Testing Instructions for Google Play Review
App Overview
ArchivePapers is a Flutter-based application that provides enhanced access to scientific papers from arXiv.org. The app offers free PDF viewing and optional paid PDF-to-HTML conversion services.
Key Features to Test
1. Paper Search and Browsing
- Search for papers using keywords, authors, or arXiv IDs
- Browse recent papers by category
- View paper abstracts and metadata
2. PDF Viewing (Free)
- Tap any paper to view the original PDF
- Full-screen reading experience
- Pinch-to-zoom and pan gestures
- Offline caching for previously viewed papers
3. User Authentication
- Create account with email/password
- Sign in/out functionality
- Password reset option
4. Saved Articles
- Save papers to your reading list
- Access saved papers from the main menu
- Cross-device synchronization
- Pull-to-refresh for manual sync
5. PDF-to-HTML Conversion (Paid Feature)
- Tap "Convert to HTML" on any paper
- System analyzes PDF and detects page count
- Payment dialog shows per-page pricing ($0.015 per page)
- Process payment through Google Play In-App Purchase
- View converted HTML with improved mobile formatting
Testing Scenarios
Scenario 1: First-Time User Experience
- Install and open the app
- Browse papers without creating an account
- View a PDF paper (should work without account)
- Try to save a paper (should prompt for account creation)
- Create an account and verify email functionality
Scenario 2: Core Functionality
- Search for a specific paper (e.g., "quantum computing")
- Open a paper and view it in PDF format
- Save the paper to your reading list
- Navigate to saved articles and verify the paper is there
- Test offline access by disabling internet and reopening a cached paper
Scenario 3: Premium Features
- Select a paper and tap "Convert to HTML"
- Wait for page count detection and price calculation
- Review the payment dialog showing per-page pricing
- Complete the purchase through Google Play In-App Purchase
- Verify the HTML conversion appears with improved formatting
- Check that the conversion is cached for future access
Scenario 4: Settings and Privacy
- Navigate to Settings page
- Review PDF cache settings (size limit, expiration)
- Test cache clearing functionality
- Verify privacy controls and data deletion options
Test Accounts
For testing purposes, you can create any email account. The app uses Firebase Authentication, so standard email/password combinations work.
Sample Test Account
- Email: test@example.com
- Password: TestPass123
Note: This is a sample account for testing. Please create your own test account during review.
Payment Testing
The app uses Google Play In-App Purchase for payment processing. For testing:
- Use Google Play Console test accounts
- Test purchases will not be charged
- Conversion service is $0.015 per page
- Page count is detected automatically
- Payment receipts are handled by Google Play
Expected Behavior
Free Features
- All arXiv papers accessible in PDF format
- No limits on paper viewing or downloading
- Offline caching works without payment
- Account creation and saved articles are free
Paid Features
- PDF-to-HTML conversion requires payment
- Each conversion costs $0.015 per page
- Page count is detected automatically
- Converted papers are cached for future access
- No subscription required - pay-per-use model
Technical Notes
- Platform: Flutter (iOS and Android)
- Backend: Firebase (Authentication, Storage, Firestore)
- Payment: Google Play In-App Purchase
- Page Detection: PDF parsing for page count
- Conversion: Mathpix API for PDF-to-HTML
- Data Source: arXiv.org public API
Privacy and Data Handling
- User data is stored securely in Firebase
- PDF content is cached locally for performance
- No personal information is shared with third parties
- Users can delete their accounts and data at any time
- See our Privacy Policy for details
Support and Feedback
For questions during testing or technical issues:
- Email: olekshodzko@gmail.com
- Website: https://archivepapers.github.io