Technical Support for Glendale App

Technical Support

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Technical Support

Solutions to common problems encountered when running the Glendale Aurora App on your device.

Most problems occur because you refused the app access to your location or notifications. No amount of refreshing, uninstalling or re-installing of the app will fix these. You must follow the instructions that are given below to resolve these issues.

IMPORTANT

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO UNINSTALL AND RE-INSTALL THE APP (UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO). THE PROBLEM IS YOUR PHONE, NOT THE APP.

Constantly Getting Blue DO NOT REFRESH Popup

This is because you are constantly either refreshing the screen or closing/re-opening the app. This is normally because you are using BACK for everything instead of learning to use the other buttons on the device.

Android

Three-Button Navigation

There are three buttons on the bottom of your screen: BACK, HOME, APP LIST

Do NOT use BACK for everything. Learn to use the MIDDLE button instead (HOME).

If you open Glendale App then use BACK to return to the home screen, you closed the app. Press the HOME (middle) button instead.

To switch from Glendale to Facebook and back to Glendale, without triggering a blue popup, the steps are: MIDDLE -> Glendale -> MIDDLE -> Facebook -> MIDDLE -> Glendale.

Two-Button Navigation

There are two buttons on the bottom of your screen: BACK, HOME

Do NOT use BACK for everything. Learn to use the HOME button instead.

If you open Glendale App then use BACK to return to the home screen, you closed the app. Press the HOME button instead.

To switch from Glendale to Facebook and back to Glendale, without triggering a blue popup, the steps are: HOME -> Glendale -> HOME -> Facebook -> HOME -> Glendale.

Gesture Navigation

I recommend you switch this on in the phone settings instead of using two or three button navigation. It is much easier to use.

Do NOT swipe from the left bezel (back gesture) to go BACK to the home screen, swipe up from the bottom bezel instead. Using the back gesture to return to the home screen closes the app.

You can easily switch between apps by swiping right on the bottom edge of the screen.

When you swipe up slowly from the bottom bezel and get the apps list, do not flick them away to get to the home screen. That closes them. Just touch between the thumbnails to get to the homescreen. Swipe up fast to get straight to the homescreen.

Notifications

Learn not to click on notifications as that causes the app to re-load. Just swipe them away and go into the app normally.

Refreshing

Do not refresh the screen. The app will automatically load fresh data as fast as it is able to. It cannot freeze in any way that can be resolved by refreshing the screen.

Location-Related Issues on Apple Devices

There are some less obvious location-related problems affecting Apple devices

iPhone

  1. Go to 'Settings'.
  2. Then 'Privacy & Security'.
  3. Then 'Location Services'.
  4. Then 'Find My'.
  5. Enable 'Share My Location'.

Access To Location or GPS is Blocked

The app requested permission to use your location and you said 'never'. This will prevent you from making sighting reports, getting accurate twilight/sun/moon times and seeing the Iceland, Scandinavian, Canadian or Australasian versions of the app.

The latest iPhones/iPads block location by default, so you have to unblock it manually to use the app.

iPhone

  1. Go to 'settings'.
  2. Go to 'privacy'.
  3. Go to 'location services'.
  4. Set the 'Safari Websites' tab to allow location access 'while using the app'.

IMPORTANT : Enabling the above setting is NOT granting permission for every/any website to use your location. It is only giving them permission to ASK if they can use your location. No website can access your location without asking for your personal consent first.

If that fails, or you don't have that setting, try this:

  1. Make sure your location/GPS is on.
  2. Go to 'settings'.
  3. Click 'general'.
  4. Click 'reset'.
  5. Click 'reset location services'.
  6. Close & re-open the app.
  7. Grant permission to use your location (always).

Android

  1. Make sure your location/GPS is on.
  2. Open the Chrome App.
  3. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk
  4. Click the icon that is three vertical dots in the top right of Chrome.
  5. Click 'Settings'.
  6. Click 'Site Settings'.
  7. Click 'Location'
  8. Click 'aurora-alerts.uk'
  9. Grant permission to use your location (always).

Chrome or Firefox on PC

  1. Click the small padlock on the left of the address bar.
  2. Click 'location'
  3. Select 'allow always'.

Notifications are Blocked

The app requested permission to send you alerts using push notifications but you said 'never'. This will prevent you from enabling or receiving alerts from the app directly to your Android device or Chrome browser or PC.

iPhone

  1. iPhones are unabled to receive push alerts.
  2. Install the Telegram App.
  3. Go to @GlendaleApp
  4. Follow the channel and enable notifications.

Android

Solution 1

  1. Open the Chrome App.
  2. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk
  3. Click the tiny padlock on the left of the address bar.
  4. Click Permissions.
  5. Enable Notifications (and location if it is off).

Solution 2

If you tried solution 1 and notifications are definitely enabled in the settings yet the app still says that you have blocked them then you will need to uninstall and re-install the app to resolve this:

  1. In the app, make a note of your name, email and password in the 'Your Details' section. You will need these later to log back in.
  2. Go to 'settings'.
  3. Click 'Apps'
  4. Click 'Glendale App'.
  5. Uninstall the app.
  6. Open the Chrome App.
  7. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk/
  8. 'Install the App'.
  9. Scroll to 'Your Details'.
  10. Enter your name, email and password exactly as you had them before.
  11. Save changes/password.

Chrome or Firefox on PC

  1. Click the small padlock on the left of the address bar.
  2. Click 'notifications'
  3. Select 'allow'.

Map Too Big For Screen

The map is too big and the eastern side of the country is off the edge of the screen.

Android

  1. Open the app.
  2. Open the notification tray (swipe down from top edge of phone).
  3. Click 'open in chrome browser'.
  4. In chrome, click the ellipsis (three vertical dots), top-right.
  5. Click 'zoom'.
  6. Move the zoom slider until the app displays properly.

App in Two Narrow Columns on Phone (Desktop View)

The app displays as two narrow columns on an android phone, even when in portrait view.

Android

  1. Open the app.
  2. Open the notification tray (swipe down from top edge of phone).
  3. Click 'open in chrome browser'.
  4. In chrome, click the ellipsis (three vertical dots), top-right.
  5. Uncheck 'Desktop View'.

Updating a Device Stuck on an Old Version

The app is displaying a message telling you that you must upgrade to a new version or Andy has told you that you need to update.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO UNINSTALL AND RE-INSTALL THE APP (UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO) AS THAT WILL NOT FIX IT.

iPhone / iPad

  1. Open the Glendale App.
  2. Go to the 'Your Details' panel.
  3. Make a note of your details exactly as they are entered.
  4. Open your Apple device 'settings'.
  5. Click 'safari'.
  6. Click 'advanced'.
  7. Click 'website data'.
  8. Find glendale app / aurora alerts uk.
  9. Remove all website data.
  10. Open the Glendale App.
  11. Re-enter your details, exactly how they were before.

If the above doesn't work, follow these steps:

  1. Long-press the Glendale App tile on your home-screen.
  2. A small menu pops up.
  3. Click 'delete bookmark'.
  4. Open safari.
  5. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk/.
  6. Follow the steps at the top to re-install the app.

If the above doesn't work, drag the Glendale App tile and drop it onto the wastebin. Uninstalling the app and re-installing it again is the only option.

Android

  1. Power down and re-start your phone*.
  2. Open the app.
  3. OK any popup messages.
  4. Wait 30s.
  5. A green box pops up at the bottom of the screen asking you to update.
  6. Click 'Update Now'.

* If you know the difference between actually closing an app and switching apps, you can close the app and re-open it rather than shutting down the device.

Desktop (Chrome/Edge)

  1. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk/.
  2. Go to the 'Your Details' panel.
  3. Make a note of your details exactly as they are entered.
  4. Click the tiny padlock on the left of the Chrome address bar.
  5. Click 'Site Settings'.
  6. Click 'Privacy & Security'.
  7. Click 'Clear Data'.
  8. Re-enter your details, exactly how they were before.

Desktop (Firefox)

  1. Go to https://aurora-alerts.uk/.
  2. Go to the 'Your Details' panel.
  3. Make a note of your details exactly as they are entered.
  4. Click the tiny padlock on the left of the Firefox address bar.
  5. Click 'clear cookies and site data'.
  6. Clear all data for aurora-alerts.uk.
  7. Re-enter your details, exactly how they were before.

Not Receiving Alerts or Notifications

iPhone

  1. iPhones are unabled to receive push alerts.
  2. Install the Telegram App.
  3. Go to @GlendaleApp
  4. Follow the channel and enable notifications.

Android

  1. See 'Notifications are Blocked' (above) and make sure they are enabled.
  2. Make sure that your details are entered in the 'Your Details' section.
  3. On the app, click the 'disable alerts' button
  4. Click 'enable alerts' to re-enable them again.
  5. You will be sent an alert to confirm that they are working correctly.

Not Receiving Notifications Until Screen Unlocked

Android

  1. Open the phone settings.
  2. In the search box at the top, type 'battery'. Search.
  3. Click 'Battery Optimisation'.
  4. Click 'All Apps'.
  5. Scroll down to, and click, 'Glendale App'.
  6. Turn off optimisation.

Constantly Asking You To Register

iPhone/Android

This is caused by cookies and other website data for the app being deleted by your phone. These are common causes:

  1. Running storage cleaners & memory savers.
  2. Blocking cookies and/or 'trackers'.
  3. Having very low available storage on your phone.
  4. Setting the browser to delete cookies upon closing.
  5. Manually deleting your browser history or data.

Notification Popups Missing on Windows 10

Desktop

  1. Open the Chrome Browser.
  2. Go to chrome://flags
  3. Search for 'notifications'.
  4. Set 'Enable Native Notifications' to 'Disabled'.
  5. Restart Chrome when requested.

App Not Working on new Huawei Phones

Huawei

Make a Clean Re-Install

The app just opens to a blank, white screen with an error message at the top or you need to make a full, clean re-install to fix a more serious corruption.

iPhone / iPad

  1. Go to 'Your Details'.
  2. Make a note of your details exactly as they are entered.
  3. Open your Apple device 'settings'.
  4. Click 'safari'.
  5. Click 'advanced'.
  6. Click 'website data'.
  7. Find glendale app / aurora alerts uk.
  8. Remove all website data.
  9. Open the Glendale App.
  10. Re-enter your details, exactly how they were before.

Android

  1. Go to 'Your Details'.
  2. Make a note of your details exactly as they are entered.
  3. Open the Chrome App.
  4. Visit https://aurora-alerts.uk/.
  5. Press the small padlock at left of address bar.
  6. Press 'Site Settings'.
  7. Press 'clear & reset all website data'.
  8. Refresh the screen.
  9. Open the Glendale App.
  10. Re-enter your details, exactly how they were before.