Error: Cannot attach empty file in GMAIL app using File provider

Question

I am trying to attach a pdf file in gmail app. I have read this and this (applied solution) I am trying as;

public static void attachFile(Context ctx) {
    String TAG = "Attach";
    File documentsPath = new File(ctx.getFilesDir(), "documents");
    Log.i(TAG,"documentsAbsolutePath Output");
    Log.i(TAG, documentsPath.getAbsolutePath().toString());
    File file = new File(documentsPath, "sample.pdf");
    if ( file.exists() ) {
        Toast.makeText(ctx, "Exits", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }else{
        Toast.makeText(ctx, "Not Exist", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
    Log.i(TAG,"file Output");
    Log.i(TAG, file.toString());
    Log.i(TAG, String.valueOf(file.length()));
    Uri uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(ctx, "com.example.fyp_awais.attachfiletest2.fileprovider", file);
    Log.i(TAG,"URI Output");
    Log.i(TAG,uri.toString());
    Intent intent = ShareCompat.IntentBuilder.from((Activity) ctx)
            .setType("application/pdf")
            .setStream(uri)
            .setChooserTitle("Choose bar")
            .createChooserIntent()
            .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
    ctx.startActivity(intent);
}

Outputs

documentsAbsolutePath Output
/data/data/com.example.fyp_awais.attachfiletest2/files/documents
 file Output
/data/data/com.example.fyp_awais.attachfiletest2/files/documents/sample.pdf
 0
 URI Output
 content://com.example.fyp_awais.attachfiletest2.fileprovider/pdf_folder/sample.pdf

Menifest

<provider
    android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
    android:authorities="com.example.fyp_awais.attachfiletest2.fileprovider"
    android:exported="false"
    android:grantUriPermissions="true">
    <meta-data
        android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
        android:resource="@xml/filepath" />
</provider>

FilePath.xml

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

A pdf file is saved in Galaxy Core Prime\Phone\documents. (file size: 53.7KB)

But it gives

Cannot attach empty file.

I am confused with folder-name in this line <files-path name="pdf_folder" path="documents/"/>. The file is in the \Phone\documents. Then why folder name?

Edit 1

Tried to replace setType(application/pdf) with setType("message/rfc822") But did not work. Any help?

Try by replacing `setType` with this `setType("message/rfc822")` — Faraz, Apr 10 '17 at 06:29
Check [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20090328/how-to-attach-pdf-file-in-an-email) and [this](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10686209/attaching-a-pdf-to-an-email-from-android-app-file-size-is-zero) answer. — Faraz, Apr 10 '17 at 06:35
@FAЯAƸ I am trying to do this using `FileProvider`. For sharing file with other apps. — Humty, Apr 10 '17 at 06:37
`File file = new File(documentsPath, "sample.pdf");`. After that add following code: `if ( ! file.exists() ) {Toast ( ... file.. file.getAbsolutePath() ... not found...); return;}`. Please tell the result. — greenapps, Apr 10 '17 at 11:56
`The file is in the \Phone\documents` ????? What is that for kind of path? Please use a decent file explorer which shows you real full file system paths. If you can see your file with a file explorer app than you did not put your file in internal private storage of your app but in external. So no wonder that your FileProvider does not work. — greenapps, Apr 10 '17 at 12:01
@greenapps Kindly see the value of `uri.toString()` in the question. — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 05:41
Please use uri.toSting() everywhere. `Log.i(TAG, String.valueOf(documentsPath));`. Very strange approach. That should be `Log.i(TAG, "documentsPath: " + documentsPath.getAbsolutePath));`. Please tell its value too. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 08:33
And please report about file.exists(). I see that you added the code but a return statement in case there is no file is missing. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 08:36
Your two equal Toasts for `exists()` dont confuse you? And you do not inform the user that the file is missing! And again: RETURN! — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 08:48
@greenapps Now see the edited code and its outputs. Toast is telling that the file is not exist. But in the documents folder, there is a pdf file, with name `sample.pdf`. — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:09
In which documents folder? I asked that already but you did not react on it. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 10:12
@greenapps `Cell phone -> My Files -> Device Storage -> documents.` (Sorry for late.) — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:18
I already told you to use a decent file explorer. That is not a valid file system path. And quite different from getAbsolutePath() isn't it? Why i have to ask this twice? Tell us the exact full path please. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 10:20
@greenapps Absolute path is `/data/data/com.example.xxxxx/files/documents` — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:27
`Toast.makeText(ctx, "Not Exist", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();`. Please inform the user and yourself in a decent way: `Toast.makeText(ctx, "File not found: " + file.getAbsolutePath(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show(); return;`. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 10:28
File explorer apps cannot show such paths unless your device is rooted. So what are you doing to see that path? — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 10:31
@greenapps But, now the file exist in the documents folder. Why it is giving "Not Exist??????" — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:31
Where should I place the file so that Gmail app gets that file for sending it? — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:32
@greenapps My simple question is How can I attach the file in Gmail app??? Where should I store the pdf file so that the gmail app gets that for sending? — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:34
@greenapps Kindly guide me in a simple way. I am newbie. Sorry to say. — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:37
It is better you answer the questions. Your code is ok but the file is not there. So put the file there. Now tell about your file explorer app. — greenapps, Apr 12 '17 at 10:38
@greenapps I was printing the path just to see what the path for file is. — Humty, Apr 12 '17 at 10:40

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 10 '17 at 07:46

Send the file in URI format like this:

Intent emailIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND_MULTIPLE);
        emailIntent.setData(Uri.parse("mailto:"));
        emailIntent.setType("application/image");
        emailIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, TO);
        emailIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_CC, CC);
ArrayList<Uri> uris = new ArrayList<>();
        //convert from paths to Android friendly Parcelable Uri's
        uris.add(frontImageUri);
        uris.add(backImageUri);
        emailIntent.putParcelableArrayListExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, uris);
startActivity(Intent.createChooser(emailIntent, "Send mail..."));

Yep this is how I do it, with a whole bunch of files inside uris as well. You can't have the file in private app storage or something as well, so I just create a copy in the downloads dir and send that one — Saik Caskey, Apr 20 '17 at 09:06

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 11 '21 at 07:55

if it's ok To send Zip then try this way

 String fileNameStor_zip = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/" + fileName + ".zip";

String[] path = { your 1st pdf  File Path, your 2nd pdf  File Path};

Compress compress = new Compress(path, fileNameStor_zip);

compress.zip();


URI =  Uri.parse("file://" + fileNameStor_zip);

Provide your Gmail Intent

intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, URI);

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 17 '17 at 16:53

0

Uri contentUri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(this, "com.mydomain.fileprovider", newFile);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION);
i.setData(contentUri);

answered Apr 17 '17 at 16:53

PArth SOni

117
1
11

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 20 '17 at 04:58

String filename="my_file.vcf"; 
File filelocation = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath(), filename);
Uri path = Uri.fromFile(filelocation); 
Intent emailIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
// set the type to 'email'
emailIntent .setType("vnd.android.cursor.dir/email");
String to[] = {"asd@gmail.com"};
emailIntent .putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, to);
// the attachment
emailIntent .putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, path);
// the mail subject
emailIntent .putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, "Subject");
startActivity(Intent.createChooser(emailIntent , "Send email..."));

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 20 '17 at 08:55

0

You have to grant the permission to access storage for gmail.

answered Apr 20 '17 at 08:55

Supriyo Naskar

19
4

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 20 '17 at 09:18

In case it helps- here's what I do in an app debug function with a few files, it shouldn't really be any different. I do copy/export them into a user-public folder first before attaching them, and make them world readable.

 if (verifyStoragePermissions(c)) {
        final Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND_MULTIPLE);
        intent.setType("text/plain");
        intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, new String[]{"recipient@email.address"});
        intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, "Email Subject");

        //build up message
        ArrayList<Uri> uris = new ArrayList<>();
        StringBuilder content = new StringBuilder();
        content.append(
                String.format(
                        c.getString(R.string.message_log_upload_email_body) +
                                "\n\nmodelDesc:%s \n\nmanuf:%s \n\naId: %s,\n\nhIid: %s,\n\nfbId: %s.",
                        Build.MODEL, Build.MANUFACTURER, getSomeVar1(), getSomeVar2(), getSomeVar3())
        );
        content.append("\n\nMy logged in account id is: ").append(getAccountId(c)).append(".");
        content.append("\n\nHere's an overview of my attachments:\n");

        for (String s : addresses) {
            File f = new File(s);
            //noinspection ResultOfMethodCallIgnored
            f.setReadable(true, false);
            Uri add = Uri.fromFile(f);
            //add attachment manifest
            content.append(String.format(Locale.UK, "|->  %s (%.3f kb)\n", f.getName(), (float) f.length() / 1024));
            uris.add(add);
        }
        //attach the things
        intent.putParcelableArrayListExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, uris);
        //set content/message
        intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, content.toString());
        c.startActivity(intent);
    }
}

addresses is a String[] param to that function. I build it up by making the functions I use to export the files return arrays of strings of the addresses of the files they've exported - as I initially store the files in my app's private storage

Error: Cannot attach empty file in GMAIL app using File provider

6 Answers6

if it's ok To send Zip then try this way

Linked