I use the app for identifying fairly regularly, and sporadically it will close unexpectedly. If it’s going to happen, it usually happens several times over 1 - 2 hours, but it doesn’t happen every time (that wld be too easy). It doesn’t present any notice or warning or dialog box, it just vanishes. It will still be in the carousel of open apps, and if I tap it, it comes up as a blank screen that never paints. I have to close and relaunch fir it to work.
When it happens, I’m in Explore, I remove Location so it’s global, then go into filters and deselect Research Grade so it’s just Needs ID, and select either a date range, or more recently (since there are so many obs now) a single day. Then I start scrolling through, periodically opening an obs, and very occasionally posting a comment or ID suggestion. I do use the app for checking for IDs on my obs, looking up specific taxa for ID, geographic distribution and taxonomic hierarchy, and I don’t think it has ever happened any time except in Explore.
I use the app on Android version 9, One UI Version 1.0, security patch Jan 1, 2019.
I’m sure I’ve left out a lot of info, so just let me know. And btw, I love the app :-)
I have mine crash sometimes when i zoom in with the camera. It doesn’t do it as much as it used to but the bug still exists. It may be a bug with the camera software rather than the iNat app.
I will say that Explore doesn’t work great on the app, with so many observations, and it’s not an easy place to add ID help or comments. The app works better for adding data than for perusing other people’s data.
other things you can try - log out then in again to clear the app cache, and always turn off auto sync.
The next time it happens, you can send a log file from the app via email to the developers so they can take a look.
To generate a log file, go to the Settings tab in the app and tap three times on the version number. You will then have the option to email the log file to help@inaturalist.org.
@charlie Thanks for the tips. I am using the Android app, and haven’t used the camera at all in the app. I take pix with my DSLR camera and then process them before uploading. The # of obs the app has to manage while filtering cld well be a factor tho - there are an awful lot of obs, and that doesn’t look set to stop!
I also have this problem using the app on my android phone - samsung note8. It usually happens in explore after using it for at least 10 minutes. Also no warning, though I usually get a message that iNaturalist has crashed and asking if I want to re-open.