Post fix to 'file exposed beyond app' error

[ThomasCWright]

Used https://stackoverflow.com/q/38983649/7312441 as starting point, however, following error thrown

11-23 12:09:14.323 23238 5039 I python : jnius.jnius.JavaException: JVM exception occurred: file:///./blank_9x9.png exposed beyond app through ClipData.Item.getUri()

Originally posted by @ThomasCWright in #1 (comment)

[ThomasCWright]

OK, so here I will use pip install python-for-android version of p4a and resolve this issue in the same manner as this post kivy/plyer#500 (comment)

[ThomasCWright]

Cancel that as this depends on installing support-v4-24.1.1.aar for which I can't easily find an official source.

Now reverting back forking PR on p4a which fixes this problem and is mentioned later in the same issue here with commandline args here

[ThomasCWright]

forked

• Deactivate any conda env
• Compile master and pass tests
• Install resulting package
• Check builds same as pip installed version
• Checkout branch FileProvider and repeat
  Struggling: just installed downgrade of $ANDROIDNDK
  Will compile again:

[ThomasCWright]

• Some progress. merged fork onto most recent develop and compiled and re-installed p4a in venv
• Full clean of ~/.local/share/python-for-android
• p4a apk --private . --package=com.chdirections --name "myapp" --version 0.1 --bootstrap=sdl2 --requirements=python3,kivy,pyjnius --arch=arm64-v8a --android_api=27 --fileprovider-paths=./mypaths.xml now works and produces an apk 🍾🍾
• adb logcat | grep python gives following error:
  

  • Likely problem with pakaging of xml files needed to make FileProvider available

  • Checking forked repo intent Add optional android fileprovider. kivy/python-for-android#1922 (comment):

    https://developer.android.com/reference/android/support/v4/content/FileProvider

    If the option --fileprovider-paths=./mypaths.xml is given, then this xml file is
    copied to apk res/xml/file_paths.xml and <provider> is added to the AndroidManifest.xml

[ThomasCWright]

Installed very useful tool androguard which delivers all manner of tools to inspect an apk
kudos for this bugfix androguard/androguard#769 (comment)
Hence, installation is actually pip install git+https://github.com/androguard/androguard.git

(kivy) C:\> androguard axml unnamed_dist_1__arm64-v8a-debug-0.1-.apk gives following result:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:versionCode="8211" android:versionName="0.1" android:installLocation="0" package="com.chdirections" platformBuildVersionCode="8211" platformBuildVersionName="0.100000">
  <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="21" android:targetSdkVersion="27"/>
  <supports-screens android:anyDensity="true" android:smallScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:largeScreens="true" android:xlargeScreens="true"/>
  <uses-feature android:glEsVersion="0x00020000"/>
  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
  <application android:theme="@android:01030007" android:label="@7F090000" android:icon="@7F050001" android:debuggable="true" android:allowBackup="true" android:hardwareAccelerated="true">
    <meta-data android:name="wakelock" android:value="0"/>
    <activity android:label="@7F090000" android:name="org.kivy.android.PythonActivity" android:launchMode="2" android:screenOrientation="1" android:configChanges="0x40002FFF">
      <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/>
      </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <provider android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider" android:exported="false" android:authorities="com.chdirections.fileprovider" android:grantUriPermissions="true">
      <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@7F0C0000"/>
    </provider>
    <meta-data android:name="android.support.VERSION" android:value="26.1.0"/>
    <meta-data android:name="android.arch.lifecycle.VERSION" android:value="27.0.0-SNAPSHOT"/>
  </application>
</manifest>

The above shows that although p4a is accepting arguments to define paths & FileProvider capabilities, they are not being inserted correctly into the apk.

One last try with a better path definition for file_paths:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <files-path name="my_images" path="images/"/>
</paths>

Same problem. Checking the AndroidManifest.xml in ....src/main seems as though it looks half reasonable.

        <provider android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
                  android:authorities="com.chdirections.fileprovider"
                  android:exported="false"
                  android:grantUriPermissions="true">
          <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
                     android:resource="@xml/file_paths" />
        </provider>

This rabbit hole is currently too deep although learnt much on android ..etc. Pausing for now and seeking another solution to the problem without file handling.
Kicking to short grass as solution may be useful to me & community.

[ThomasCWright]

Avoided FileProvider by saving the image to an externally accessible storage area so that Intent could be shared with printing app.

Creating new issue specifically for implementation of FileProvider as this will still be useful.