Htykuut

I am trying to use a FileProvider but it is failing to parse the XML and throwing this error:

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

This is the calling code:

            Log.i(TAG, "Completed download of update file");

            statusMessage = "Completed download of update file";



            Uri uri;

            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {

                if (context != null) {

                    Log.i(TAG, "Context is: " + context.toString());

                } else {

                    Log.w(TAG, "Context is null");

                }

                if (context.getString(R.string.file_provider_authority) != null) {

                    Log.i(TAG, "Authority is: " + context.getString(R.string.file_provider_authority));

                } else {

                    Log.w(TAG, "Authority is null");

                }

                if (outputFile != null) {

                    Log.i(TAG, "outputFile is: " + outputFile.toString());

                } else {

                    Log.w(TAG, "outputFile is null");

                }

                uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(context, context.getString(R.string.file_provider_authority), outputFile);

                statusMessage = "uri set";

            } else {

                uri = Uri.fromFile(outputFile);

            }



            Log.i(TAG, "URI successfully set");

            statusMessage = "URI successfully set";

None of the parameters are null and "URI successfully set" is never logged. So it seems to me that the problem lies in the XML files.

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

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

    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"

    package="uk.co.letsdelight.letsdelight">



    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_WRITE_PERMISSION" />



    <!-- To auto-complete the email text field in the login form with the user's emails -->

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PROFILE" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />



    <application

        android:allowBackup="true"

        android:icon="@drawable/icon_trans"

        android:label="@string/app_name"

        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"

        android:supportsRtl="true"

        android:theme="@style/AppTheme"

        tools:ignore="GoogleAppIndexingWarning">



        <provider

            android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"

            android:authorities="@strings/file_provider_authority"

            android:exported="false"

            android:grantUriPermissions="true"

            tools:replace="android:authorities">

            <meta-data

                android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"

                android:resource="@xml/file_provider_paths" />

        </provider>



        <activity

            android:name=".MainActivity"

            android:label="@string/app_name"

            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar">

            <intent-filter>

                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />



                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

            </intent-filter>

            <intent-filter>

                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />



                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />



                <data android:mimeType="text/plain" />

            </intent-filter>

        </activity>

        <activity android:name=".AboutActivity" />

        <activity

            android:name=".LoginActivity"

            android:label="@string/title_activity_login"

            android:parentActivityName=".MainActivity">

            <meta-data

                android:name="android.support.PARENT_ACTIVITY"

                android:value="uk.co.letsdelight.letsdelight.MainActivity" />

        </activity>

    </application>



</manifest>

file_provider_paths.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <cache-path name="cache" path="." />

</paths>

Any ideas about what I can try to resolve this issue please?