Preventing Update Check - is there a way?

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
I have a couple of apps on my tablet that I don't want to be updated. The version I have is the one that works, I know the update will break it so I don't want the latest version.

On Linux distros there is usually an option in the program manager to "force" an application version if you know a later update doesn't play nice with your OS version. That removes that application from future software updates.

Is there any way to accomplish something similar on Android? The Market app is always informing me that there are "updates available" because I purposely never apply the updates to the apps that I want to remain at their current version. Obviously I didn't check the "automatic update" box for them, but there doesn't appear to be a way to make the Market app stop checking for updates for an app, so those apps I am keeping at their current version are perpetually in my "updates available" list, which also means I can't use the "Update All" option, because that will update those apps as well.
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
That just turns off the update notifications for all programs. Market still searches for updates for the programs and puts them in my "My Apps" update list.
 

xaueious

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 9, 2010
3,483
436
Opps... Completely misread that...

If you sideload or adb install the app instead, it will never show up in Android Market updates I think... Or was it adb push /data/app/?

I remember having to update my apps manually after restoring from an older version of titanium backup somehow. I know what you mean... I need to test it...

Edit:
Titanium backup the app, choose NOT to backup the market link. Then do an install and restore both the app and the data.
or it's called 'detach from market' or something
 

fxdominicano

Member
Feb 4, 2011
19
0
Just get a task manager and block those programs from start-up.

That just turns off the update notifications for all programs. Market still searches for updates for the programs and puts them in my "My Apps" update list.



Sent from my sdk using Android Tablet Forum App
 

Fuganater

Moderator
Staff member
Feb 8, 2011
728
93
What if you use appbrain and tell it to never update that app?

Just a guess.
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
Ok, well one of the apps is "Angry Birds Seasons" (with the Halloween and Christmas games) which works reasonably well. The "Valentines Day" update turns all the text back into white blocks. After the update I uninstalled the app and then - because I couldn't get the older version from Market any longer - I side-loaded it over adb, hoping that, since I didn't install it through Market it wouldn't look for the updates. But it still appears the list under "My Apps" and still says "updates available" after it. It seems that Market "remembers" every app you've ever installed, even if you later uninstalled it. This data is apparently NOT stored on the device - it's stored remotely in Google's cloud, as evidenced by logging into the Android Market on a desktop computer.

Of course I still want my apps to generally stay updated, and if I discover one breaks after an update I'd like to downgrade and freeze it at that version. But Market doesn't seem to offer that level of granular control over app updating. I'd love to hit the "Update All" button, but with no way to exclude apps I don't want updated, I have to update each app manually.
 

xaueious

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 9, 2010
3,483
436
Confirmed that you can detach from market in Titanium backup, but I have the paid version of Titanium backup, so I am not sure if this works on the free version. Longpress on any app.
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
Just tried the "Detach from Market" option in the free version of Titanium Backup. Pops up a message saying that feature only works in the paid version. But that means it IS possible to prevent an app from updating and leads me to wonder HOW does it detach an app from Market? I mean, if this is something I could do with line commands in a terminal or through adb that would be great.
 

xaueious

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 9, 2010
3,483
436
If you install fresh from adb install, it will not be attached to the Market.

Just tested.

You could probably also do a push to /data/app/ for the same results
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
Ok, after wasting my lunch hour searching for answers. . .

I'm apparently not alone in wanting some way to exclude apps from update checks in Market, but in the dozens of threads I found the only solution usually offered up is the pay version of Titanium Backup and it's "detach from Market" option (which apparently doesn't work on all devices). I'm still curious exactly HOW it does it - it must be executing some kind of line commands, and it requires root so it must be creating/deleting/over-writing a file somewhere. But if I couldn't find the answer at xda-developers I'm probably not going to.

The other solution I found, and I'm in the process of testing this, is to uninstall the app through Market and wait to see if it drops off the "My Apps" list (conflicting info says it take anywhere from "instantly" to a few hours to a few days for this to ripple through Google's servers). After this apparently variable amount of time passes then you reinstall the app by side-loading it or installing it through another market app. Opinion seemed divided on whether to clear the Market cache or not. If this method is true then perhaps my problem was I simply side-loaded the app too soon after uninstalling it - before Market had "forgotten" about it. I'm in the process of testing this option now, but obviously need to wait to see if it works and whether clearing the Market app's cache is actually necessary.
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
Update:

I waited some hours before trying to side-load reinstall the app. It was no longer showing on "my Apps" list in Market. As soon as it was reinstalled (again, side-loaded via adb) it immediately appeared in the Market "My Apps" with an update notice.

Uninstalled it again. Cleared the Market cache through system settings. Reinstalled via side-loading. App is no longer in Market app's "My Apps" list, no notifications that an update is available. So, it appears clearing the Market app's cache is a necessary step.

Of course if I was into flashing experimental roms this wouldn't be a good solution because by clearing the Market app cache I have lost all previous installation app downloads, as it now only shows those apps installed through Market that are on the device right now.
 
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