Take picture failed java.lang.runtimeexception unable to start service with intent

Question

I have got exception "unable to start service with intent java.lang.runtimeexception take picture failed".
I extended my class with the service which I have to use it. I don't want to extend with activity.

Here is my simple code:

public class LaunchActivity extends Service  {


        Camera camera;
    @Override
        public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
            // TODO Auto-generated method stub
            try {
                TakePhoto();
            } catch (IOException e2) {
                // TODO Auto-generated catch block
                e2.printStackTrace();
            }
    }
    public void TakePhoto() throws IOException{
            //findFrontFacingCamera();
            int cameraId = -1;  
            int numberOfCameras = Camera.getNumberOfCameras();  
             for (int i = 0; i < numberOfCameras; i++) {  
                  CameraInfo info = new CameraInfo();  
                  Camera.getCameraInfo(i, info);  
                  if (info.facing == CameraInfo.CAMERA_FACING_FRONT) {  
                       Log.v("MyActivity", "Camera found");  
                       cameraId = i;  
                 break;  
                }  
               }  

              // safeCameraOpen(cameraId); 

               boolean qOpened = false;  
                try {  
                     if (camera != null) {  
                         camera.stopPreview();  
                      camera.release();  
                      camera = null;  
                    }    
                  camera = Camera.open(cameraId);  
                  qOpened = (camera != null);  
                } catch (Exception e) {  
                  Log.e(getString(R.string.app_name), "failed to open Camera");  
                  e.printStackTrace();  
                }  


              SurfaceView view = new SurfaceView(getApplicationContext());  
                try {  
                        camera.setPreviewDisplay(view.getHolder());  
                   } catch (IOException e) {  
                        // TODO Auto-generated catch block  
                        e.printStackTrace();  
                   }  
                camera.startPreview();  
                Camera.Parameters params = camera.getParameters();  
                params.setJpegQuality(100);  
                camera.setParameters(params); 

                camera.takePicture(null, null, jpegCallback);    
           }

 // This method are taking photos.

        PictureCallback jpegCallback = new PictureCallback() {
            public void onPictureTaken(byte[] data, Camera camera) 
            {
                FileOutputStream outStream = null;
                try {
                  String fileName = "Image.jpg";
                    String backPicPath = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getPath()+ "/FolderName/"+fileName;

              //String dir_path = "";// set your directory path here
                    outStream = new FileOutputStream(backPicPath);    
                    outStream.write(data);
                    outStream.close();
                    Log.d("asdas", "onPictureTaken - wrote bytes: " + data.length);
                } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                } catch (IOException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                } finally 
                {
                    camera.stopPreview();
                    camera.release();
                    camera = null;
                    Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Image snapshot Done",Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();


                }
                Log.d("asd", "onPictureTaken - jpeg");
            }
            };
    }

Here is my logcat

07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215): Process: com.droidappdevs.keepsafe, PID: 15215
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start service com.droidappdevs.keepsafe.LaunchActivity@4203a060 with Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.droidappdevs.keepsafe/.LaunchActivity }: java.lang.RuntimeException: takePicture failed
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:2746)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$2100(ActivityThread.java:139)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1307)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:136)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5102)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:785)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:601)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215): Caused by: java.lang.RuntimeException: takePicture failed
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.hardware.Camera.native_takePicture(Native Method)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.hardware.Camera.takePicture(Camera.java:1265)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.hardware.Camera.takePicture(Camera.java:1210)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at com.droidappdevs.keepsafe.LaunchActivity.TakePhoto(LaunchActivity.java:464)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at com.droidappdevs.keepsafe.LaunchActivity.onStartCommand(LaunchActivity.java:267)
07-11 16:17:15.171: E/AndroidRuntime(15215):    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:2729)

Here is the Menifest File

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.package.name"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="10"
        android:targetSdkVersion="19" />


    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />"
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_SMS"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CALL_LOG" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
 <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" />
 <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus" />
    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
        <activity
            android:name="com.package.name.StartPage"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <service android:name=".LaunchActivity" ></service>
        <receiver android:enabled="true" 
                  android:name=".ReceiverTrigger"
                  android:permission="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" >
        <intent-filter android:priority="1000">            
            <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED" />
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />

            <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />    

        </intent-filter>
        </receiver>
    </application>

</manifest>

Answer 1

I was getting the same error when I was running a similar code I found here. To solve the issue, I added SurfaceTexture st = new SurfaceTexture(MODE_PRIVATE); mCamera.setPreviewTexture(st); before mCamera.startPreview();. Thanks to Viren Kheni for this answer.

So as per your code, I would suggest you to add

SurfaceTexture st = new SurfaceTexture(MODE_PRIVATE);
camera.setPreviewTexture(st);

before camera.startPreview(); in the TakePhoto() method.