Null Pointer Exception with the actionBar

Question

I have implemented swipe view but I am getting a Null Poitner Exception and the logcat says:

Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'android.app.ActionBar$Tab android.app.ActionBar.newTab()' on a null object reference at com.example.android.mainactivityiit.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:37)

I have been through numerous answers for the same question but none solved my issue. I changed the getActionBar to getSupportActionBar but still the error stays. Pleaase help me at the earliest. here is my code:(Edited latest code)

    package com.example.android.mainactivityiit;

import android.app.ActionBar;
import android.app.ActionBar.Tab;
import android.app.FragmentTransaction;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity;
import android.support.v4.view.ViewPager;

public class MainActivity extends FragmentActivity implements
        ActionBar.TabListener {

    private ViewPager viewPager;
    private TabsPagerAdapter mAdapter;
    private ActionBar actionBar;
    // Tab titles
    private String[] tabs = { "Top Rated", "Games", "Movies" };

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        // Initilization
        viewPager = (ViewPager) findViewById(R.id.pager);
        actionBar = getActionBar();
        mAdapter = new TabsPagerAdapter(getSupportFragmentManager());

        viewPager.setAdapter(mAdapter);
        actionBar.setHomeButtonEnabled(false);
        actionBar.setNavigationMode(ActionBar.NAVIGATION_MODE_TABS);

        // Adding Tabs
        for (String tab_name : tabs) {
            actionBar.addTab(actionBar.newTab().setText(tab_name)
                    .setTabListener(this));
        }

        /**
         * on swiping the viewpager make respective tab selected
         * */
        viewPager.setOnPageChangeListener(new ViewPager.OnPageChangeListener() {

            @Override
            public void onPageSelected(int position) {
                // on changing the page
                // make respected tab selected
                actionBar.setSelectedNavigationItem(position);
            }

            @Override
            public void onPageScrolled(int arg0, float arg1, int arg2) {
            }

            @Override
            public void onPageScrollStateChanged(int arg0) {
            }
        });
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabReselected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabSelected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
        // on tab selected
        // show respected fragment view
        viewPager.setCurrentItem(tab.getPosition());
    }

    @Override
    public void onTabUnselected(Tab tab, FragmentTransaction ft) {
    }

}

this is tabspageadapter:

package com.example.android.mainactivityiit;


import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;
import android.support.v4.app.FragmentManager;
import android.support.v4.app.FragmentPagerAdapter;

public class TabsPagerAdapter extends FragmentPagerAdapter {

    public TabsPagerAdapter(FragmentManager fm) {
        super(fm);
    }

    @Override
    public Fragment getItem(int index) {

        switch (index) {
        case 0:
            // Top Rated fragment activity
            return new TopRatedFragment();
        case 1:
            // Games fragment activity
            return new GamesFragment();
        case 2:
            // Movies fragment activity
            return new MoviesFragment();
        }

        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public int getCount() {
        // get item count - equal to number of tabs
        return 3;
    }

}

I have implemented this activity using intent so the manifest file is for the other activity from which I am calling the swipe view activity.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.android.mainactivityiit" >
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >

        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivityiit"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

    </application>

</manifest>

Answer 1

Change following line

 actionBar = getActionBar();

to

actionBar = getSupportActionBar();

UPDATE :

you have to import android.support.v7.app.actionBar not android.app.actionBar.

hope this will helps you.