BUG: Excalidraw crash when view mode toggle off on android

[Deus333]

Your environment SYSTEM INFO: Operating system: android 11 (samsung SM-A505F) Obsidian version: 1.6.7 (149) API version: v1.6.7 Login status: not logged in Live preview: on Base theme: dark Community theme: none Snippets enabled: 0 Restricted mode: off Plugins installed: 4 Plugins enabled: 3 1: Excalidraw v2.3.0 2: Dataview v0.5.67 3: Templater v2.4.2

Bug Description: When setting Excalidraw to open drawings in view mode, the application initially works as expected, allowing you to view the drawing without any issues. However, if you toggle off view mode to edit the drawing, the screen goes black, making the drawing invisible and preventing any further interaction.

Additionally, if Excalidraw is not set to "open in view mode," the screen goes black immediately upon opening a file, preventing you from seeing the drawing at all.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. open a drawing that is in view mode
2. tap and hold and tap on view mode
3. See error

Expected behavior functioning :)

Screenshots

[zsviczian]

I am unable to reproduce... (testing on S23 Ultra), but I am using 2.4.0-rc-2. Can you test to see if you can reproduce the issue with the latest beta? I will release 2.4.0 this weekend, and the next release only in October - so would be important to find out now.

You can install the beta version with BRAT. This video explains how: https://youtu.be/2poSS-Z91lY

[Deus333]

Hi, thanks for your quick response. I follow the steps you suggested, but the issue persists in version 2.4.0-rc-2.

[zsviczian]

does the issue impact all your drawings or only this one?

[zsviczian]

Galaxy A50 is an older device. Please test if you experience the same on excalidraw.com.

However, even if it works in your browser, it could be different from the Android WebView component on your phone. You could try updating the Android WebView.

I fear this is a legacy device support issue, and I won't be able to do much about it...

Here's ChatGPT's instruction on how-to:

---

1. Open the Google Play Store

• Unlock your Galaxy A50.
• Tap on the Google Play Store icon to open the app.

2. Search for Android System WebView

• In the Play Store, tap on the search bar at the top.
• Type “Android System WebView” and press the search icon.

3. Check for Updates

• When the search results appear, locate Android System WebView.
• If there is an “Update” button visible next to it, that means an update is available.

4. Update Android System WebView

• Tap the “Update” button.
• The update will begin downloading and installing automatically.

5. Wait for the Installation to Complete

• The Play Store will handle the update process. Wait until the installation is complete.
• You can see the progress of the update in the notification bar.

6. Restart Your Phone (Optional)

• While not always necessary, restarting your phone after updating system components can ensure everything works smoothly.

7. Verify the Update

• After updating, you can go back to the Play Store to confirm that the update was successful. The “Update” button should no longer be visible, replaced by “Open” or “Uninstall”.

8. Check System Settings (Alternative Method)

• If you want to ensure you have the latest version:
  • Go to Settings > Apps.
  • Scroll down and find Android System WebView.
  • Tap on it, and you should see the version number listed. Compare it to the latest version available on the Play Store.

Troubleshooting Tips:

• No Update Button: If there’s no update button, your WebView might already be up to date.
• Automatic Updates: Consider enabling automatic updates for apps in the Play Store to avoid missing future updates.

This should help you keep the Android WebView on your Galaxy A50 up to date.

[Deus333]

I was using Excalidraw on this phone, and this issue started happening after the recent updates

[zsviczian]

Please create an empty vault and test only with Excalidraw installed.

You did not respond to my earlier questions - please do, or else I can't help you:

• Does this happen with all drawings or only the one in the issue report?
• Please let me know the Android System WebView version on your phone, and let me know if you were able to update it.

In the meantime, I found an old phone at home with Android 9 and installed Obsidian and Exalidraw, both 2.3.0 and 2.4.0-rc-2. Excalidraw ran without issues, and I was able to switch to view mode without any problems.

My test phone is running Android System WebView v79.0.3945.116

[Deus333]

“Hello, I created a new vault, and everything was working fine. Then, I decided to uninstall and reinstall the Excalidraw plugin. I had done this before, and the problem wasn’t solved, but strangely enough, this time the issue was resolved.