Some more Queries that are misisng in FAQs about config HOT 16 CLOSED

Yes, that is Rom specific.

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Sandboxing can only be done at Rom side by following this link https://protonaosp.org/gapps#compatibility-layer

Flipendo will be fixed soon, I know the fix, it just needs to be implemented.

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• GMS and playstore need not have phone and activity recognition permissions in order to work and these permissions cannot be removed at all! Kindly make it removable.

all the default permissions are denyable from gapps end.
if you check this link out, the fixed attribute is what defines the forcing property of any default permission (from gapps end). We don't force enable any permission, the rom during it's first boot determines which permission should be applied on boot.
Also, I am able to deny phone permissions on LOS 19 on violet with NikGapps core. Activity is undenyable at the moment (I will check that out)
did you observe this behavior on NikGapps core?

• Why dirty flashing GBoard is illegal here?

Some of the roms causes crash when 'Preferences' option is selected in gboard settings if Gboard is dirty flashed. Until the root cause is figured out, we're making sure GBoard is only flashable when we're clean flashing the Rom. Other apps that has similar problem are Android Auto and Google Clock.

• If I remove all the scripts that start with "50-" except for GBoard in /system/addon.d, then Dirty Flash ROM(change slot if A/B device after flashing ROM) and NikGApps over it from custom recovery like TWRP, would that be feasible? (Results in Bootloop?)

if you remove everything except 50-Gboard.sh, that would result into removal of all the google apps upon dirty flashing of Rom except GBoard. NikGapps is configured to keep all the packages independent, thus you should not face any bootloop. However, addon scripts are yet to be tested on A/B device with recent modifications on addon scripts so I cannot confirm if GBoard with survive dirty flashing.
Dirty flashing Gboard addon should work in that case as once you clean flash GBoard through NikGapps addon, you can dirty flash them again.

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if you check this link out,

I was looking at it yesterday in the module, we can edit that manually AFAIK, however, if we remove privilege stuffs from this, then I believe we can control GMS permissions.

did you observe this behavior on NikGapps core?

I'm on LOS 18.1 Official for DRG, I couldn't remove Phone and Activity permissions at any cost as they're greyed out!
No, I didn't try NikGApps core, however, my minima config always had Core(calendar sync excluded) and Gboard.

if you remove everything except 50-Gboard.sh, that would result into removal of all the google apps upon dirty flashing of Rom except GBoard.

Based on my observation, what I found was that, dirty flashing LOS via TWRP restores everything that we've modified and leaves with ROM itself. Meaning, even if we don't remove 50- folders, it'll be removed automatically along with root access, kernel and custom recovery.

I cannot confirm if GBoard with survive dirty flashing.

It doesn't survive. NikGApps itself doesn't survive unless we've recoveries something like OrangeFox is installed. NikGApps was only able to survive the update only when done through the OTA updater app.

thus you should not face any bootloop

I, removed 50- files, and dirty flashed the same ROM, which gets installed to the other slot, I switched to it, reboot to recovery, lost TWRP, so had to boot it again and flashed GApps minima, followed by TWRP and custom kernel(as usual), then rebooted to bootloader to boot magisk img, pushed me to recovery again, I then tried to boot to device w/o booting magisk, again pushed me to recovery, which finally lead me to clean install.

from config.

I was looking at it yesterday in the module, we can edit that manually AFAIK, however, if we remove privilege stuffs from this, then I believe we can control GMS permissions.

I will test that before next stable release (removing the applied permissions to gms and playstore)

I'm on LOS 18.1 Official for DRG, I couldn't remove Phone and Activity permissions at any cost as they're greyed out! No, I didn't try NikGApps core, however, my minima config always had Core(calendar sync excluded) and Gboard.

I tested on LOS 19.1 and I was able to remove Phone, activity was disabled.

Based on my observation, what I found was that, dirty flashing LOS via TWRP restores everything that we've modified and leaves with ROM itself. Meaning, even if we don't remove 50- folders, it'll be removed automatically along with root access, kernel and custom recovery.

That is weird, which device do you have?

It doesn't survive. NikGApps itself doesn't survive unless we've recoveries something like OrangeFox is installed. NikGApps was only able to survive the update only when done through the OTA updater app.
I, removed 50- files, and dirty flashed the same ROM, which gets installed to the other slot, I switched to it, reboot to recovery, lost TWRP, so had to boot it again and flashed GApps minima, followed by TWRP and custom kernel(as usual), then rebooted to bootloader to boot magisk img, pushed me to recovery again, I then tried to boot to device w/o booting magisk, again pushed me to recovery, which finally lead me to clean install.

why not just install twrp before rebooting to recovery? you won't lose twrp then, will save you the step to fastboot twrp again.
just try this

Flash Rom
Flash TWRP
Reboot to recovery
Flash Gapps
Flash Magisk
Reboot

from config.

I will test that before next stable release (removing the applied permissions to gms and playstore)

Sure, waiting for the upcoming release and I hope an option to add battery optimisation.

I tested on LOS 19.1 and I was able to remove Phone, activity was disabled.

This feels weird to me, I tried flashing NikGApps core along with GBoard and Flipendo the other day and get that Phone and Activity removed. So, I reverted back to my own configuration PiX-GApps-Minima as I found it have no difference.

That is weird, which device do you have?

I use Nokia 6.1 Plus(DRG) as my daily driver running LOS 18.1 Official that is A/B supported.

why not just install twrp before rebooting to recovery? you won't lose twrp then, will save you the step to fastboot twrp again.
just try this

I'd tried this before, it didn't persist TWRP, instead forced to LOS recovery. May be I'd made a mistake at that time, will try next time. :D

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@nikhilmenghani

• Is it possible for NikGApps implement sandboxed Google Play Services like we see in GrapheneOS that has a special compatible layer that holds GMS, GSF files intact and teaches how to behave normally without elevated priveleges?
• Is it ROM specific that cannot be implemented in generic?

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@pixincreate gms_optimization is made configurable with 22nd Feb release (nikgapps/build@bce42bb). Is there any other issue you need to discuss or I can close the issue?

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Yes, thank you for that.

But I'm concerned about the immutable permissions for Physical Activity and Phone in both GMS as well as Play store.

Is it possible to sandbox? Any partition exist to flash that has least permissions other than \product? (I haven't checked the docs whether product have lesser permissions compared to \system)

I just want to GMS the least possible permissions. I cannot move on DeGoogled fully unfortunately.

Also, dirty flashing Add-ons usually doesn't work as intended. recently dirty-flashed Flipendo adn every time I tried to mess around with in the settings, the app used to crash insignificantally.

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Sandboxing can only be done at Rom side by following this link https://protonaosp.org/gapps#compatibility-layer

Thank you for pointing this as a reference. I'll check it out.

May I know if there's anything possible to restrict GMS privileges that it asks for? Atleast permissions?

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@pixincreate Not from gapps side!

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May I know if there's anything possible to restrict GMS privileges that it asks for? Atleast permissions?

I specifically asked about Physical Activity permission here that cannot be removed.

from config.

May I know if there's anything possible to restrict GMS privileges that it asks for? Atleast permissions?

I specifically asked about Physical Activity permission here that cannot be removed.

I did remove all the default permissions, you should be able to remove Physical Activity permission. Did you check that in your latest build?

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I just checked the same again, Physical Activity permission "is needed by the app to operate" is the message that message I'm getting and option has been greyed out.

Screenshot attached below.

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I think, in that case if we somehow disable it, the app may not work properly. It would be best to leave it that way.

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But I don't think it will cause problems in any way. Because, previously, Phone permission for GMS used to be the same, after some patches you made the permission removable and I use GMS with all the permissions removed and it never caused any issues so far.

However, Physical activity permission for GMS is only used for tracking the physical activity as the name itself states. Like, it detects movement when driving and stuff. It does nothing other than that.

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