Error receiving broadcast Intent when using SmsRetriever

Question

When authenticating using Firebase Auth, I want to auto input the code that is received via SMS. I am able to receive SMS and go through auth process manually, but when I use SmsRetriever, the app crashes and then the bottom sheet dialog shows up. This is everything that that appears in Logcat:

java.lang.RuntimeException: Error receiving broadcast Intent { act=com.google.android.gms.auth.api.phone.SMS_RETRIEVED flg=0x200010 pkg=com.finca.bank (has extras) } in com.google.android.gms.internal.firebase-auth-api.zzvb@45fb8c5
        at android.app.LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args.lambda$getRunnable$0$LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args(LoadedApk.java:1566)
        at android.app.-$$Lambda$LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args$_BumDX2UKsnxLVrE6UJsJZkotuA.run(Unknown Source:2)
        at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:883)
        at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:100)
        at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:224)
        at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7562)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:539)
        at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:950)
     Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke interface method 'int java.lang.CharSequence.length()' on a null object reference
        at java.util.regex.Matcher.reset(Matcher.java:280)
        at java.util.regex.Matcher.<init>(Matcher.java:186)
        at java.util.regex.Pattern.matcher(Pattern.java:1034)
        at com.google.android.gms.internal.firebase-auth-api.zzvd.zzf(com.google.firebase:firebase-auth@@20.0.1:1)
        at com.google.android.gms.internal.firebase-auth-api.zzvb.onReceive(com.google.firebase:firebase-auth@@20.0.1:8)
        at android.app.LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args.lambda$getRunnable$0$LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args(LoadedApk.java:1556)
        at android.app.-$$Lambda$LoadedApk$ReceiverDispatcher$Args$_BumDX2UKsnxLVrE6UJsJZkotuA.run(Unknown Source:2) 

This is code inside my Fragment that receives SMS:

private val SMS_CONSENT_REQUEST = 2  // Set to an unused request code

    private val smsVerificationReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() {
        override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
            try {
                if (SmsRetriever.SMS_RETRIEVED_ACTION == intent.action) {
                    val extras = intent.extras
                    val smsRetrieverStatus = extras?.get(SmsRetriever.EXTRA_STATUS) as Status

                    when (smsRetrieverStatus.statusCode) {
                        CommonStatusCodes.SUCCESS -> {
                            // Get consent intent
                            val consentIntent = extras.getParcelable<Intent>(SmsRetriever.EXTRA_CONSENT_INTENT)
                            try {
                                // Start activity to show consent dialog to user, activity must be started in
                                // 5 minutes, otherwise you'll receive another TIMEOUT intent
                                startActivityForResult(consentIntent, SMS_CONSENT_REQUEST)
                            } catch (e: ActivityNotFoundException) {
                                // Handle the exception ...
                            }
                        }
                        CommonStatusCodes.TIMEOUT -> {
                            // Time out occurred, handle the error.
                        }
                    }
                }
            } catch (e: Exception) {
                Timber.e(e, "onReceive: ")
            }
        }
    }

    override fun onResume() {
        super.onResume()
        val task = SmsRetriever.getClient(requireActivity()).startSmsUserConsent(null)
        val intentFilter = IntentFilter(SmsRetriever.SMS_RETRIEVED_ACTION)
        requireActivity().registerReceiver(smsVerificationReceiver, intentFilter)
    }

    override fun onPause() {
        super.onPause()
        requireActivity().unregisterReceiver(smsVerificationReceiver)
    }

    override fun onActivityResult(requestCode: Int, resultCode: Int, data: Intent?) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data)
        when (requestCode) {
            // ...
            SMS_CONSENT_REQUEST ->
                // Obtain the phone number from the result
                if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK && data != null) {
                    // Get SMS message content
                    val message = data.getStringExtra(SmsRetriever.EXTRA_SMS_MESSAGE)
                    // Extract one-time code from the message and complete verification
                    // `message` contains the entire text of the SMS message, so you will need
                    // to parse the string.
                    message?.let { presenter.parseSms(it) }
                    // send one time code to the server
                } else {
                    // Consent denied. User can type OTC manually.
                }
        }
    }

Interesting thing is, the progress goes successfully in rare cases and I don't know what it depends on. Also, everything goes well in debug mode if breakpoints are set in onReceive

Answer 1

After several investigations, the root cause of this crash seems to be related to a conflict between Firebase Auth Instant Verification feature and SMS consent API.

In order to fix it you have two options:

1. Remove SMS consent API and only rely on Instant Verification
   
2. Use SMS Consent API and disable Instant Verification by setting timeout as 0. https://firebase.google.com/docs/reference/android/com/google/firebase/auth/PhoneAuthOptions.Builder#setTimeout(java.lang.Long,%20java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit))

Hope this provides some clarity around this weird issue.

Answer 2

Got the same error while Integrating the SMS consent API. After Searching and modification got a solution. In the below-attached image, you can see the setTimeout method consists of a parameter called timeout, change that parameter value from 60L to 0L. For more info about the method click here!