AndroidTV Missing DPad functionality

Question

My app is fully usable and navigatable on AndroidTV using the DPad. Well, it certainly is on MY AndroidTV, as well as AVD.

However, Google keeps on rejecting my appeal to have it marked as AndroidTV capable.

There is no feedback, other than

Missing DPad functionality Your app requires user interaction for menus or app navigation. Please make sure that all menus and app navigation are fully functional using a DPad. Please refer to our DPAD Control and Hardware Declaration documentation.

Do you know if they actually test these apps, or do they just look for certain code patterns? The message from them looks automated, and I've not spoken to a person yet.

Would it help if I recorded my app in use and sent them a link to the demonstration?

Answer 1

In my case there were 3 problems.

1. I had a "Refresh" button that when pressed it was downloading a new image and replaced the current, to the automatic google testing machines - it looks like nothing happens, it was the same image. the fact that I used different drawable to show pressed/released/focused state had nothing to do with it. For those testing machines, if nothing happens then this button has no functionality and the DPAD probably is not working. I have added a simple Toast message that launches every time a user presses the button.
2. I have contacted support from the link in the rejection email - they are very supportive. they have sent me explanation that includes an old screenshot. apparently - they were using an old version - I don't know why. After explanation - they checked the correct one.
3. also, they test mostly the production version while most of my development was on the beta version. advance your version to production. in my case partial release of 5 percent was good enough for them to test the new production version.

after all of those measures - 12 hours later - I was approved. Now, I have removed the toast and my app was still accepted.