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Field maps on Windows Subsystem for Android

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09-12-2023 01:44 PM
ScottEwart
New Contributor II

We are trying to run Field Maps onto Windows 11 on the Android Subsystem.  We can open field maps and can connect to AGOL.  The problem is we want to use for our internal ArcGIS Enterprise.  For ArcGIS Enterprise we use a certificate signed by the domain CA.

When we connect to our portal from Field Maps, we get an error about an untrusted certificate.  The problem is there does not seem to be a (straight forward) way that we could load the root certificate onto the device.

Does anyone know how this would be done?

ScottEwart_0-1694551423213.png

 

 

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JakeBrownMaps
Esri Contributor

Hello @ScottEwart,

I have included some steps to installing a User CA cert on Windows Subsystem for Android.  WSA hides “.cer” files in the Windows file sharing tool.  In order to install a user root certificate, you will need to rename, move and rename the certificate file.  I have filed an enhancement request with the Microsoft team to try and make this process simpler (or at least fewer steps).  Once we get that a bit dialed in with them, I can make a blog article.

 

Prepare the certificate file:

  1.      Download your CA certificate (it should be in your c:\users\{login}\Downloads folder)
  2.      Rename the file from <cert_name>.cer to <cert_name>.txt 

 

Configure WSA for Windows file access and stage certificate:

  1.      Open the Windows Subsystem for Android app
  2.      Advanced settings tab -> Experimental features -> Toggle ON “Share user folders”
  3.      System tab -> Select “Turn off Windows Subsystem for Android”  
  4.      System tab -> Files pop-out
  5.      Navigate to with Subsystem for Android(TM) -> Windows -> Downloads 
  6.      Long click on the <cert_name>.txt file so it’s selected with a blue check
  7.      Click on the upper right overflow (…) menu -> select “Move to”
  8.      Move file to “Downloads” folder (note this is the “Android devices” download folder) 
  9.   Navigate to the new file location in the download folder -> Long click on the <cert_name>.txt 
  10.   Click on the upper right overflow (…) menu -> select “Rename”
  11.   Change file extension to .cer

 

Install Certificate:

  1.      Windows Start -> run -> wsa://com.android.settings 
  2.      Search “CA certificate” —> Select “CA certificate” -> Select “CA certificate” -> Install Anyway 
  3.      Choose <cert_name>.cer 
  4.      Certificate is installed

 

let me know how that goes for you - 

Jake Brown

Field Maps Product Engineer

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6 Replies
KPattison
New Contributor II

Hey Scott,

I had a similar issue with getting Survey123 app working with our Enterprise deployment.

It ended up being that the certs had an incomplete chain which caused them to not be trusted by Android.

Using an SSL cert checker should hopefully shed some light.

Go Daddy for example or searching your SSL providers site for a cert checker to verify the chain is complete was what revealed our problems.

ssltools.godaddy.com/views/certChecker

 

 

 

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JoeHershman
MVP Regular Contributor

The problem is specifically how would one load a root cert into the Android subsystem on Windows 11.  This does not seem to be a straight forward process

Thanks,
-Joe
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JakeBrownMaps
Esri Contributor

Hello @ScottEwart,

I have included some steps to installing a User CA cert on Windows Subsystem for Android.  WSA hides “.cer” files in the Windows file sharing tool.  In order to install a user root certificate, you will need to rename, move and rename the certificate file.  I have filed an enhancement request with the Microsoft team to try and make this process simpler (or at least fewer steps).  Once we get that a bit dialed in with them, I can make a blog article.

 

Prepare the certificate file:

  1.      Download your CA certificate (it should be in your c:\users\{login}\Downloads folder)
  2.      Rename the file from <cert_name>.cer to <cert_name>.txt 

 

Configure WSA for Windows file access and stage certificate:

  1.      Open the Windows Subsystem for Android app
  2.      Advanced settings tab -> Experimental features -> Toggle ON “Share user folders”
  3.      System tab -> Select “Turn off Windows Subsystem for Android”  
  4.      System tab -> Files pop-out
  5.      Navigate to with Subsystem for Android(TM) -> Windows -> Downloads 
  6.      Long click on the <cert_name>.txt file so it’s selected with a blue check
  7.      Click on the upper right overflow (…) menu -> select “Move to”
  8.      Move file to “Downloads” folder (note this is the “Android devices” download folder) 
  9.   Navigate to the new file location in the download folder -> Long click on the <cert_name>.txt 
  10.   Click on the upper right overflow (…) menu -> select “Rename”
  11.   Change file extension to .cer

 

Install Certificate:

  1.      Windows Start -> run -> wsa://com.android.settings 
  2.      Search “CA certificate” —> Select “CA certificate” -> Select “CA certificate” -> Install Anyway 
  3.      Choose <cert_name>.cer 
  4.      Certificate is installed

 

let me know how that goes for you - 

Jake Brown

Field Maps Product Engineer

hopescott
New Contributor

Thank you for this information. I will give this a try and let you know.

Scott Ewart

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hopescott
New Contributor

Jake this worked perfectly. Thank you for your help on this.

JakeBrownMaps
Esri Contributor

Just a follow up - I worked with the Microsoft team and was able to get .cer and .pem files natively supported by the WSA file handler feature and created a blog outlining the steps.  

https://community.esri.com/t5/arcgis-field-maps-blog/how-to-resolve-untrusted-certificate-error-inst...