FileProvider - IllegalArgumentException: Failed to find configured root

Question

I'm trying to take a picture with camera, but I'm getting the following error:

FATAL EXCEPTION: main
Process: com.example.marek.myapplication, PID: 6747
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Failed to find configured root that contains /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.example.marek.myapplication/files/Pictures/JPEG_20170228_175633_470124220.jpg
    at android.support.v4.content.FileProvider$SimplePathStrategy.getUriForFile(FileProvider.java:711)
    at android.support.v4.content.FileProvider.getUriForFile(FileProvider.java:400)
    at com.example.marek.myapplication.MainActivity.dispatchTakePictureIntent(MainActivity.java:56)
    at com.example.marek.myapplication.MainActivity.access$100(MainActivity.java:22)
    at com.example.marek.myapplication.MainActivity$1.onClick(MainActivity.java:35)

AndroidManifest.xml:

<provider
        android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
        android:authorities="com.example.marek.myapplication.fileprovider"
        android:enabled="true"
        android:grantUriPermissions="true">
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
            android:resource="@xml/file_paths" />
</provider>

Java:

Intent takePictureIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
    // Ensure that there's a camera activity to handle the intent
    if (takePictureIntent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {
        // Create the File where the photo should go
        File photoFile = null;
        try {
            photoFile = createImageFile();
        } catch (IOException ex) {
            Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Error while saving picture.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
        // Continue only if the File was successfully created
        if (photoFile != null) {
            Uri photoURI = FileProvider.getUriForFile(this,
                    "com.example.marek.myapplication.fileprovider",
                    photoFile);
            takePictureIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, photoURI);
            startActivityForResult(takePictureIntent, REQUEST_TAKE_PHOTO);
        }
    }

file_paths.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
    <files-path name="my_images" path="images/"/>
</paths>

I was searching whole day about this error and trying to understand FileProvider, but I have no idea what this error message tries to tell me. If you want more info/code, write me in the comment.

Answer 1

Your file is stored under getExternalFilesDir(). That maps to <external-files-path>, not <files-path>. Also, your file path does not contain images/ in it, so the path attribute in your XML is invalid.

Replace res/xml/file_paths.xml with:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
    <external-files-path name="my_images" path="/" />
</paths>

---

UPDATE 2020 MAR 13

Provider path for a specific path as followings:

• <files-path/> --> Context.getFilesDir()
• <cache-path/> --> Context.getCacheDir()
• <external-path/> --> Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()
• <external-files-path/> --> Context.getExternalFilesDir(String)
• <external-cache-path/> --> Context.getExternalCacheDir()
• <external-media-path/> --> Context.getExternalMediaDirs()

Ref: https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/core/content/FileProvider