Notification throws error when using vector drawables

Question

I get the following exception when I use a vector drawable to set the small icon for a notification :

android.app.RemoteServiceException: Bad notification posted from package com.qbes.xxx: Couldn't create icon: StatusBarIcon(pkg=com.qbes.xxxuser=0 id=0x7f020082 level=0 visible=true num=0 )

Here is my code :

mNotificationBuilder = new android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat.Builder(this)
                .setDefaults(android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat.DEFAULT_LIGHTS)
                .setSound(null)
                .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.logo_white)
                .setColor(getResources().getColor(R.color.colorPrimary))
                .setCategory(android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat.CATEGORY_PROGRESS)
                .setContentTitle("Trip in Progress...")
                .setAutoCancel(false)
                .setProgress(0, 0, progress)
                .setOngoing(true)
                .setPriority(android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_MAX)
                .setOnlyAlertOnce(true)
                .setContentIntent(pendingIntent);

mNotificationBuilder.setContentText(body);

mNotificationManager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
Notification note = mNotificationBuilder.build();

mNotificationManager.notify(Constants.NOTIFICATION_ID_Dash, note);

and my build.gradle (only relevant parts) :

android {
    compileSdkVersion 23
    buildToolsVersion "23.0.3"

    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.qbes.xxx"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 22
        versionCode 720
        versionName "0.7.20"
        vectorDrawables.useSupportLibrary = true
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
    testCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:23.2.1'
    compile 'com.android.support:design:23.2.1'
}

PS : The code works fine when I use a png or jpg image drawable, but breaks when using a vector drawable.

I have been searching for a whole day but could not find anything that worked for me. Any Ideas.

Answer 1

You are using the vector drawable support package. That's fine, but that only works in your app. The platform does not know how to use vector drawables prior to API Level 21, and for a Notification, the platform is the one rendering the resource.

You could render the vector drawable yourself to a Canvas backed by a Bitmap, then use that Bitmap in the Notification. Or, you could use the vector backport library in general, but for your handful of Notification icons, generate PNG files for them and use them on the older devices. Put the corresponding vector drawables in res/drawable-anydpi-v21/, and the newer devices will use the vector drawables while older devices fall back to the PNGs.