Two Google Play accounts - what a pain

[runner2015]

I have several Google e-mail accounts, which I sync on my Android phone. Unfortunately, I have inadvertently used more than one Google account to purchase apps from Google Play. I just performed a factory reset on the phone, so I needed to re-download my purchases. I needed to log out of Google Play and back in using a different account in order to retrieve some of the apps (without re-purchasing them). That was not an easy task. I needed not only to clear all data from Google Play (services and store), I also needed to go into Accounts & Sync, and enable only the account I wanted to use in Google Play, then go back into Google Play and download the app.
If I leave more than one account enabled for sync, Google Play will only use the last one I used.

The only reason I can think of that Google doesn't make it easy to log out of Google Play and use a different account is that they want you to purchase the app again - resulting in more income for Google (and maybe a tiny amount for the creator of the app). It's not so bad, considering the price of most apps, but it just doesn't make sense to me to purchase an app twice, so I go through the hoops to get it done.

If there is a method to do this without jumping through all the hoops, I would appreciate someone letting me in on the secret.

Thanks

CP

 

[EarlyMon]

Set up Gmail for both accounts on the device.

In the Play Store app, home page, three bars upper left reveals the navigation panel.

Top of the panel has your Gmail account name and a triangle - tap that for drop-down to change - or tap the other avatar (to the right) to change quickly.



All syncing is done for the current selection and it's remembered until you switch accounts.

 

[runner2015]

Thank you very much!!
Such a fast reply - I am very impressed!
I guess I am too impatient to do some searching myself - too quick to post questions.
Actually, I have had a lot of trouble with Google - both on my Ubuntu box, and on my phone. So many settings, buttons to try. I should do some exploring to become more familiar with the system.
I have owned the Android phone (Huawei Glory on TracFone) since Feb - you would think I would be familiar with it and Google by now... my bad.

Again; I totally appreciate your quick reply and solution to my query!

CP

 

[EarlyMon]

We're all in this together.

 

[runner2015]

Using Google/Android is kind of like owning a cat - It owns you.
I can't complain though - Google does make life easier in most cases. But every now and then, I get aggravated over some app or my e-mail, then go on a rampage through my Android phone disabling this and that service - only to be sorry when I find that a lot of things no longer work.
I once even un-installed Google Play from the phone - then had to download the .apk to re-install - to avoid a factory reset.

I just need to relax a bit - not do anything to the phone while I'm aggravated.

CP

 

[Lordvincent 90]

I once even un-installed Google Play from the phone - then had to download the .apk to re-install - to avoid a factory reset.

I feel should warm you that a factory reset will not reinstall any system apps you delete or repair any changes you make to files in the /system partition.

The only thing a factory reset does is delete your user apps and data. With an unrooted phone this will return the phone to "factory condition" (since you can't modify your system without root)

 

[runner2015]

I never deleted anything from the system partition. I mainly use my Ubuntu box to connect to the phone, and normally (without using su) I can't do anything with the system part. Even when I did use su, I only removed an app that I had purchased - so that I could download and re-install later.
I guess I should try to find the .apk file for Google Contacts.

CP