kivy / kivy/python-for-android

String argument from Buildozer not decoded.

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bug
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Python
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Description

### Checklist

- [ x] the issue is indeed a bug and not a support request
- [ x] issue doesn't already exist: https://github.com/kivy/python-for-android/issues
- [x ] I have a short, runnable example that reproduces the issue
- [ x] I reproduced the problem with the latest development version (`p4a.branch = develop`)
- [ x] I used the grave accent (aka backticks) to format code or logs when appropriated

### Versions

- Python: 3.11
- OS: WSL/Ubuntu
- Kivy: 2.2.1
- Cython: 0.29.33
- OpenJDK: 17

### Description

In buildozer.spec , setting:
```
android.extra_manifest_application_arguments = somefile.xml
```
Where `somefile.xml` contains:
```
android:usesCleartextTraffic="true"
```
results in an excaped string argument from Buildozer to p4a:
```
# Run ['/usr/bin/python3', '-m', 'pythonforandroid.toolchain', 'apk', '--bootstrap', 'sdl2', '--dist_name', 'oauth_gspread_example', '--name', 'OG', '--version', '0.1', '--package', 'org.reallyatest.oauth_gspread_example', '--minsdk', '21', '--ndk-api', '21', '--private', '/home/bobf/ex/oauth_gspread_example/.buildozer/android/app', '--permission', 'INTERNET', '--android-entrypoint', 'org.kivy.android.PythonActivity', '--android-apptheme', '@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar', '--orientation', 'portrait', '--window', '--enable-androidx', '--copy-libs', '--add-source', '/home/bobf/ex/oauth_gspread_example/java', '--extra-manifest-application-arguments="android:usesCleartextTraffic=\\"true\\" "', '--arch', 'arm64-v8a', '--color=always', '--storage-dir=/home/bobf/ex/oauth_gspread_example/.buildozer/android/platform/build-arm64-v8a', '--ndk-api=21', '--ignore-setup-py', '--debug']
```
the key part to note is the value from `somefile.xml` has been quoted and escaped:
```
'--extra-manifest-application-arguments="android:usesCleartextTraffic=\\"true\\" "'
```
The value is written without interpretation to `AndroidManifest.xml` as an escaped string
```
" or "/>".
```
The last but one line in the `AndroidManifest.xml` snippet above should the same a the contents of `somefile.xml`
```
android:usesCleartextTraffic="true"
```

Presumably, Buildozer has to quote and escape in order to pass the argument, so the issue is assumed to be a failure of the p4a parser to decode the argument.

Since we presumably know Buildozer's (quote and escape) encoding algorithm, it should be possible to successfully decode. A simpler approach might be a new p4a argument receiving the file name, and Buildozer supplying the file name.

I didn't test but this may also apply to the `buildozer.spec` `android.extra_manifest_xml` option.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by tracing the p4a handling of --extra-manifest-application-arguments from the command shown in the issue through generation of AndroidManifest.xml; compare it with the buildozer.spec and somefile.xml inputs. Reproduce the example on Python 3.11 under WSL/Ubuntu, then verify that the generated manifest contains android:usesCleartextTraffic="true" as an attribute and that Gradle accepts it.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
android, python
Domain
build-system, mobile
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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