Nativescript-cli: openFile hangs

[jokro]

After upgrading to latest version of nativescript and node openFile hangs with the following log:

Error: Error in openFile: 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 androidx.core.content.FileProvider.parsePathStrategy(FileProvider.java:605) androidx.core.content.FileProvider.getPathStrategy(FileProvider.java:579) androidx.core.content.FileProvider.getUriForFile(FileProvider.java:417) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethodNative(Native Method) com.tns.Runtime.dispatchCallJSMethodNative(Runtime.java:1242) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethodImpl(Runtime.java:1122) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1109) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1089) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1081) com.tns.gen.java.lang.Object_vendor_14095_32_ClickListenerImpl.onClick(Object_vendor_14095_32_ClickListenerImpl.java:18) android.view.View.performClick(View.java:6600) android.view.View.performClickInternal(View.java:6577) android.view.View.access$3100(View.java:781) android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:25912) android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:873) android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193) android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6923) java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493) com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:870) [file:///data/data/org.nativescript.tester/files/app/vendor.js] Error: Error in openFile: 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 androidx.core.content.FileProvider.parsePathStrategy(FileProvider.java:605) androidx.core.content.FileProvider.getPathStrategy(FileProvider.java:579) androidx.core.content.FileProvider.getUriForFile(FileProvider.java:417) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethodNative(Native Method) com.tns.Runtime.dispatchCallJSMethodNative(Runtime.java:1242) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethodImpl(Runtime.java:1122) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1109) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1089) com.tns.Runtime.callJSMethod(Runtime.java:1081) com.tns.gen.java.lang.Object_vendor_14095_32_ClickListenerImpl.onClick(Object_vendor_14095_32_ClickListenerImpl.java:18) android.view.View.performClick(View.java:6600) android.view.View.performClickInternal(View.java:6577) android.view.View.access$3100(View.java:781) android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:25912) android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:873) android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193) android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6923) java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493) com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:870)

I tested with a newly created project and test program for android:
TS:
`import { EventData } from "tns-core-modules/data/observable";
import { Page } from "tns-core-modules/ui/page";
import {FileSystemAccess} from "tns-core-modules/file-system/file-system-access"
const fsa=new FileSystemAccess()

import { openFile} from "tns-core-modules/utils/utils"

class ViewModel {
onTest(){
let path="/storage/emulated/0/Download/test.txt"
fsa.writeText(path,"tester")
console.log(fsa.fileExists(path))
openFile(path)
}
}

export function navigatingTo(args: EventData) {
const page = args.object;
page.bindingContext = new ViewModel()
}
`

XML:
<Page navigatingTo="navigatingTo"> <Button text="Test" tap="{{onTest}}"/> </Page>

tns doctor shows:

√ Your ANDROID_HOME environment variable is set and points to correct directory. √ Your adb from the Android SDK is correctly installed. √ The Android SDK is installed. √ A compatible Android SDK for compilation is found. √ Javac is installed and is configured properly. √ The Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed and is configured properly. √ Local builds for iOS can be executed only on a macOS system. To build for iOS on a different operating system, you can use the NativeScript cloud infrastructure. √ Getting NativeScript components versions information... √ Component nativescript has 6.0.1 version and is up to date. √ Component tns-core-modules has 6.0.1 version and is up to date. √ Component tns-android has 6.0.0 version and is up to date. √ Component tns-ios has 6.0.1 version and is up to date.

[DanLatimer]

I was having this problem too. Make sure you have a file provider defined in your AndroidManifest.xml that helped me:

        <provider android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider" android:authorities="<YOUR PACKAGE NAME GOES HERE>.provider" android:exported="false" android:grantUriPermissions="true">
            <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@xml/provider_paths"/>
        </provider>

^^ that is the androidx version (nativescript 6+) if you are using nativescript < 6 use something like this

        <provider android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider" android:authorities="<YOUR PACKAGE NAME GOES HERE>.provider" android:exported="false" android:grantUriPermissions="true">
            <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@xml/provider_paths"/>
        </provider>

don't forget to fill in the <YOUR PACKAGE NAME GOES HERE>

[jokro]

@DanLatimer, thanks for the hint.

My manifest file starts with:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="__PACKAGE__"

Hence I used "__PACKAGE__" as the (placeholder) for the package name.
In the manifest file entered your code inside tags application:

<application...>
...
<provider android:name="androidx.core.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>
        </provider>

</application>

When building I get an error that xml/provider_paths.xml is missing., I added this file Android/main/res/xml/provider_paths.xml with the following content:

<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <external-path name="external_files" path="."/>
    <files-path name="files" path="."/>
</paths>

Now it worked. I hope this can help other people.

I suggest your and mine additions are added to the plugin ?!
Thx for your reaction.

[Fatme]

@jokro, @DanLatimer

Thank you for sharing this!

I'm closing this thread, you can log a separate issue in tns-core-modules and discuss if your additions can be added.

[davorpeic]

Also, if you are saving files to temp() folder (cache folder) you need to also whitelist it

<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <external-path name="external_files" path="."/>
    <files-path name="files" path="."/>
    <cache-path name="cache" path="." />
</paths>

dp