[SOLVED] Launching Activities via package names

Launching Activities via package names

I have been working on testing some packages that I do not have the source code for, and one of the packages is normally launched by pressing three buttons for three seconds. When I try to launch the package using the typical method, I get a java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'android.content.Intent android.content.Intent.addFlags(int) error. Below is my code

@Before
public void setup() {
    //Initialize UiDevice instance
    Instrumentation instrumentation = InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation();
    mDevice = UiDevice.getInstance(instrumentation);

    mDevice.pressHome();

    final String launcherPackage = mDevice.getLauncherPackageName();
    assertThat(launcherPackage, notNullValue());
    mDevice.wait(Until.hasObject(By.pkg(launcherPackage).depth(0)), LAUNCH_TIMEOUT);

    Context context = InstrumentationRegistry.getTargetContext();
    final Intent intent = context.getPackageManager()
            .getLaunchIntentForPackage(DEALER_DIAG_PACKAGE);
    intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
    context.startActivity(intent);

    mDevice.wait(Until.hasObject(By.pkg(DEALER_DIAG_PACKAGE).depth(0)), LAUNCH_TIMEOUT);
}

I tried using getContext instead of getTargetContext, however someone pointed out to me that if the intents are not exported, I will not be able to launch the package this way no matter what I do. I tried to get the package names by using the command adb logcat ActivityManager:V *:F as well as adb shell pm list packages -f

--------- beginning of main
I/ActivityManager( 2296): START u0 {flg=0x10000000 
cmp=com.android.systemui/.usb.UsbDebuggingActivity (has extras)} from uid 
1000 on display 0
I/ActivityManager( 2296): Displayed 
com.android.systemui/.usb.UsbDebuggingActivity: +184ms
I/ActivityManager( 2296): START u0 {act=android.intent.action.MAIN cat=
[android.intent.category.HOME] flg=0x10200000 
cmp=com.android.launcher3/.Launcher} from uid 1000 on display 0
I/ActivityManager( 2296): START u0 
{act=com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics.dealer.MAIN flg=0x10800000 
cmp=com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics/.dealer.MainActivity} from uid 1000 on 
display 0
I/ActivityManager( 2296): Start proc 
20943:com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics/1000 for activity 
com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics/.dealer.MainActivity
I/ActivityManager( 2296): Displayed 
com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics/.dealer.MainActivity: +572ms

Does anyone have any input as to why I am getting this error? I have tried using every package name listed in the logcat dump with no success. Any input would be appreciated.

Solution

I figured out a method that worked for me, though Brandon's could possibly work on another solution. Here is my solution:

Intent intent = new Intent("com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics.dealer.MAIN");
intent.setClassName("com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics", 
"com.REDACTED.auto.diagnostics.dealer.MainActivity");
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TASK);
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
Context c = InstrumentationRegistry.getContext();
c.startActivity(intent);

This possibly does the same thing that Brandon's solution does, however less abstracted.