Android Deep link opens with "Launch URL" but not with typing exact url

Question

I've been using Android's implicit deep links and I've defined my deep link directly inside my navigation graph.

The problem is when I use "Launch Options" in configurations like below my deep link will open the fragment just fine, but when I type the exact URL it won't work (btw I tried typing with http, https, without it, in a note app and in the browser directly).

Any guesses why this happens?

Some parts of my code related: navigation_graph :

    <fragment
        android:id="@+id/usedPriceFragment"
        android:name="UsedPriceFragment"
        android:label="UsedPriceFragment">
        <argument
            android:name="clearCache"
            android:defaultValue="false"
            app:argType="boolean"
            app:nullable="false" />
        <deepLink
            android:id="@+id/deepLink"
            app:action="ACTION_VIEW"
            app:mimeType="type/subtype"
            app:uri="example.com/example/prices/used" />
    </fragment>

manifest:

<activity
            android:name="activity.MainActivity"
            android:launchMode="singleTask"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">

            <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
                <data android:pathPrefix="/example/prices" />
            </intent-filter>
            <nav-graph android:value="@navigation/navigation_graph_main" />

Edit: Detailed version: The system asks me if I want to open the URL with my app. I click yes and then the home page starts up instead of the fragment I wanted to open.

Jake Lee · Answer 1 · 2021-05-05T15:01:15.103

1

Testing deep links by typing them in the browser isn't generally a good idea. The browser will often try to handle the URL itself, and won't pass it to the OS.

You should instead send the intent via ADB itself, like so:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW \
    -c android.intent.category.BROWSABLE \
    -d "http://domain.name:optional_port"

Further information is available in the documentation for app links.

As a side note, I'm assuming example.com in your code is placeholder text. If not, when you use autoVerify="true" it must be to a domain you control, and have set up verification for.

edited May 05 '21 at 15:01

answered May 05 '21 at 14:55

Jake Lee

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Thank you for putting the time to write an answer. Yes, the `example.com` is just a placeholder; but even with the command you wrote, my fragment is not being opened and there is not log inside LogCat. I typed `https://example.com/example/prices/used` exactly but still no luck. – Maryam Mirzaie May 05 '21 at 15:04
Actually, the system asks me if I want to open the url with my app. I click yes and then the home page starts up instead of the fragment I wanted to open. – Maryam Mirzaie May 05 '21 at 15:06
That's much more promising, at least it's in your app! Not sure I can help more, sorry, perhaps the `mimeType` needs checking? – Jake Lee May 05 '21 at 15:10
I tried removing it and that didn't work too. – Maryam Mirzaie May 05 '21 at 15:14
What if you remove the `intent-filter` you've added, and rely on the autogenerated one? – Jake Lee May 05 '21 at 15:17
I just tried that too, still no luck :( It will open up the app home page though still. Is there anyway to check the generated files for a deep link? – Maryam Mirzaie May 05 '21 at 15:20
Out of ideas, sorry! Here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/32087870/manifest-merger-it-is-possible-to-see-the-resulting-mixed-manifest – Jake Lee May 05 '21 at 15:22
Thank you for putting out you time :) – Maryam Mirzaie May 05 '21 at 15:28
I just found the problem, I posted the answer below :) – Maryam Mirzaie May 08 '21 at 08:31

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 08 '21 at 08:24

Turns out when opening an activity in singleTask mode you need to handle the received intent manually. So adding this line of code fixed the problem.

if (mainActivity.tabManager.findActiveNavController()?.handleDeepLink(intent) == true) {
            return
        }

Android Deep link opens with "Launch URL" but not with typing exact url

2 Answers2