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Signal Android

This guide is written by using Signal-Android branch Master version 4.53.6

Requirement

Android Studio 3.5
JRE 1.8.0
JVM OpenJDK 64
SDK 28
NDK (Optional, only if you want to make custom package)

How to

Convert your server ssl cert to pkcs#12. Change the -in and -inkey argument to your public and private key. If you generate using Let's Encrypt, the public key is the fullchain.pem and the private key is the privkey.pem

openssl pkcs12 -export -out keystore.pkcs12 -in public_key_or_certificate -inkey private_key

Use 'Keystore Explorer’ (In MacOS, you can try using another software in other OS), edit whisper.store files (the password is "whisper" without quote), insert your pk12 certificate there. If you use AWS CDN Cloudfront, you also need to put Cloudfront's certificate there
Open the project in Android Studio (Open, not Import).
Update URL with own server in app/build.gradle (be sure to use https and don't include trailing slash). If you are having a hard time finding your Cloudfront domain, you can find it in CloudFront console formated as random-id.cloudfront.net.

...

defaultConfig {
        versionCode canonicalVersionCode * postFixSize
        versionName canonicalVersionName

        minSdkVersion 19
        targetSdkVersion 28
        multiDexEnabled true

        vectorDrawables.useSupportLibrary = true
        project.ext.set("archivesBaseName", "Signal");

        buildConfigField "long", "BUILD_TIMESTAMP", getLastCommitTimestamp() + "L"
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "STORAGE_URL", "\"https://cloudfrontdomain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_CDN_URL", "\"https://cloudfrontdomain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_CONTACT_DISCOVERY_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_SERVICE_STATUS_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_KEY_BACKUP_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "CONTENT_PROXY_HOST", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "int", "CONTENT_PROXY_PORT", "443"
        buildConfigField "String", "USER_AGENT", "\"OWA\""
        buildConfigField "boolean", "DEV_BUILD", "false"
        buildConfigField "String", "MRENCLAVE", "\"cd6cfc342937b23b1bdd3bbf9721aa5615ac9ff50a75c5527d441cd3276826c9\""
        buildConfigField "String", "KEY_BACKUP_ENCLAVE_NAME", "\"f2e2a5004794a6c1bac5c4949eadbc243dd02e02d1a93f10fe24584fb70815d8\""
        buildConfigField "String", "KEY_BACKUP_MRENCLAVE", "\"f51f435802ada769e67aaf5744372bb7e7d519eecf996d335eb5b46b872b5789\""
        buildConfigField "String", "UNIDENTIFIED_SENDER_TRUST_ROOT", "\"public-key-generated-in-signal-server-step-3\""
        buildConfigField "String[]", "LANGUAGES", "new String[]{\"" + autoResConfig().collect { s -> s.replace('-r', '_') }.join('", "') + '"}'
        buildConfigField "int", "CANONICAL_VERSION_CODE", "$canonicalVersionCode"

...

update UNIDENTIFIED_SENDER_TRUST_ROOT (value is Public Key from when creating UnidentifiedDelivery of server’s config.yml)

Comment out distributionSha256Sum on gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties

distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
distributionPath=wrapper/dists
# distributionSha256Sum=027fdd265d277bae65a0d349b6b8da02135b0b8e14ba891e26281fa877fe37a2
distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-5.6.2-all.zip
zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
zipStorePath=wrapper/dists

Download google-service.json from Firebase, put it inside app/.
Update app/src/main/res/values/firebase_messaging.xml according to value from google-service.json
Update ATTACHMENT_DOWNLOAD_PATH and ATTACHMENT_UPLOAD_PATH in libsignal/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/signalservice/internal/push/PushServiceSocket.java by deleting ‘attachments/‘ so attachment will be uploaded in root ( / ). If you don't want the attachments to be uploaded to root bucket, check the FAQ part of this guide.
Sync your project then build.

Custom Server

Change app/build.gradle to use your server. Always use https and without trailing slash on the url.

// app/build.gradle

        buildConfigField "long", "BUILD_TIMESTAMP", getLastCommitTimestamp() + "L"
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "STORAGE_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_CDN_URL", "\"https://your-own.cloudfrontnet\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_CONTACT_DISCOVERY_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_SERVICE_STATUS_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "SIGNAL_KEY_BACKUP_URL", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "String", "CONTENT_PROXY_HOST", "\"https://domain.com\""
        buildConfigField "int", "CONTENT_PROXY_PORT", "443"
        buildConfigField "String", "USER_AGENT", "\"OWA\""
        buildConfigField "boolean", "DEV_BUILD", "false"
        buildConfigField "String", "MRENCLAVE", "\"cd6cfc342937b23b1bdd3bbf9721aa5615ac9ff50a75c5527d441cd3276826c9\""
        buildConfigField "String", "KEY_BACKUP_ENCLAVE_NAME", "\"f2e2a5004794a6c1bac5c4949eadbc243dd02e02d1a93f10fe24584fb70815d8\""
        buildConfigField "String", "KEY_BACKUP_MRENCLAVE", "\"f51f435802ada769e67aaf5744372bb7e7d519eecf996d335eb5b46b872b5789\""
        buildConfigField "String", "UNIDENTIFIED_SENDER_TRUST_ROOT", "\"CHANGE-TO-YOUR-UNIDENTIFIED-DELIVERY-PUBLIC-KEY\""

Custom Package Name

To create your own Signal-based Chat application, you need to rename the package. This is to prevent your app conflicting with signal on Play Store and on user's phone.

Open Signal-Android in Android Studio.

Signal-Android package name is org.thoughtcrime.securesms and in the project it's shown as a structure like this

app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/

It is recommended that your desired package name also consist of three part, for example com.company.chatname.

Right click on securesms directory, choose Refactor, then choose Rename. When prompted, choose Rename Package. Change it to your desired chatname. It is optional to choose Search in comments and strings and Search for text occurance, you can leave it blank.
After the search process is done, a window will appear on the bottom. Choose Do Refactor.
It will take some time, after it is done, repeat step 2-3 to thoughtcrime and org.
There's a chance some import could be left unchanged, to make sure, find org.thoughtcrime.securesms. If you found some, change it manually.

If you have done those step, you can already build your own app and install it to android. But the camera will not work because you haven't change the package name in native code.

Change the package name in native code, find org_thoughtcrime_securesms and replace with your package name, remember to use underscore (_) like how it is before. It is located on:

app/jni/Android.mk

JNI_DIR := $(call my-dir)

include $(CLEAR_VARS)

LOCAL_MODULE     := native-utils
LOCAL_C_INCLUDES := $(JNI_DIR)/utils/
LOCAL_CFLAGS     += -Wall

LOCAL_SRC_FILES := $(JNI_DIR)/utils/com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils.cpp

include $(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)

app/jni/utils/org_thoughtcrime_securesms_util_FileUtils.cpp

#include "com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils.h"

...

jint JNICALL Java_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils_getFileDescriptorOwner

...

JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils_createMemoryFileDescriptor

...

app/jni/utils/org_thoughtcrime_securesms_util_FileUtils.h

/* DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE - it is machine generated */
#include <jni.h>
/* Header for class com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils */

#ifndef _Included_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils
#define _Included_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils

...

/*
 * Class:    com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils
 * Method:    getFileDescriptorOwner
 * Signature: (Ljava/io/FileDescriptor;)I
 */
JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils_getFileDescriptorOwner
  (JNIEnv *, jclass, jobject);

/*
 * Class:     com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils
 * Method:    createMemoryFileDescriptor
 * Signature: (Ljava/lang/String;)I
 */
JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL Java_com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils_createMemoryFileDescriptor
  (JNIEnv *, jclass, jstring);

...

The last two files (.cpp and .h) also need to be renamed to follow your new package name, for example:

app/jni/utils/com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils.cpp
app/jni/utils/com_company_chatname_util_FileUtils.h

Install NDK, and run this command in your directory

ndk-build

If the command is not recognized, it means your NDK installation has not been added to Environment Variable, then run it with absolute path.

It will generate 4 libnative-utils.so inside app/jni. Use it to replace the originals that located in here:

app
└── src
    └── main
        └── jniLibs
            ├── arm64-v8a
            │   └── libnative-utils.so
            ├── armeabi-v7a
            │   └── libnative-utils.so
            ├── x86
            │   └── libnative-utils.so
            └── x86_64
                └── libnative-utils.so

Update the package name that formated as org/thoughtcrime/securesms and replace with your package name, remember to use slash (/) like how it is before. It is located on:

app/lint-baseline.xml

...

file="src/main/java/com/company/chatname/util/dualsim/SubscriptionManagerCompat.java"

...

file="src/main/java/com/company/chatname/contacts/ContactSelectionListAdapter.java"

...

app/lint.xml

...

<ignore path="*/com/company/chatname/mediasend/camerax/VideoCapture.java" />
<ignore path="*/com/company/chatname/mediasend/camerax/CameraXModule.java" />

...

Remember to update the application name in :

app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml

FAQ

Q: How do i build an APK?

A: You can just run ./gradlew clean assemblePlayRelease --exclude-task signProductionPlayRelease. For more detailed instruction, follow Official Signal Android ReproducibleBuild Guide.

Q: Why did I need to change the Attachment Path?

A: For now, I have no idea why you can't upload to a path except root, I've tried modifying every permission in AWS but to no avail.

Q: How did I make Maps works?

A: On Android, search for com.google.android.geo.API_KEY and change the value below that line with your own Google Maps API Key. Remember to Enable Maps SDK for Android

Q: How did I make Giphy/Sticker works?

A: Don't change CONTENT_PROXY_URL on your build.gradle but you may change the Giphy API key on android.

Q: What can I do so the attachments not uploaded to root bucket?

A: You still need to do Step 9, but only remove the attachments part from ATTACHMENT_UPLOAD_PATH. Then modify your Signal-Server.

First open AttachmentControllerV2.java located in service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/controllers/ and find this line:

String  objectName  = String.valueOf(attachmentId);

Modify it to:

String  objectName  = "attachments/" + String.valueOf(attachmentId);

Then open AttachmentControllerTest.java located in service/src/test/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/tests/controllers/ and find this line:

assertThat(descriptor.getKey()).isEqualTo(descriptor.getAttachmentIdString());

Modify it to:

assertThat(descriptor.getKey()).isEqualTo("attachments/" + descriptor.getAttachmentIdString());

Then re-build the server and run it.

Q: My app show Your version of Signal has Expired

A: Please modify getDaysTillBuildExpiry() in Util.java to this:

public static int getDaysTillBuildExpiry() {
  return Integer.MAX_VALUE;
}

Q: Is there any way to change package name in easier way?

A: You can try adding applicationId under defaultConfig, you can find it inside app/build.gradle

defaultConfig {
...

   applicationId "your.package.name"
   
...
}

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Signal Android

Requirement

How to

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Custom Package Name

FAQ