not working without root

[pokegamer5547]

Hello. I tried to install BCR without root using recommended steps here in github.
I'm using crdroid 8.8 (Lineage os fork on android 12.1)
I copied all files under system directory in zip file and pasted it in /system/ partition after mounting it.
But the app isnt showing and when i install through apk it only installs it as user app, not as system app. Where am i going wrong?

[chenxiaolong]

Hmm, I wonder if it's a permission or selinux issue. Can you run this command in a terminal (or adb shell) and paste the output here?

ls -lZR /system/etc/permissions/ /system/priv-app/com.chiller3.bcr/

[pokegamer5547]

Sorry for late reply! I was bit busy. Here you go.
`
/system/etc/permissions:
total 132
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 846 2009-01-01 05:30 android.hardware.biometrics.face.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 1050 2009-01-01 05:30 android.software.live_wallpaper.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 748 2009-01-01 05:30 android.software.webview.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 777 2009-01-01 05:30 android.test.base.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 777 2009-01-01 05:30 android.test.mock.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 781 2009-01-01 05:30 android.test.runner.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 1306 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.documentsui.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 807 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.future.usb.accessory.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 801 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.location.provider.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 805 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.media.remotedisplay.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 797 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.mediadrm.signer.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 1277 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.networkstack.tethering.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 2003 2009-01-01 05:30 com.android.networkstack.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 763 2009-01-01 05:30 javax.obex.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 787 2009-01-01 05:30 org.apache.http.legacy.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 14960 2009-01-01 05:30 platform.xml
-rw-r----- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 292 2022-08-28 16:45 privapp-permissions-com.chiller3.bcr.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 287 2009-01-01 05:30 privapp-permissions-com.crdroid.faceunlock.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 34087 2009-01-01 05:30 privapp-permissions-platform.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 5002 2009-01-01 05:30 privapp-permissions-qti.xml
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 158 2009-01-01 05:30 qcom.fmradio.xml

/system/priv-app/com.chiller3.bcr:
total 2988
-rw-r----- 1 root root u:object_r:system_file:s0 3055649 2022-08-28 16:45 app-release.apk
`

[chenxiaolong]

Thanks for that. I think the permissions on the copied files are not correct, causing the files to only be readable by root. This should fix the problem:

chmod 644 /system/etc/permissions/privapp-permissions-com.chiller3.bcr.xml
chmod 755 /system/priv-app/com.chiller3.bcr
chmod 644 /system/priv-app/com.chiller3.bcr/app-release.apk

(you'll need to mount the system partition as writable like you did when you first set it up)

[pokegamer5547]

Thanks! That fixed my issue :)
I think since android's internal storage doesnt allow some permissions to file without root, it was unable to get those permissions like executable/search permission when i first extracted and caused this issue. Maybe it should be better mentioned in readme.md too to avoid confusion.

[chenxiaolong]

No problem! I've added a mention of the permissions in the README. Also, starting from version 1.19, it is now possible to directly flash the BCR zip from recovery to install it on unrooted ROMs (#128, #130).