Intent for opening an URL doesn't work for one app but does for another

Question

My app wants to open a web link (like https://www.google.com) by means of this method:

public void openUrl(Activity activity, String urlParam) {
    String url = Uri.encode(urlParam);
    Intent browserIntent = new Intent(Intent.CATEGORY_BROWSABLE, Uri.parse(url));

    browserIntent.setAction(ACTION_VIEW);

    activity.startActivity(browserIntent);
}

I'm getting this error:

android.content.ActivityNotFoundException: No Activity found to handle Intent { act=android.intent.action.VIEW dat=https://www.google.com }

If I make the app call the chooser for the user to select an application, a message appears on the device saying that no app can handle the action.

startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Browse with"));

So, this also does not work.

This is very strange, I see a lot of similar questions but no solution. The URL is correct.

This is the Gradle file:

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 29
    buildToolsVersion "29.0.2"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.myapp"
        minSdkVersion 15
        targetSdkVersion 29
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android-optimize.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

How is it possible? I have another application that uses a similar code and it is able to call a browser to display the URL on the same device.

Here's its Gradle file:

apply plugin: 'android'

android {
    //noinspection GradleCompatible
    compileSdkVersion 28
    buildToolsVersion '28.0.3'

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.myappname.app"
        versionCode 62

        minSdkVersion 19
        targetSdkVersion 28
    }

    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled true
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.txt'
        }
        debug {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.txt'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile 'com.android.support:support-v4:28.0.0'
}

How to solve the issue?

Does this answer your question? [How can I open a URL in Android's web browser from my application?](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2201917/how-can-i-open-a-url-in-androids-web-browser-from-my-application) — Md. Asaduzzaman, Feb 03 '20 at 11:39
Also check this [No Activity found to handle Intent : android.intent.action.VIEW](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5882656/no-activity-found-to-handle-intent-android-intent-action-view/6225478) — Md. Asaduzzaman, Feb 03 '20 at 11:41
@Md. Asaduzzaman My url is correct, I do not understand how to solve. — P5music, Feb 03 '20 at 11:41
Removing this `String url = Uri.encode(urlParam);` resolve the problem — Md. Asaduzzaman, Feb 03 '20 at 11:53

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 03 '20 at 11:46

2

Actual issue is with the usage of Uri.encode(urlParam). You are encoding your URL but later you are not decoding it for the ACTION_VIEW to understand the intent data!

    String url = "https://www.google.com/";
    String query = Uri.encode(url, "UTF-8");
    Intent browserIntent = new Intent(CATEGORY_BROWSABLE, Uri.parse(Uri.decode(query)));
    browserIntent.setAction(ACTION_VIEW);
    startActivity(browserIntent);

answered Feb 03 '20 at 11:46

buzzingsilently

1,546
3
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Yes, it seems that the different parts of the url have to be encoded in their suitable way. – P5music Feb 03 '20 at 11:54
What's the purpose of encoding and after decoding?And, is the Uri.parse method enough for "cleaning" the uri string? – P5music Feb 03 '20 at 12:00
That is up to you, I have never see someone encoding url before passing it to Intent. Why did you do? – buzzingsilently Feb 03 '20 at 12:03
The url is edited by the user. Please can you state whether parsing the url is enough? – P5music Feb 03 '20 at 12:10
You don't need to encode the entire URL, only parts of it that come from "unreliable sources" need to be encoded. – buzzingsilently Feb 03 '20 at 12:18
I just need that the url is validated, so not to have chars that have to be encoded, like whitespaces=%20 an so on. – P5music Feb 03 '20 at 12:58

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 03 '20 at 11:36

0

Uri uri = Uri.parse("https://www.google.com");
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri);
startActivity(intent);

I got the same error android.content.ActivityNotFoundException: No Activity found to handle Intent

The problem was because I didn't have any app that can open URLs (i.e. browsers) installed in my phone. So after Installing a browser the problem was solved.

Make sure there is at least one app which handles the intent you are calling

answered Feb 03 '20 at 11:36

Swati

146
1
10

As said, I have also another app of mine on the same device that is able to open the url. – P5music Feb 03 '20 at 11:39
You are right for a different scenario but for this one it has to do with Url Encoding! – buzzingsilently Feb 03 '20 at 12:00

Intent for opening an URL doesn't work for one app but does for another

2 Answers2