java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo
  • 02-May-2023
Lightrun Team
Author Lightrun Team
Share
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo

Lightrun Team
Lightrun Team
02-May-2023

Explanation of the problem

Based on the provided issue description, it seems that there is a java.lang.RuntimeException occurring while trying to start an activity in an Android application. The error message indicates that the application is encountering an ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException when trying to apply a theme to the activity.

The error appears to be related to a call to new MaterialFilePicker(), which is used to display a file picker dialog that filters files and directories by file name using a regular expression. The start() method is then called to start the activity for the file picker.

It seems that the error is occurring because the application is trying to retrieve a color value from a TypedArray using an invalid index, which is resulting in the ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException. The error occurs while the application is trying to apply a theme to the activity.

Troubleshooting with the Lightrun Developer Observability Platform

Getting a sense of what’s actually happening inside a live application is a frustrating experience, one that relies mostly on querying and observing whatever logs were written during development.
Lightrun is a Developer Observability Platform, allowing developers to add telemetry to live applications in real-time, on-demand, and right from the IDE.

  • Instantly add logs to, set metrics in, and take snapshots of live applications
  • Insights delivered straight to your IDE or CLI
  • Works where you do: dev, QA, staging, CI/CD, and production

Start for free today

Problem solution for java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo

The error message “Unable to start activity ComponentInfo” often occurs when an app is missing some necessary resources, such as color values. One possible solution to this error is to define the missing color values in the app’s colors.xml file. You can do this by creating a new colors.xml file in your app’s res directory and adding the required color values, as shown in the example code.

The color values that need to be defined are colorPrimary, colorPrimaryDark, and colorAccent. These values are used by the app’s theme and are often required by third-party libraries. By defining these color values in your app, you can ensure that the required resources are available and the error message is resolved.

To summarize, the “Unable to start activity ComponentInfo” error can be caused by missing resources such as color values. Defining these values in your app’s colors.xml file can often resolve the error and ensure that your app runs smoothly.

Other popular problems with MaterialFilePicker

Problem: The MaterialFilePicker is not returning the correct file path when a file is selected.

Solution:

This issue is typically caused by a bug in the MaterialFilePicker library. You can try updating to the latest version of the library or implementing a custom solution to get the correct file path.

 

Problem: The MaterialFilePicker is not filtering files correctly.

Solution:

This issue is often caused by an incorrect regular expression used for filtering files. Check that the regular expression matches the file types you want to filter and adjust it if necessary. Additionally, make sure the filter method is being called correctly in your code.

 

Problem: The MaterialFilePicker is crashing when trying to pick a file.

Solution:

This issue can be caused by a number of factors, such as incompatible versions of dependencies or a bug in the library. First, make sure you have the latest version of the MaterialFilePicker library and that all of your dependencies are compatible. If the problem persists, try implementing a custom file picker or searching for a workaround on the library’s issue tracker.

A brief introduction to MaterialFilePicker

MaterialFilePicker is an open-source file picker library for Android applications. It provides a simple and easy-to-use interface for the user to select a file or directory from the device storage. The library is based on Material Design guidelines and provides a modern look and feel to the file picker UI. MaterialFilePicker supports filtering files and directories by file type using regular expressions. It also has the option to show hidden files and directories, and to allow selection of directories in addition to files.

Under the hood, MaterialFilePicker uses the Android Storage Access Framework (SAF) to access files and directories on the device. This ensures that the file picker is compatible with all versions of Android and supports all storage providers, including cloud-based providers like Google Drive and Dropbox. MaterialFilePicker also provides callbacks for the application to handle the selected file or directory, making it easy to integrate into existing projects. With its intuitive interface and robust functionality, MaterialFilePicker is a popular choice for developers looking to add file picking capabilities to their Android applications.

Most popular use cases for MaterialFilePicker

  1. Selecting Files: MaterialFilePicker allows developers to easily integrate a file selection feature into their Android applications. Users can browse and select files from their device’s storage or external storage such as SD card. With the Material design language, the UI of the file picker looks modern and intuitive. Developers can customize the file types and filters to limit the selection options to specific file extensions, directories, and hidden files.
  2. File Management: MaterialFilePicker also offers file management functionality that allows users to create new folders and rename, move, and delete files. This can be particularly useful for applications that require users to manipulate files, such as photo editors or document scanners. Developers can add these features to their apps by using the MaterialFilePicker API and callbacks.
  3. Integration with Third-party Libraries: MaterialFilePicker can be integrated with other third-party libraries to further enhance its functionality. For example, developers can use the MaterialFilePicker in conjunction with libraries such as OkHttp or Retrofit to upload files to remote servers. They can also use the picker with image loading libraries such as Glide or Picasso to display file thumbnails and metadata. Here is an example of how to use MaterialFilePicker with Glide to load image thumbnails:
new MaterialFilePicker()
    .withActivity(this)
    .withRequestCode(REQUEST_CODE)
    .withFilter(Pattern.compile(".*\\.(jpg|jpeg|png)$"))
    .withHiddenFiles(true)
    .start();
    
// In onActivityResult:
if (resultCode == RESULT_OK && requestCode == REQUEST_CODE) {
    String filePath = data.getStringExtra(FilePickerActivity.RESULT_FILE_PATH);
    Glide.with(this).load(new File(filePath)).into(imageView);
}
Share

It’s Really not that Complicated.

You can actually understand what’s going on inside your live applications.

Try Lightrun’s Playground

Lets Talk!

Looking for more information about Lightrun and debugging?
We’d love to hear from you!
Drop us a line and we’ll get back to you shortly.

By submitting this form, I agree to Lightrun’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.