Android EMM AppConfig - google-play-services

Question

I am trying to setup AppConfig variables through our EMM server for an internal-only app.
I have reviewed the documentation "Set up managed configurations" here https://developer.android.com/work/managed-configurations and verified that my AndroidManifest.xml and app_restrictions.xml files are correctly populated.
AndroidManifesst.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
<application>
...
<provider
android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="${applicationId}.fileprovider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/file_paths"></meta-data>
<meta-data
android:name="android.content.APP_RESTRICTIONS"
android:resource="#xml/app_restrictions"></meta-data>
</provider>
</application>
...
</manifest>
app_restrictions.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<restrictions xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<restriction
android:key="app_configurator"
android:title="#string/app_configurator"
android:restrictionType="bool"
android:defaultValue="false">
</restriction>
<restriction
android:key="z_number"
android:title="#string/z_number"
android:restrictionType="string"
android:defaultValue="Testing123">
</restriction>
</restrictions>
In testing, using the Test DPC app with Device Owner:
the button "LOAD APP MANIFEST RESTRICTIONS" does nothing (when I expect it should load the details defined in app_restrictions.xml)
if I manually add the keys and values my app responds as expected
When publishing, through Managed Google Play and setting up the app from our EMM solution:
the app configuration tab is not populated with any parameters and a message "This app doesn't support app configuration." is shown leaving no way to configure the app.
Given that the app does respond when the values are set, but the inability to set the values seems to indicate the Test DPC and the EMM solution cannot read the values of my app_restrictions.xml.
The documentation indicates that the above two files are all that is needed. However, I have seen some reference to Google Play services providing this information to MDMs so I'm not sure I understand the process here to investigate further.
Hoping someone could help me with some pointers.

Answer 1

In the AndroidManifest.xml file, the location of the 'meta-data' tag is incorrect. The issue is resolved after the following update:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
<application>
<meta-data
android:name="android.content.APP_RESTRICTIONS"
android:resource="#xml/app_restrictions"></meta-data>
...
<provider
android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="${applicationId}.fileprovider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/file_paths"></meta-data>
</provider>
</application>
...
</manifest>