OPENSTREETMAP SUPPORT
I’ve pushed a new branch 5.0.8.1-FOSS that now uses OpenStreetMaps for map support. Huge thanks to fumiakiy from whose patches to Signal adding OSM support I’ve taken 3 core files and lightly modified them to work within a library (rather than a build flavor).
Hi, thanks for your work ! Is there any way we can donate to keep the project alive ? Also, do you think we might see it included in f-droid (on a separate repo or not) anytime ‘soon’ ? I checked the gitlab issue tracker and have not found anything opened. Thanks again.
Cheers @Kapiche 
. Definitely not in the main F-Droid repos as discussed above, it’d need Signal’s permission which they’re not willing to give. A few folks in the Signal User Community forums thread are talking about CI automated builds so maybe a separate repo eventually but no firm plans/ETA.
Donation wise it’s hard – most of the work is obviously Signal upstream, and I’ve also taken some patches from two other users – the OSM patches and valldrac’s Firebase/ML Vision stubs. Perhaps donate to F-Droid or Signal to keep them both going for the moment.
Ok, thanks for the infos 
Just donated to f-droid, unfortunately not to signal as they require full name for donation.
Hi I would like to download your degoogled Signal is it still up to date and do you have a direct link to the download package? Thanks!
At the moment there’s no build infrastructure as noted above, might work on it in the future. You can compile it yourself if you know how (brief instructions up thread) or consider using Molly.im which is another fork with a FOSS version (note it lacks SMS support by design, and the current version has yet to add OSM support).
In terms of up-to-date, currently yes, but there’s no guarantee it’ll stay that way if Signal upstream makes major changes e.g. new Google dependencies.
OK noted thanks a bit too technical for me at the mo…
BUILDS AND WEBSITE
I’ve launched a page on my website: https://www.twinhelix.com/apps/signal-foss/ with links to downloadable signed APKs of Signal-FOSS.
The project now has a Github CI script as of version 5.1.9.0-FOSS that automatically builds, signs and releases any branches whose name ends in -FOSS.
As yet there’s no update solution or F-Droid repo – I might look at repurposing Signal’s own website updater in the future.
@tw-hx thx! I tried to install it on LineageOS 18.1 and I get an Error:
A problem occurred while parsing the packet
Whats wrong?
Regards
Sorry! There’s some kind of problem with the universal architecture APK not installing. I’ve changed the upload to a manually built Arm64 only APK now which works.
Any gradle wizards able to figure out why the universal APK is broken but individual architectures work? Same result with the NDK version used in Signal’s CI, and the android SDK on my PC, both with jarsigner under Ubuntu 20.04 containers. My patches haven’t touched that part of the build.
@tw-hx I re-downloaded the APK but I get still same Error 
Hi tw-hx
I really appreciated your previous advises and also your lately website for Signal-FOSS.apk project. 
It looks like I have the same issue like c1xx and I said before about Langis >4.77.3 above versions. This parsing issue is occurring on all my GrapheneOS (Android 11) phones but I have no issues on Lineage 16, 17.1 (Android 9, 10). The Molly-FOSS project (recent ver.5.1.8) has no issues on Android 11. I hope this might help you and solve this issue permanently. Cheers
Thanks @bebensson and @c1xx - looks like it might be an Android 11 issue, as I’m on LineageOS 17.1. Will ask the Molly maintainer for tips .
I’ve been hosting the website version of Signal on my F-Droid repo for some time now… I could pretty easily start distributing your fork on there as well.
I’m not familiar with the layout of your site-- is there some way to fetch the latest version, in a format similar to Signal’s latest.json? (esp. if it’s JSON or RSS XML, since I’ve already written automated parsers for other apps that use them)
Edit: I’m a dummy and didn’t notice you’re using GitHub Releases. That’ll work fine.
Thanks for the offer Ember! You’re already distributing Signal from their website – this APK currently shares the same package name though so you would have to choose between them.
Hm, would there be a way to change that? I don’t have any objections to replacing the version of Signal on my repo with yours in place of the website release, but it may confuse some people who use it when they suddenly can’t install any updates (since the signatures are different).
You’d have to recompile it, but yes you can change the packagename/applicationId in the source. I originally started this keeping the same name hoping to merge changes into Signal, but the devs weren’t keen.
My server doesn’t actually perform compilation from source, it just pulls precompiled apks from the various distribution channels. From my understanding your process is at least semi-automated; is it possible to automate changing the package name?
(If not, totally fine; I’ll probably change over the apk at the next website apk update and just add a line in the description about it)
As I mentioned, to change the package name the source code has to be modified and it has to be recompiled (either a manual or automated build, doesn’t make a difference). I posted brief build instructions upthread and on the fork homepage, and they’re in the Signal Wiki, sorry don’t want to go too far offtopic here. Your idea of posting a notice is perhaps easiest. Please note the current APK has troubles in Android 11 according to some users but I have some ideas for the next one to try and fix that.
I’ve pushed 5.2.3.0-FOSS and changed the signing to use apksigner which should generate V2 signatures. Does this work OK on Android 11 @c1xx and @bebensson ?