Can't open links in articles (Android Support SDK)

I mean how can I make the links open at least in a browser?

Hey @eric27! 

Yes, it's available to the public and actually the link is accessible from the web or mobile browser directly (and on iOS app the link is working)

Hi @eric27 ,

I've checked with the older version of Zendesk SDK (3.0.2) and found that the links on other subdomain of our help center are working well.

So I've made a further investigation and it seems the last version where links from articles could be opened is 4.0.0. That means that something in 5.0.0 has broken the mechanism of opening that kind of links.

From my point of view it could be a change that makes links opened internally within the SDK, when it actually should be opened outside of the app (in a browser)

Could you please take a look and make or suggest a fix?

Thank you.

Hey Eric. Yes sure, I'm ready to provide a sample code to reproduce the issue on the latest SDK version. Do you want me to put it here or we can use some other place for that?

@eric27 5.0.5 has been working, but 5.0.6 broke opening links in the support center.

@eric27 

I have same problem for Android SDK 5.0.6 but 5.0.5 working.

As I found that between 5.0.5 and 5.0.6 big difference is replace newer google flexbox library, I am not sure is this cause broke opening links?

Hey folks,

Thanks for reporting these issues. I'm actively looking into this and beginning conversations with the mobile dev team. As soon as I have an update, I'll update this thread. In the meantime, please continue using 5.0.5.

Thanks!

Hi Eric,

We're still running into the issue using 5.0.5 - are there any other alternatives to fix this in the short term? 

@Jad Adada
Try to use 5.0.7. In my case issue don't reproduce anymore.

5.0.7 solve article issue but still remain older google flexbox library, I stronger suggest dev team replace old for new one

Starting from 3.0.0, the groupId is changed to com.google.android.flexbox in preparation to uploading the artifacts to google maven. You can still download the artifacts from jcenter for the past versions with the prior groupId (com.google.android), but migrating the library 3.0.0 is recommended.

Now Android project deprecated "jcenter", use new one can keep follow stable version and let using zendesk deveoper not to take care for conflict flexbox between older and newer one.

5.0.7 works for articles within Help Center but broke Answer Bot. When the user taps on an article suggested by the bot the app crashes.

D/AndroidRuntime(18334): Shutting down VM
E/AndroidRuntime(18334): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
E/AndroidRuntime(18334): Process: XXXXXXXXXX.com, PID: 18334
E/AndroidRuntime(18334): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{XXXXXXXXXX.com/zendesk.answerbot.AnswerBotArticleActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #8 in XXXXXXXXXXX.com:layout/zab_activity_article: Binary XML file line #41 in XXXXXXXXXXX.com:layout/zab_view_resolution: Error inflating class <unknown>
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3449)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3601)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.servertransaction.LaunchActivityItem.execute(LaunchActivityItem.java:85)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.executeCallbacks(TransactionExecutor.java:135)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.servertransaction.TransactionExecutor.execute(TransactionExecutor.java:95)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2066)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:223)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7656)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:592)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:947)
E/AndroidRuntime(18334): Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #8 in XXXXXXXXXXXXX.com:layout/zab_activity_article: Binary XML file line #41 in XXXXXXXXXXXXX.com:layout/zab_view_resolution: Error inflating class <unknown>

Hi Rodrigo, do you mind confirming that you are using Answer Bot 3.0.6 please? This is required for Support SDK 5.0.7:
https://developer.zendesk.com/documentation/classic-web-widget-sdks/unified-sdk/android/release_notes/#2-february-2022

Thanks!

Hi Mick, thanks for the reply!

We were using Answer Bot 3.0.5.
I've managed to solve the issue by using MaterialComponents theme instead of AppCompat. This change was enough to make it work with 3.0.5.

I'll try it out version 3.0.6 too, though.

Thanks!

For all other readers with this same issue, ensure that you have upgraded to AnswerBot 3.0.6 if you are upgrading to Support SDK 5.0.7. We making this clearer on the release notes, they will be updated shortly. If you do this, you will not be required to make any other code changes.

Hi Zendesk Developer,

I am using latest version and got the same issue as original.

Please have a look again your SKD.

Thanks.