google-play-deploy failing - target SDK not being read correctly.

[andy-clapham]

Troubleshooting

• [Y] I've searched discuss.bitrise.io for possible solutions.
• Which version of the step is effected? 3.8.0
• Is the issue reproducible with the latest version? YES
• Does the issue happen sporadically, or every time? EVERY TIME
• Is the issue reproducible locally by following our local debug guide? YES
  • quite tricky using the cli for this step, especially passing play credentials - worked it out though
  • fails locally with same error

Useful information

• FAQ
• devcenter.bitrise.io

Issue description

• google-play-deploy@3:
  fails with

Committing edit
Failed to commit edit, error: googleapi: Error 403: Target SDK of artifact is too low: 148., forbidden
Failed to commit edit, error: googleapi: Error 403: Target SDK of artifact is too low: 148., forbidden

Note the 148 is the flutterVersionCode from local.properties.

The aab that was generated by the build (downloaded from the server) can be uploaded directly sucessfully to the play store using the Play web UI/drag-drop. So I think the aab is OK.
The app's build.gradle looks correct with the usual

  minSdkVersion 28
  targetSdkVersion 34
  versionCode flutterVersionCode.toInteger()
  versionName flutterVersionName

I'm suspecting a problem on google's API side, as it looks like the 403 is simply being passed back.
Also the AndroidManifest.xml in the aab is not a vanilla text xml, it's got a lot of binary content. Unexpected but I'm no expert here.

Bitrise info

• Build URL: Please share the build URL with us.
  • https://app.bitrise.io/build/ed8ec6ce-d897-407d-b5a4-7f8dbbf9b5de
• Bitrise Support enabled: YES
• Log:

Getting configuration
Configs:
- service_account_json_key_path: *****
- package_name: com.busterandpunch.[REDACTED]
- app_path: \n/Users/vagrant/deploy/app-release.aab
- expansionfile_path: 
- track: alpha
- user_fraction: 0
- update_priority: 0
- whatsnews_dir: 
- mapping_file: 
- release_name: 
- status: 
- retry_without_sending_to_review: false
- ack_bundle_installation_warning: false
- dry_run: false
- verbose_log: false
Using app from: /Users/vagrant/deploy/app-release.aab
Configuration read successfully
Authenticating

Authenticated client created
Create new edit

editID: 17495861827701769276

Edit insert created
Available tracks on Google Play:

production
beta
alpha
internal

Tracks listed

Upload apks or app bundles

Uploading /Users/vagrant/deploy/app-release.aab 1/1

Uploaded app bundle version: 147

Done [REDACTED]ing of 1 apps

New version codes to [REDACTED]: 147

Applications [REDACTED]ed
Update track

Release version codes are: [147]

alpha track will be updated.

updated track: alpha

Track updated
Committing edit

Failed to commit edit, error: googleapi: Error 403: Target SDK of artifact is too low: 147., forbidden

Steps to reproduce

Feel free to look a the shared project and its artefacts, the problem here is just the aab upload.