How to share the THIS applications base.apk using Intent?

Issue

I want to share my application using a share button inside it. Once the button is clicked it should get the base.apk from the package manager and then share it using Intents.

Here is what I have so far:

1. All UI is ready and working

2. I have the following code to get the app and share it

   try {
        val pm = packageManager
        val ai = pm.getApplicationInfo(packageName, 0)
        val srcFile = File(ai.publicSourceDir)
        val share = Intent()
        share.action = Intent.ACTION_SEND
        share.type = "application/vnd.android.package-archive"
        share.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, Uri.fromFile(srcFile))
        startActivity(Intent.createChooser(share, "Sharing"))
     } catch (e: Exception) {
        UtilityMethods(this).toast("Failed To Share The App", "e")
        e.printStackTrace()
     }
   

But I get an error with this procedure.

android.os.FileUriExposedException: file:///data/app/~~BC-clKZDViP_O7n44ooPbQ%3D%3D/MyAppPublicSourceDirectory/base.apk exposed beyond app through ClipData.Item.getUri()

Is there any help I can get regarding this? I tried a lot of solutions, but they don't work for me.

EDIT:: Updated Code, Copy the base.apk to Downloads Folder and Rename it. Then try to share it (which is where the error invokes from).

try {
                // get the base apk of the app
                val pm = packageManager
                val ai = pm.getApplicationInfo(packageName, 0)
                val srcFile = File(ai.publicSourceDir)

                // save the file in Downloads folder
                val dstFile = File(
                    Environment.getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(Environment.DIRECTORY_DOWNLOADS),
                    "LogsCalculator.apk"
                )
                dstFile.createNewFile()
                val input = FileInputStream(srcFile)
                val output = FileOutputStream(dstFile)
                val buffer = ByteArray(1024)
                var length: Int = input.read(buffer)
                while (length > 0) {
                    output.write(buffer, 0, length)
                    length = input.read(buffer)
                }
                output.flush()
                output.close()
                input.close()

                // share the apk file now
                val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND)
                intent.type = "application/vnd.android.package-archive"
                intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, Uri.fromFile(dstFile))
                startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, getString(R.string.sharing)))

            } catch (e: Exception) {
                UtilityMethods(this).toast("Failed To Share The App", "e")
                e.printStackTrace()
            }

It Still Does Not Work.

Solution

I got the solution.

try {
                // get the base.apk
                val baseApkLocation =
                    applicationContext.packageManager.getApplicationInfo(
                        applicationContext.packageName,
                        PackageManager.GET_META_DATA
                    ).sourceDir
                // get the file
                val baseApk = File(baseApkLocation)

                // the path
                val path = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().toString() + "/Download/"
                // make the directory
                val dir = File(path)
                // if the directory doesn't exist, make it
                if (!dir.exists()) {
                    dir.mkdirs()
                }

                // Copy the .apk file to downloads directory
                val destination = File(
                    path + "MyAppName.apk"
                )
                if (destination.exists()) {
                    destination.delete()
                }
                destination.createNewFile()
                val input = FileInputStream(baseApk)
                val output = FileOutputStream(destination)
                val buffer = ByteArray(1024)
                var length: Int = input.read(buffer)
                while (length > 0) {
                    output.write(buffer, 0, length)
                    length = input.read(buffer)
                }
                output.flush()
                output.close()
                input.close()

                // get content uri for the file
                val uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(
                    this,
                    BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".provider",
                    destination
                )

                // share the file
                val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND)
                intent.type = "application/vnd.android.package-archive"
                intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, uri)
                startActivity(Intent.createChooser(intent, getString(R.string.share_app)))

            } catch (e: Exception) {
                Lib(this).toast("Failed To Share The App", "e")
                e.printStackTrace()
            }

Here is how it works

1. Get the base.apk file of the app from its source dir.

2. Copy the file to the new location and give it a meaningful name.

3. Get the content URI of the new file. This is what was missing.

                // get content uri for the file
                val uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(
                    this,
                    BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".provider",
                    destination
                )
   

4. Share the file.

Anyways thanks for all the help.

Answered By - Haris