Error invoke virtual method 'double android.location.Location.getLatitude()' on a null object reference

Question

All I am trying to do is let the user get a list of the places of types he likes. For example if the input was hospital my application would open google maps with the search string "Hospital". But as suggested in the documentation using the geocode like geo:0,0?q=hospital uri shows all the hospitals near the coordinates 0 latitude & 0 longitude. So when I tried to get the users coordinates first by using the following code.

Places Decoder.java

package com.kkze.Mappy;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.AlertDialog;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.DialogInterface;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.location.Criteria;
import android.location.Location;
import android.location.LocationManager;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Build;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.provider.Settings;
import android.text.TextUtils;
import android.util.Log;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class PlacesDecoder extends Activity {
Intent intentThatCalled;
public double latitude;
public double longitude;
public LocationManager locationManager;
public Criteria criteria;
public String bestProvider;

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    intentThatCalled = getIntent();
    String voice2text = intentThatCalled.getStringExtra("v2txt");
    getLocation(voice2text);
}
public static boolean isLocationEnabled(Context context)
{
    int locationMode = 0;
    String locationProviders;
    if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT)
    {
        try
        {
            locationMode = Settings.Secure.getInt(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_MODE);
        } catch (Settings.SettingNotFoundException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        return locationMode != Settings.Secure.LOCATION_MODE_OFF;
    }
    else
    {
        locationProviders = Settings.Secure.getString(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.Secure.LOCATION_PROVIDERS_ALLOWED);
        return !TextUtils.isEmpty(locationProviders);
    }
}

public void getLocation(String voice2txt) {
    locationManager = (LocationManager)  this.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
    criteria = new Criteria();
    bestProvider = String.valueOf(locationManager.getBestProvider(criteria, true)).toString();
    Location location = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(bestProvider);
    if (isLocationEnabled(PlacesDecoder.this)) {
            Log.e("TAG", "GPS is on");
            latitude = location.getLatitude();
            longitude = location.getLongitude();
            Toast.makeText(PlacesDecoder.this, "latitude:" + latitude + " longitude:" + longitude, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            searchNearestPlace(voice2txt);

        }
    else
    {
        AlertDialog.Builder notifyLocationServices = new AlertDialog.Builder(PlacesDecoder.this);
        notifyLocationServices.setTitle("Switch on Location Services");
        notifyLocationServices.setMessage("Location Services must be turned on to complete this action. Also please take note that if on a very weak network connection,  such as 'E' Mobile Data or 'Very weak Wifi-Connections' it may take even 15 mins to load. If on a very weak network connection as stated above, location returned to application may be null or nothing and cause the application to crash.");
        notifyLocationServices.setPositiveButton("Ok, Open Settings", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                Intent openLocationSettings = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
                PlacesDecoder.this.startActivity(openLocationSettings);
                finish();
            }
        });
        notifyLocationServices.setNegativeButton("Cancel", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                finish();
            }
        });
        notifyLocationServices.show();
    }
}

public void searchNearestPlace(String v2txt) {
    Log.e("TAG", "Started");
    v2txt = v2txt.toLowerCase();
    String[] placesS = {"accounting", "airport", "aquarium", "atm", "attraction", "bakery", "bakeries", "bank", "bar", "cafe", "campground", "casino", "cemetery", "cemeteries", "church", "courthouse", "dentist", "doctor", "electrician", "embassy", "embassies", "establishment", "finance", "florist", "food", "grocery", "groceries", "supermarket", "gym", "health", "hospital", "laundry", "laundries", "lawyer", "library", "libraries", "locksmith", "lodging", "mosque", "museum", "painter", "park", "parking", "pharmacy", "pharmacies", "physiotherapist", "plumber", "police", "restaurant", "school", "spa", "stadium", "storage", "store", "synagog", "synagogue", "university", "universities", "zoo"};
    String[] placesM = {"amusement park", "animal care", "animal care", "animal hospital", "art gallery", "art galleries", "beauty salon", "bicycle store", "book store", "bowling alley", "bus station", "car dealer", "car rental", "car repair", "car wash", "city hall", "clothing store", "convenience store", "department store", "electronics store", "electronic store", "fire station", "funeral home", "furniture store", "gas station", "general contractor", "hair care", "hardware store", "hindu temple", "home good store", "homes good store", "home goods store", "homes goods store", "insurance agency", "insurance agencies", "jewelry store", "liquor store", "local government office", "meal delivery", "meal deliveries", "meal takeaway", "movie rental", "movie theater", "moving company", "moving companies", "night club", "pet store", "place of worship", "places of worship", "post office", "real estate agency", "real estate agencies", "roofing contractor", "rv park", "shoe store", "shopping mall", "subway station", "taxi stand", "train station", "travel agency", "travel agencies", "veterinary care"};
    int index;
    for (int i = 0; i <= placesM.length - 1; i++) {
        Log.e("TAG", "forM");
        if (v2txt.contains(placesM[i])) {
            Log.e("TAG", "sensedM?!");
            index = i;
            Uri gmmIntentUri = Uri.parse("geo:" + latitude + "," + longitude + "?q=" + placesM[index]);
            Intent mapIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, gmmIntentUri);
            mapIntent.setPackage("com.google.android.apps.maps");
            startActivity(mapIntent);
            finish();
        }
    }
    for (int i = 0; i <= placesS.length - 1; i++) {
        Log.e("TAG", "forS");
        if (v2txt.contains(placesS[i])) {
            Log.e("TAG", "sensedS?!");
            index = i;
            Uri gmmIntentUri = Uri.parse("geo:" + latitude + "," + longitude + "?q=" + placesS[index]);
            Intent mapIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, gmmIntentUri);
            mapIntent.setPackage("com.google.android.apps.maps");
            startActivity(mapIntent);
            finish();
        }
    }
}
}

The problem is that always and always location returns null. And I know for a fact that another application Jarvis easily does the task as long as location is enabled, if not is simply asks the user to. But under the same conditions my application always crashes.

What I have done:

1. Spent Day and Night trying to solve this problem.
2. Browsed through numerous pages on the topic.
3. Tried different codes of my own.

And it still happens. I am a beginner in Android. And please, please do help me. Is there no possible way to solve my problem? even thought that other application somehow manages to do it.

This my LogCat.

Process: com.kkze.Mappy, PID: 6742
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.kkze.Mappy/com.kkze.Mappy.PlacesDecoder}: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'double android.location.Location.getLatitude()' on a null object reference
        at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2658)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2723)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:172)
        at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1422)
        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:145)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5832)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1399)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1194)
 Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'double android.location.Location.getLatitude()' on a null object reference
        at com.kkze.Mappy.PlacesDecoder.getLocation(PlacesDecoder.java:62)
        at com.kkze.Mappy.PlacesDecoder.onCreate(PlacesDecoder.java:32)
        at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:6221)
        at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1119)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2611)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2723)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$900(ActivityThread.java:172)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1422)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:145)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5832)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1399)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1194)

Also checking for location!=null requires ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission which messes up my app causing it to always return as null.

Answer 1

As Jon Skeet mentioned in the comments, the getLastKnownLocation() method can and will return null. The main problem is that it doesn't prompt a request to the OS for a new location lock, instead it just checks if there was a last known location from some other app's location request. If no other app had recently made a location request, then you get a null location returned to you.

The only way to guarantee that you actually get a location is to request one, and this is done with a call to requestLocationUpdates().

The location passed into the onLocationChanged() callback method will not be null, since the callback only occurs on a successful location lock.

Just to note, the entire time your app is registered for location updates, it will be causing extra battery drain, so be sure to un-register for location updates as soon as possible. Here it looks like you can un-register as soon as the first location comes in.

Also, you might want to consider showing a progress dialog in this Activity while it waits for a location lock in order to give the user some feedback that the app is waiting on something.

Here is the general structure of what your code should look like:

public class MainActivity extends Activity
        implements LocationListener {

    Intent intentThatCalled;
    public double latitude;
    public double longitude;
    public LocationManager locationManager;
    public Criteria criteria;
    public String bestProvider;

    String voice2text; //added

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

        intentThatCalled = getIntent();
        voice2text = intentThatCalled.getStringExtra("v2txt");
        getLocation();
    }

    public static boolean isLocationEnabled(Context context)
    {
       //...............
        return true;
    }

    protected void getLocation() {
        if (isLocationEnabled(MainActivity.this)) {
            locationManager = (LocationManager)  this.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
            criteria = new Criteria();
            bestProvider = String.valueOf(locationManager.getBestProvider(criteria, true)).toString();

            //You can still do this if you like, you might get lucky:
            Location location = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(bestProvider);
            if (location != null) {
                Log.e("TAG", "GPS is on");
                latitude = location.getLatitude();
                longitude = location.getLongitude();
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "latitude:" + latitude + " longitude:" + longitude, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                searchNearestPlace(voice2text);
            }
            else{
                //This is what you need:
                locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(bestProvider, 1000, 0, this);
            }
        }
        else
        {
            //prompt user to enable location....
            //.................
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        locationManager.removeUpdates(this);

    }

    @Override
    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
        //Hey, a non null location! Sweet!

        //remove location callback:
        locationManager.removeUpdates(this);

        //open the map:
        latitude = location.getLatitude();
        longitude = location.getLongitude();
        Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "latitude:" + latitude + " longitude:" + longitude, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        searchNearestPlace(voice2text);
    }

    @Override
    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {

    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {

    }

    @Override
    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {

    }

    public void searchNearestPlace(String v2txt) {
        //.....
    }
}

Answer 2

Change this in your getLocation method

if (isLocationEnabled(PlacesDecoder.this) && location != null) {
 ...
}