar does an adequate job but AccuBattery was not replaceable.