Android Question (Solved) Google Play Hoop Jumping

[Shelby]

I have made over 12 new Private Sign Keys in the last few days. Then after building App Bundle in the IDE I take that app bundle and insert it into the Google Play upload bundle area but I get:

Your Android App Bundle is signed with the wrong key. Ensure that your App Bundle is signed with the correct signing key and try again. Your App Bundle is expected to be signed with the certificate with fingerprint:SHA1: 2F:2C:CC:2A:56:3B:09:1E:1A:81:99A:8D:04:10:40:49:E9:EB:F1
but the certificate used to sign the App Bundle you uploaded has fingerprint:SHA1: 27:4D:29:A0:76:B4:C9:FE:E7:7BB:F8:B1:BA:48:3C:8F:A8:99:1F

I have that SHA1..... fingerprint from a few years ago but I know of no way to communicate that SHA1..... in a proper way for Google Play to accept it. I'm blindly searching around forum posts here, Google searching, Stack Overflow, etc. Maybe someone here has solved this problem and might be willing to direct me.
P.S. I tried the keytool to make an alias keystore from the program: keystore explorer. I put the keystore I derived there into my objects folder. The 12 or more keystore files are in my general app folder and I used the codeline #SignKeyAlias:b4a (my alias is b4a) in my main module but it doesn't seem to make any difference.
This is for an old simple app with only one module; a simple multiplication calculator app. Free on Google Play.

Calculator For Area Rooms & B - Apps on Google Play

Enter width and length for calculations of area.

play.google.com

 

[aeric]

I have made over 12 new Private Sign Keys

You just need one Private Sign Key and keep it save (remember the password).

If you have opt to upload the app as aab then you can't use the old key for apk unless you follow the steps to upgrade using keytool. This is not easy. B4A is now using different encryption (RSA) instead of SHA1 for the key. SHA1 only applies to apk. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Shelby]

However, maybe I'm wrong about apk rather than aab. When I build the app bundle, I find a new aab file in my objects folder. Does it make sense either way?

 

[aeric]

You should not share your private key.
Uploading apk nowadays to Google is like a hit and miss. They don't support apk for quite a while.

 

[Shelby]

I assume that I can have multiple keys. Soon I'll need a private app. Perhaps you'd think I should have only one key.

 

[aeric]

I assume that I can have multiple keys. Soon I'll need a private app. Perhaps you'd think I should have only one key.

There is no advantage of having more keys.

 

[Shelby]

Thanks, however, I have no use for my key since I can't use it for my update any longer. There is apparently some format with which one has to utilize the key and I don't have that formatted file.

 

[RichardN]

@aeric I have been submitting version upgarades with APK files with the same key since 2013 with no problem despite Google encouraging me to take the AAB route.

@Shelby Error messages do not always point to the real issue. Maybe a dumb question... but have you previously submitted this app name to the store with a different private key?

 

[Shelby]

No, not that I'm aware of. Although in the past few days I've been unsuccessfully attempting to get an app bundle through the maze of requirements of Google Play. As stated above, I've tried to generate 12 different keystores with no success. Although I've made all those attempts to make a new keystore, the Google Play software keeps saying "Hey, you didn't use your old keystore."

 

[mcqueccu]

Open all the keystore you have created one after the (Tools->Private sign key). And check the SHA1 against the one quoted by Google. The one that will match is the keystore you used for that particular app.

Going forward. Try and maintain one keystore file for all your new project and keep a backup in your email or drive with its password

 

[RichardN]

@Shelby So this is your very first attempt to upload any app to the store?

 

[Shelby]

@Shelby So this is your very first attempt to upload any app to the store?

No, I think this app is over 5 years old. I seem to have the Sha1 characters but I don't have the proper keystore file configuration. I wish I could just enter the Sha1 characters into some repository held by Google Play. Also I have one other free app on Google Play.

 

[Shelby]

Open all the keystore you have created one after the (Tools->Private sign key). And check the SHA1 against the one quoted by Google

The keystores seem to be encrypted and I can't view the contents. Plus I have attempted to upload aab files built by each keystore and they are seemingly never successful.

 

[RichardN]

The whole idea is that this key retains your identity as the original author of the app so no random hacker can upload malware as an 'update' to your pitch on the store. Your keystore is a product of your name, company and other stuff that make it virtually unhackable. Without the original key you cannot update previous versions... I fear you are screwed. All you can do is create a new keystore and upload your app as an entirely new package name.

 

[Shelby]

Without the original key you cannot update previous versions... I fear you are screwed. All you can do is create a new keystore and upload your app as an entirely new package name.

I have thought that your analysis is true in the last few days. Just yesterday I've begun to prepare for going in that direction. Thanks for your input.

 

[Shelby]

I released a new version of my free calculator app. I'll remove the one needing upgrading once the new one is active. Interesting I heard nothing about a signkey file. I guess the .aab file will be my new signkey file; right??