Android Provider in Dynamic Feature module not found in Base Module

Question

I am using some libraries in my dynamic feature module. These libraries are Adding some providers to the manifest.

For example in my build.gradle file in the dynamic module:

dependencies {
    ...
    implementation 'com.github.esafirm.android-image-picker:imagepicker:1.11.1'
    ...
}

This library adds the following tag to the manifest:

<provider
        android:name="com.esafirm.imagepicker.helper.ImagePickerFileProvider"
        android:authorities="{$applicationId}.imagepicker.provider"
        android:exported="false"
        android:grantUriPermissions="true" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
            android:resource="@xml/image_picker_provider_paths" />
</provider>

The problem is when I build my base module the app crashes because it cannot find the provider. How can I solve this?

As it is stated here:

The manifest for your app’s base module is similar to that of any other app module. Keep in mind, when Google Play generates your app’s base APK, it merges manifests for all modules into that of the base APK.

But why only providers are affected? Are activities ignored?

This is the stacktrace I get:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to get provider com.esafirm.imagepicker.helper.ImagePickerFileProvider: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.esafirm.imagepicker.helper.ImagePickerFileProvider" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/ir.rashin.mototel-h7B8g42gBcVABkik16vqzw==/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/ir.rashin.mototel-h7B8g42gBcVABkik16vqzw==/lib/x86, /system/lib]]
    at android.app.ActivityThread.installProvider(ActivityThread.java:6396)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.installContentProviders(ActivityThread.java:5938)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:5853)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1100(ActivityThread.java:199)
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1650)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6669)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
    at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:858)
 Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: Didn't find class "com.esafirm.imagepicker.helper.ImagePickerFileProvider" on path: DexPathList[[zip file "/data/app/ir.rashin.mototel-h7B8g42gBcVABkik16vqzw==/base.apk"],nativeLibraryDirectories=[/data/app/ir.rashin.mototel-h7B8g42gBcVABkik16vqzw==/lib/x86, /system/lib]]
    at dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader.findClass(BaseDexClassLoader.java:134)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:379)
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:312)
    at android.app.AppComponentFactory.instantiateProvider(AppComponentFactory.java:121)
    at android.support.v4.app.CoreComponentFactory.instantiateProvider(CoreComponentFactory.java:62)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.installProvider(ActivityThread.java:6380)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.installContentProviders(ActivityThread.java:5938) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleBindApplication(ActivityThread.java:5853) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1100(ActivityThread.java:199) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1650) 
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106) 
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193) 
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6669) 
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 
    at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493) 
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:858) 

Answer 1

Try this solution.

Add provider with tools:node="remove" in you app build.gradle

<provider
        android:name="com.esafirm.imagepicker.helper.ImagePickerFileProvider"
        android:authorities="{$applicationId}.imagepicker.provider"
        android:exported="false"
        android:grantUriPermissions="true"
        tools:node="remove" >
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
            android:resource="@xml/image_picker_provider_paths" />
</provider>

In Android Studio it will be marked as red but when you build bundle with

./gradlew clean bundleRelease 

it should finish with success.

Now you can generate .apks file and unzip it:

java -jar bundletool-all-0.10.2.jar build-apks --bundle=app.aab --output=release.apks --ks=release.keystore --ks-pass=pass:xxxxxx --ks-key-alias=xxxxxxkey --key-pass=pass:xxxxxx

unzip release.apks

After this you can decode your .apk files (for example with apktool) to take a look at their manifests. Now in base-master.apk you shouldn't see your provider entries, and in {dynamic-module}master.apk it should be available.

java -jar apktool_2.4.0.jar d release/splits/base-master.apk