Question Problem with Apple RefreshAppReceipt and SubscriptionManager and handling free trial eligibility

Hello!

While testing the IAP on the device, I ran into the following problem (perhaps this case occurs exclusively in the sandbox, since the receipt is not stored there locally, as I know):
In the case, if a user launches an application without network access and then connects to the network, the following happens:
Unity IAP tries to initiate, when it succeeds, it receives the product, but does not receive the receipt for some reason.
As a result, my PaymentManager decides that this is a new user and marks him as eligible for free trial and does not give him full access even if his subscription is actually active.
I tried to solve this problem by using m_AppleExtensions.RefreshAppReceipt in case the receipt is empty.
As a result, I get a receipt as a string successfully, but the product.receipt remains empty.

To solve it I tried to create a SubscriptionManager instance using a constructor with a signature (string receipt, string id, string intro_json). It was successful, but when I call the getSubscriptionInfo() method, I get a Null Reference exception. After investigation I realised that it highly likely because SubManager ctor use Unity IAP unified receipt and m_AppleExtensions.RefreshAppReceipt returns Apple specific receipt. But I still confused, why RefreshAppReceipt does not push receipt to product.receipt and what I can to do in this situation.
This is probably a sandbox problem only ( but I am not sure ), but I would like to sort it out, since I planned to use a similar method to determine the availability of a free trial for users who have reinstalled the application.

Also, I would be very grateful if someone could suggest a good way to determine the eligibility of a free trial for users who reinstalled the application. Basically I have a very simple scenario - I only use one subscription with a free trial. And in this case, if there is a receipt, then the user has used a free trial, if not, then no.
But in the case of reinstallation, problems arise, as I understand it. And also I don't want to use refresh receipt if there is better way, cause it may prompt for user credential (in sandbox it didn't but I read it may).

I know that many people use their servers or third-party services for these purposes, but I highly discourage using my server for receipt validation or data storage, since I develop children's applications and any external connections are a headache due to very strict store policies (and also I don't care about validation, cause fraud doesn't problem for me due to specificity of my target group).
Previously, I only used one-time payments, so the subscription story is new to me, and I would be grateful for any help.

PS Below some code to illustrate:

Code (CSharp):

1.            
2. if (subscriptionProduct.receipt == null && string.IsNullOrEmpty(RefreshedReceipt)) // There were no purchases in the past
3.             {
4.                 SubsData.FreeTrialAvailable = true;
5.                 SubsData.SubscriptionIsActive = false;
6.  
7.                 SubscriptionStatusUpdated();
8.                 return;
9.             }
10.  
11. var subscriptionManager = subscriptionProduct.receipt != null ? new SubscriptionManager(subscriptionProduct, null) : new SubscriptionManager(RefreshedReceipt, subscriptionProductId, null);
12.  
13.             try
14.             {
15.                 var info = subscriptionManager.getSubscriptionInfo();
16.  
17.                 SubsData.FreeTrialAvailable = false;
18.                 SubsData.SubscriptionIsActive = info.isSubscribed() == Result.True;
19.                 SubsData.ExpirationDate = info.getExpireDate();
20.             }
21.             catch (Exception ex)
22.             {
23.                 Debug.Log("SyncSubStatus: catch exception in " + ex.Source + " \nMessage:" + ex.Message + "\n"+ex.StackTrace);
24.             }

 

Thank you for your response. With full network connectivity everything works fine.
I've test scenario where user run app without internet and then turn it on without app restart.
Full log from device I'll attach as text file.

As a product I mean product which we added here:
builder.AddProduct(subscriptionProductId, ProductType.Subscription).
In my case it is only one subscription

Below some code with my additional comments for you:

Code (CSharp):

1. public void OnInitialized(IStoreController controller, IExtensionProvider extensions)
2. {
3.     m_StoreController = controller;
4.     m_AppleExtensions = extensions.GetExtension<IAppleExtensions>();
5.  
6.     IsInitialized = true;
7.     Debug.Log("In-App Purchasing successfully initialized");
8.  
9.     Dictionary<string, string> introductory_info_dict = m_AppleExtensions.GetIntroductoryPriceDictionary();
10.  
11.     Debug.Log("Available items:");
12.     foreach (var item in controller.products.all)
13.     {
14.         if (item.availableToPurchase)
15.         {
16.             Debug.Log(string.Join(" - ",
17.                 new[]
18.                 {
19.             item.metadata.localizedTitle,
20.             item.metadata.localizedDescription,
21.             item.metadata.isoCurrencyCode,
22.             item.metadata.localizedPrice.ToString(),
23.             item.metadata.localizedPriceString,
24.             item.transactionID,
25.             item.receipt
26.                 }));
27.  
28.             if (item.receipt != null) // Everything is OK
29.             {
30.                 if (item.definition.type == ProductType.Subscription)
31.                 {
32.                     SyncSubStatus();
33.                     SubscriptionStatusUpdated();
34.                 }
35.                 else
36.                 {
37.                     Debug.Log("the product is not a subscription product");
38.                 }
39.             }
40.             else // We have no receipt for this product
41.             {
42.                 Debug.Log("the product should have a valid receipt");
43.                 Refresh();  // Here I call RefreshReceipt
44.             }
45.         }
46.     }
47. }
48.  
49.         void Refresh()
50.         {
51.             m_AppleExtensions.RefreshAppReceipt(OnRefreshSuccess, OnRefreshFailure);
52.         }
53.  
54.         void OnRefreshSuccess(string receipt)
55.         {
56.             RefreshedReceipt = receipt;
57.             Debug.Log("Refresh Successful, receipt is " + receipt);
58.  
59.             SyncSubStatus();
60.             SubscriptionStatusUpdated();
61.         }
62.  
63.         void OnRefreshFailure()
64.         {
65.             Debug.Log("Refresh Failed");
66.  
67.             SyncSubStatus();
68.             SubscriptionStatusUpdated();
69.         }
70.  
71. void SyncSubStatus()
72.         {
73.             var SubsData = CompositionRoot.GetSubsData();
74.  
75.             var subscriptionProduct = m_StoreController.products.WithID(subscriptionProductId);
76.  
77.             var localPrice = subscriptionProduct.metadata.localizedPriceString;
78.  
79.             SubsData.LocalizedPrice = localPrice;
80.  
81.             if (subscriptionProduct.receipt == null && string.IsNullOrEmpty(RefreshedReceipt)) // There were no purchases in the past
82.             {
83.                 SubsData.FreeTrialAvailable = true;
84.                 SubsData.SubscriptionIsActive = false;
85.                 BinarySaveSystem.Save(SubsData);
86.  
87.                 Debug.Log("SybcSubSTatus: no receipt");
88.                 SubscriptionStatusUpdated();
89.  
90.                 return;
91.             }
92.  
93.             var subscriptionManager = subscriptionProduct.receipt != null ? new SubscriptionManager(subscriptionProduct, null) : new SubscriptionManager(RefreshedReceipt, subscriptionProductId, null);
94.  
95.             Debug.Log("SyncSubStatus: SubManager is null: " + (subscriptionManager is null));
96.  
97.             try
98.             {
99.                 var info = subscriptionManager.getSubscriptionInfo();
100.  
101.                 Debug.Log("SyncSubStatus: IsSubscribed=" + info.isSubscribed() + "  Expiration date: " + info.getExpireDate());
102.  
103.                 SubsData.FreeTrialAvailable = false;
104.                 SubsData.SubscriptionIsActive = info.isSubscribed() == Result.True;
105.                 SubsData.ExpirationDate = info.getExpireDate();
106.                 BinarySaveSystem.Save(SubsData);
107.             }
108.             catch (Exception ex)
109.             {
110.                 Debug.Log("SyncSubStatus: catch exception in " + ex.Source + " \nMessage:" + ex.Message + "\n"+ex.StackTrace);
111.             }
112.  
113.         }

I attach result of this as device log from Xcode.
In a nutshell:
Start app without network connection.
Unity IAP try to initialise, but failed.
Then device connected to network.
Unity IAP initialised successfully and get product "Monthly subscription", but without receipt.
So Refresh method started and get actual receipt (I cut it in log, cause it to big after 12 cycles of renew subscription in the Sandbox). But subscriptionProduct.receipt is still null, RefreshReceipt doesn't set it.
Then SubscriptionManager created in SyncSub method:
.... new SubscriptionManager(RefreshedReceipt, subscriptionProductId, null);
And then I tried to get subscriptionManager.getSubscriptionInfo() I catch exception.

Thank you again for your help!

 

User has active subscription in this test case.

No, I didn't receive InitializedFailed callback (it would be better cause I handle this scenario, but it doesn't happen)
Instead I've got repeating message in device log (it's Unity IAP self behaviour, not my code!):

2022-01-07 21:23:27.201617+0300 Smarty[27166:2460696] UnityIAP: Requesting product data...

2022-01-07 21:23:27.239360+0300 Smarty[27166:2460927] UnityIAP: SKProductRequest::didFailWithError: 0, Error Domain=SKErrorDomain Code=0 "Произошла неизвестная ошибка" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Произошла неизвестная ошибка, NSUnderlyingError=0x2832e49c0 {Error Domain=ASDErrorDomain Code=500 "Unhandled exception" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x2832e5350 {Error Domain=AMSErrorDomain Code=203 "Bag Load Failed" UserInfo={NSLocalizedFailureReason=Unable to retrieve p2-product-offers-batch-limit because we failed to load the bag., NSLocalizedDescription=Bag Load Failed, NSUnderlyingError=0x2832e5650 {Error Domain=AMSErrorDomain Code=203 "Bag Load Failed" UserInfo=0x282802d80 (not displayed)}}}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=An unknown error occurred, NSLocalizedDescription=Unhandled exception}}}.
Unity Purchasing will retry in 32 seconds
(Cyrillic text means "Unknown error happens")

This behaviour continues until network connection established.

After that, the following happens:

2022-01-07 21:25:00.648763+0300 Smarty[27166:2460696] UnityIAP: Requesting product data...
2022-01-07 21:25:02.975053+0300 Smarty[27166:2462018] UnityIAP: Received 1 products

In-App Purchasing successfully initialized
UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:Internal_Log(LogType, LogOption, String, Object)
UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:LogFormat(LogType, Object, String, Object[])
UnityEngine.Logger:Log(LogType, Object)
UnityEngine.Debug:Log(Object)
KidGame.Service.PaymentManager:OnInitialized(IStoreController, IExtensionProvider)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.StoreListenerProxy:OnInitialized(IStoreController)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:CheckForInitialization()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:OnProductsRetrieved(List`1)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImpl:OnProductsRetrieved(String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImplrocessMessage(String, String, String, String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.<>c__DisplayClass47_0:<MessageCallback>b__0()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.Extension.UnityUtil:Update()


Full access (monthly) - Full access on a monthly basis - RUB - 379 - 379,00 ₽ - -

UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:Internal_Log(LogType, LogOption, String, Object)
UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:LogFormat(LogType, Object, String, Object[])
UnityEngine.Logger:Log(LogType, Object)
UnityEngine.Debug:Log(Object)
KidGame.Service.PaymentManager:OnInitialized(IStoreController, IExtensionProvider)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.StoreListenerProxy:OnInitialized(IStoreController)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:CheckForInitialization()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:OnProductsRetrieved(List`1)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImpl:OnProductsRetrieved(String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImplrocessMessage(String, String, String, String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.<>c__DisplayClass47_0:<MessageCallback>b__0()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.Extension.UnityUtil:Update()


the product should have a valid receipt. <=== This Debug output means product.receipt is null

UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:Internal_Log(LogType, LogOption, String, Object)
UnityEngine.DebugLogHandler:LogFormat(LogType, Object, String, Object[])
UnityEngine.Logger:Log(LogType, Object)
UnityEngine.Debug:Log(Object)
KidGame.Service.PaymentManager:OnInitialized(IStoreController, IExtensionProvider)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.StoreListenerProxy:OnInitialized(IStoreController)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:CheckForInitialization()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.PurchasingManager:OnProductsRetrieved(List`1)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImpl:OnProductsRetrieved(String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.AppleStoreImplrocessMessage(String, String, String, String)
UnityEngine.Purchasing.<>c__DisplayClass47_0:<MessageCallback>b__0()
UnityEngine.Purchasing.Extension.UnityUtil:Update()

If I run app with Internet connection from the start, all things are ok. Including getting receipt.

Next part actually doesn't matter due to I realise, that receipt from m_AppleExtensions.RefreshAppReceipt is not suitable for SubscriptionManager and highly likely this causes exception.

 

Of course I have OnInitializeFailed in my code, just didn't post it in topic. And yes, I use 4.1.2 IAP.
BTW, thank you very much for your support. Actually current behaviour isn't bad, the only issue is empty product.receipt after reconnection, but I guess this happens due to Apple Sandbox environment features, will test it on Android soon.
But getting callback InitializedFailed would be nice, even if IAP will continue trying to initialise in background.
At least we will have more information and will be able to implement more flexible scenarios.
Thanks again!