Permanently unresponsive (no sync) after returning from background

[ManDay]

Illustration

MP4_20220102_105847.mp4

Steps to reproduce

Open a room and let the phone go to standby/display off after delay. Then unlock the phone again, thus returning to the room.

Outcome

The "sync" spinner at the top border will appear and start spinning indefinitely.

From that point on

• no synchronisation will ever succeed
• "Clear cache" hangs indefinitely on the initial splash screen, too
• Closing Element Android has no effect

The only solution that I've found so far is using "Force Stop" on Element Android in the device settings.

Your phone model

Cubot J5

Operating system version

Android 9

Application version and app store

Element 1.3.7 F-8b98c8fe

Homeserver

matrix.org

Will you send logs?

Yes

[ManDay]

About reproducability: It happens occasionally with a high probability. I have not been able to reproduce it in small rooms, although once the problem occurs, sync fails for all rooms. On larger rooms like #matrix I would say it happens in 8 out of 10 trials.

[ManDay]

If it is of any significance: When this happens, cutting the network -- which normally causes a warning about Airplane Mode -- does not have any effect, either: The loading indicator just keeps spinning.

I've joined more than 3 rooms as of recently and now it happens with a probability of >60%! Even in the overview of rooms and when returning to the app. This has now forced me to use Element Web because Element Android is effectively unusable.

[ManDay]

@SpiritCroc from Schildi (which has the same problem from the Element Codebase) has told me that a video might clarify the problem, I've added it to the opening post. You can see how after several tabbing back-and-forth Element bricks in the indefinite sync. I suspect that the stochastic doesn't follow the number of switches, because it happens with a 80% probability when I come back to Element after it has been in the background for several minutes.

[amas0]

Just wanted to jump in and say that I'm also experiencing this issue with high probability upon returning to Element from it being in the background. I've found I can fix it temporarily by closing the app completely (removing it from my background apps) and reopening it.

I am running 1.3.12 (G-b5040) on a Galaxy S21.

[ManDay]

Occasionally, this situation occurs "invisibly", meaning there is no indication of the problem such as an infinitely spinning "loading bar". The other symptoms are there, such as messages being marked "delivered" (and actually delivered) but disappearing when leaving the room and no sync. The unmistakable indicator for me is that when I do "clear cache", Element hangs on the initial ("green") screen indefinitely.

Upstream, if you're just going to ignroe this bug then please close it so users don't waste effort commenting on it. Thanks.

[bmarty]

Should be fixed in Element 1.3.16 by #4952. Feel free to re-open if this is not the case.

[ellidi]

Should be fixed in Element 1.3.16 by #4952. Feel free to re-open if this is not the case.

Still an issue in 1.4.4 :)