Android Question (SOLVE)error open PDF file with android 7+

[Mikel Huerta]

Hello , i try to open a PDF file from my app on an android 7 with the new permissions functions but when i try to do it, i get this error and a blank screen for a while and nothing more :
i am using b4a 8.50
My code :

Sub Doit()
        Dim Mostrador_de_PDF As Intent
   
        Dim uri As Object
        Dim p As Phone
        Dim Shared As String
        Shared = rp.GetSafeDirDefaultExternal("shared")
       
                If p.SdkVersion >= 24 Then
                    'uri =  rp.GetSafeDirDefaultExternal("shared"), "VM_" & Vars.Datos_Recibo.Remision & ".pdf"
                    uri = CreateFileProviderUri(Shared,   "VM_" & Vars.Datos_Recibo.Remision & ".pdf")
                Else
                    uri = "file://" & File.Combine(Shared, "VM_" & Vars.Datos_Recibo.Remision & ".pdf")
                End If
    
   
        BITA("Va a mostrar PDF :" & Vars.Datos_Recibo.Remision)
        Mostrador_de_PDF.Initialize(Mostrador_de_PDF.ACTION_VIEW,  uri)
        Mostrador_de_PDF.PutExtra("android.intent.extra.STREAM", uri)
        Mostrador_de_PDF.SetType("application/pdf")
        Mostrador_de_PDF.Flags = 1      
   
        StartActivity(Mostrador_de_PDF)
end sub

sub CreateFileProviderUri (Dir As String, FileName As String) As Object
    Dim FileProvider As JavaObject
    Dim context As JavaObject
    context.InitializeContext
    FileProvider.InitializeStatic("android.support.v4.content.FileProvider")
    Dim f As JavaObject
    f.InitializeNewInstance("java.io.File", Array(Dir, FileName))
    
    Return FileProvider.RunMethod( "getUriForFile", Array(context, Application.PackageName & ".provider", f))     < --- HERE THERE ERROR and dont know why ...
   
End Sub

Return FileProvider.RunMethod("getUriForFile", Array(context, Application.PackageName & ".provider", f))   'ERROR HERE

i have android 7 on moto g5

The error :

Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'android.content.res.XmlResourceParser android.content.pm.ProviderInfo.loadXmlMetaData(android.content.pm.PackageManager, java.lang.String)' on a null object reference

My manifest

SetApplicationAttribute(android:icon, "@drawable/icon")
SetApplicationAttribute(android:label, "$LABEL$")

AddManifestText(
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="18" android:targetSdkVersion="26"/>
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.location.gps"/>

<provider

  android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
  android:authorities="$PACKAGE$.provider"
  android:exported="false"
  android:grantUriPermissions="true">
 
</provider>

<meta-data
  android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
  android:resource="@xml/provider_paths"/>

<supports-screens android:largeScreens="true" 
    android:normalScreens="true" 
    android:smallScreens="true" 
    android:anyDensity="true"/>)   
 
CreateResource(xml, provider_paths,
   <external-files-path name="name" path="shared" />
)

'End of default text.

Thanks a lot for all your help.

(@Erel new threat created, thanks for any help)

 

[Erel]

Please post the full error message from the logs.

Can you upload a small project with this code?

 

[KMatle]

This works for me:

Sub ViewPDF (FolderName As String, FileName As String)
    File.Copy(FolderName, FileName, Starter.shared, FileName)
    Dim Intent1 As Intent
    Intent1.Initialize(Intent1.ACTION_VIEW, CreateFileProviderUri(Starter.shared, FileName))
    Intent1.SetType("application/pdf")
    Intent1.Flags = 1

    Try
        StartActivity(Intent1)
    Catch
        MsgboxAsync("No App to show PDF's installed...." & CRLF & CRLF &  LastException,"Error showing PDF's")
    End Try
    
End Sub

Sub Share_Click
    Dim rp As RuntimePermissions
    If File.Exists(rp.GetSafeDirDefaultExternal(""), "Kreditverlauf.pdf") = False Then
       MsgboxAsync("Bitte erst eine Berechnung durchführen","Berechnung fehlt")
       Return
    End If
    SharePDF(rp.GetSafeDirDefaultExternal(""), "Kreditverlauf.pdf")
    
End Sub

Sub SharePDF (FolderName As String, FileName As String)
    File.Copy(FolderName, FileName, Starter.shared, FileName)
    Dim in As Intent
    in.Initialize(in.ACTION_SEND, "")
    in.SetType("text/plain")
    Log(CreateFileProviderUri(Starter.shared & "/", FileName))
    in.PutExtra("android.intent.extra.STREAM",  CreateFileProviderUri(Starter.shared, FileName))
    in.Flags = 1
    StartActivity(in)
End Sub

Sub CreateFileProviderUri (Dir As String, FileName As String) As Object
    Dim FileProvider As JavaObject
    Dim context As JavaObject
    context.InitializeContext
    FileProvider.InitializeStatic("android.support.v4.content.FileProvider")
    Dim f As JavaObject
    f.InitializeNewInstance("java.io.File", Array(Dir, FileName))
    Return FileProvider.RunMethod("getUriForFile", Array(context, Application.PackageName & ".provider", f))
End Sub

Manifest

'This code will be applied to the manifest file during compilation.
'You do not need to modify it in most cases.
'See this link for for more information: https://www.b4x.com/forum/showthread.php?p=78136
AddManifestText(
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="5" android:targetSdkVersion="26"/>
<supports-screens android:largeScreens="true" 
    android:normalScreens="true" 
    android:smallScreens="true" 
    android:anyDensity="true"/>)
SetApplicationAttribute(android:icon, "@drawable/icon")
SetApplicationAttribute(android:label, "$LABEL$")
'End of default text.

'For older Android versions
AddManifestText(
<uses-permission
  android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
  android:maxSdkVersion="18" />
)

AddActivityText(Main,
<intent-filter>
  <action android:name="android.intent.action.PICK" />
  <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
  <data android:mimeType="image/*" />
</intent-filter>
<intent-filter>
  <action android:name="android.intent.action.GET_CONTENT" />
  <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
  <category android:name="android.intent.category.OPENABLE" />
  <data android:mimeType="application/pdf" />
</intent-filter>
)

AddApplicationText(
  <provider
  android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
  android:authorities="$PACKAGE$.provider"
  android:exported="false"
  android:grantUriPermissions="true">
  <meta-data
  android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
  android:resource="@xml/provider_paths"/>
  </provider>
)
CreateResource(xml, provider_paths,
   <external-files-path name="name" path="shared" />
)

 

[Mikel Huerta]

Please post the full error message from the logs.

Can you upload a small project with this code?

Hello @Erel , thanks for you answer, sure, here is my mini example with the fail, i have tested with many
app to open the pdf , not only drive google pdf app, and no success , simply i can't get my pdf document
on screen, help me please.

I am uploading the mini example.

 

[Erel]

Why are you sharing multiple pdf documents? No app will support it.

Have you tried KMatle's example?

 

[Mikel Huerta]

yes, i tried it , but i see is missing some code for example the starter module declaration i guess, and i get no success any way.

On my example, is just for the example, even if i put just 1 pdf doc, the app is still not working. What can i do for just 1 PDF doc please .

 

[Erel]

Start with this example: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/share-txt-files.73166/#post-464921

You just need to change the mime type.

 

[Mikel Huerta]

Ok , i read the example and runs it without problems, but for my need of open a pdf file ,if i chages the 1.bal file to a example.pdf , its not open right. On another hand If i chage type text/plain to application/pdf is the same , its not working. Resuming :text/plain doesnt work , application/pdf even not working.

On my example app i changes the mime type from application/pdf to text/plain and no, its not working.

i have 3 differents application to read the pdf and all of them runs ok, but no one appers with the code example to view the pdf file.

Thanks for more help please.

 

[Erel]

1. Please post the full error message.

2. Please upload the updated project.

 

[Mikel Huerta]

Hello mr @Erel , sure , here are the zip files with my tests. One of them is with application/pdf and the other one is with text/plain.

There is no error message, simply no pdf is open, just display or a blank screen or the system menu to choose an app to open, but
in all the cases never appears one app to open it, i means, appers google drive, mail, whastapp,, etc,etc, but never a simply "adobe" or any of the
installed viewers.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mahares]

but never a simply "adobe" or any of the
installed viewers.

Hello @Mikel Huerta
I downloaded your pdf project. It worked for me without any changes to it and I was able to share it via email. But if you want to open it using a pdf viewer on your device, you need to have the below in the button click sub:

Sub Button1_Click
    'copy the file to the shared folder
    Dim FileToSend As String = "vm_panadis_100.pdf"
    File.Copy(File.DirAssets, FileToSend, Starter.shared, FileToSend)  
    Dim Intent1 As Intent
    Intent1.Initialize(Intent1.ACTION_VIEW, CreateFileProviderUri(Starter.shared, FileToSend))
    Intent1.SetType("application/pdf")
    Intent1.Flags = 1
    Try
        StartActivity(Intent1)
    Catch
        MsgboxAsync("No App to display PDF files is installed on your device...." & CRLF & _
        CRLF &  LastException,"Error PDF")
    End Try
End Sub

I tested and I was able to open it with the pdf viewer when I used the above code.

 

[Mikel Huerta]

Ok, @Mahares you rules man !!! thank you so much, i have no words to thanks you. Its runs as a charm !!
Master @Erel thanks too for you help.

 

[nickysuwandi]

Hi all
i had try this project to open pdf download from web service, but got error "(NullPointerException) java.lang.NullPointerException:Attempt to invoke virtual method android.content.res.XmlResourceParser android.content.pm.ProviderInfo.loadXmlMetaData(android.content.pm.PackageManager,jva.lang.String) on a null object reference"

Anybody can help me,where wrong to my code:

Sub imgdownload_Click
    Dim intresult As Int
    intresult=Msgbox2("Download Report ??","Download","Yes","Cancell","",Null )
    If intresult=DialogResponse.POSITIVE Then
        ProgressDialogShow2("Please wait . . .",  True)
        Dim job As HttpJob
        job.Initialize("pdf" , Me)
        Dim S As String = Starter.serverAddress & "/report.php?usr=" & Starter.strusr & "&psw=" & Starter.strtoken
        job.Download(s)
        wait for (job) JobDone (job As HttpJob)
        If job.Success = True Then
            Try
                Dim out As OutputStream=File.OpenOutput(Starter.shared ,"report.pdf",  False )
                File.Copy2(job.GetInputStream  ,out)
                out.Close
                
                Dim Intent1 As Intent
                Intent1.Initialize(Intent1.ACTION_VIEW, app.CreateFileProviderUri(Starter.shared, "report.pdf"))
                Intent1.SetType("application/pdf")
                Intent1.Flags = 1
                Try
                    StartActivity(Intent1)
                Catch
                    MsgboxAsync("No App to display PDF files is installed on your device...." & CRLF & CRLF &  LastException,"Error PDF")
                End Try

            Catch
                Log(LastException)
            End Try
        End If
        job.Release
        ProgressDialogHide
    End If
End Sub

Thanks

 

[Erel]

You should never post in existing threads.

 

[nickysuwandi]

Hi Erel
i just found from solution in problem from this thread, but i have trouble to read from downloaded pdf, so i ask in same thread if the are good men to help me. I don't know that this wrong.

You should never post in existing threads.

 

[Erel]

This is the forum policy. You should always start a new thread for your question. You can post a link to this one if you like.