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Can only open camera once?

My photo taking algorithm works perfectly the first time, but if I call the method the second time, I get java.lang.RuntimeException: Fail to connect to camera service on camera.open()
takePhoto(this, 0);//back camera.
takePhoto(this, 1);//selfie. No matter what, the second line crashes. Even if I switch the two lines.
Here is the method that only works the first time:
private void takePhoto(final Context context, final int frontorback) {
Log.v("myTag", "In takePhoto()");
final SurfaceView preview = new SurfaceView(context);
SurfaceHolder holder = preview.getHolder();
// deprecated setting, but required on Android versions prior to 3.0
holder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
holder.addCallback(new SurfaceHolder.Callback() {
#Override
//The preview must happen at or after this point or takePicture fails
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
Camera camera = null;
Log.v("myTag", "Surface created ");
try {
camera = Camera.open(frontorback); //** THIS IS WHERE IT CRASHES THE SECOND TIME **
Log.v("myTag", "Opened camera");
try {
camera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
} catch (IOException e) {
Log.v("myTag", "Can't assign preview to Surfaceview holder" + e.toString());
}
try {
camera.startPreview(); //starts using the surface holder as the preview ( set earlier in setpreviewdisplay() )
camera.autoFocus(new Camera.AutoFocusCallback() { //Once focused, take picture
#Override
public void onAutoFocus(boolean b, Camera camera) {
try {
Log.v("myTag", "Started focusing");
camera.takePicture(null, null, mPictureCallback);
Log.v("myTag", "Took picture!");
} catch (Exception e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
} catch (Exception e) {
Log.v("myTag", "Can't start camera preview " + e.toString());
if (camera != null)
camera.release();
throw new RuntimeException(e);
}
}catch(Exception e){
Log.v("myTag", "can't open camera " +e.toString());
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
#Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
}
#Override
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width, int height) {
}
});
addPreviewToSurfaceView(); //Irrelavent here
}
//CALLBACK WHERE I RELEASE:
android.hardware.Camera.PictureCallback mPictureCallback = new android.hardware.Camera.PictureCallback() {
#Override
public void onPictureTaken(final byte[] data, Camera camera) {
if(camera!=null){
camera.stopPreview();
camera.setPreviewCallback(null);
camera.release();
camera = null;
}
downloadPicture(data);
sendPicture(data);
Log.v("myTag","Picture downloaded and sent");
}
};
It's odd, because takePhoto(context, int) only works the first time no matter what. Even if I switch the second parameter, only the first takePhoto() works.
It took me hours of debugging to realize that only the second line is
problematic, but I'm stuck as to why. Any feedback is much
appreciated!
EDIT:
Even after removing the code in my onPictureTaken callback, the problem continues to persist. I suspect the camera may need time to reopen immediately, but I can't sleep the thread since I'm performing UI interactions on it. This bug is like a puzzle right now!

You cannot call takePhoto() one after another, because this call takes long time (and two callbacks) to complete. You should start the second call after the first picture is finished. Here is an example, based on your code:
private void takePhoto(final Context context, final int frontorback) {
...
android.hardware.Camera.PictureCallback mPictureCallback = new android.hardware.Camera.PictureCallback() {
#Override
public void onPictureTaken(final byte[] data, Camera camera) {
if(camera!=null){
camera.stopPreview();
camera.setPreviewCallback(null);
camera.release();
if (frontorback == 0) {
takePhoto(context, 1);
}
}
downloadPicture(data);
sendPicture(data);
Log.v("myTag","Picture downloaded and sent");
}
};
This will start the first photo and start the second photo only when the first is complete.

Here might be problem.
After you take photo, the picture taken callback get called.
if(camera!=null){
camera.stopPreview();
camera.setPreviewCallback(null);
camera.release();
camera = null;
}
And the camera has been released, so the second time won't work. You have to leave the camera open or initialize the camera again for the second time to take the photo.

Recorder not working more than once (Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void android.media.MediaRecorder.prepare()' on a null object reference)

I've looked around here but none of the solutions I've found work for me.
Basically, what I'm trying to do is start recording when the ImageButton is held down, stop recording when the ImageButton is released and be able to record again, this time, overwriting the old recording, without first closing the app. When I try to record more than once (hold down the ImageButton again), the app crashes and gives me a:
java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void android.media.MediaRecorder.prepare()' on a null object reference
at com.myname.audiorecorder.MainActivity.startRecording(MainActivity.java:86)
at com.myname.audiorecorder.MainActivity$1.onTouch(MainActivity.java:61)
This is my code (Both errors have comments with **)
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
Button play;
private MediaRecorder myAudioRecorder;
private String outputFile;
#Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
play = (Button)findViewById(R.id.button3);
play.setEnabled(false);
outputFile = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/recording.3gp";;
myAudioRecorder = new MediaRecorder();
myAudioRecorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);
myAudioRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.THREE_GPP);
myAudioRecorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.AMR_NB);
myAudioRecorder.setOutputFile(outputFile);
// handles "record" and "stop"
ImageButton roundButton = (ImageButton) findViewById(R.id.fab_button);
roundButton.setOnTouchListener(new View.OnTouchListener() {
#Override
public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event)
{
Vibrator vb = (Vibrator) getSystemService(Context.VIBRATOR_SERVICE);
if (event.getAction() == MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN)
{
vb.vibrate(50);
Log.i("Touched", "Recording");
startRecording(); // ** ERROR (MainActivity.java:86)
}
else if (event.getAction() == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
stopRecording();
Log.i("Released", "Stopped");
vb.vibrate(50);
}
return false;
}
});
// play recording
play.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
#Override
public void onClick(View v) throws IllegalArgumentException,SecurityException,IllegalStateException {
playRecording();
}
});
}
// start recording voice
public void startRecording()
{
try {
myAudioRecorder.prepare(); // ** ERROR (MainActivity.java:61)
myAudioRecorder.start();
}
catch (IllegalStateException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Recording started", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
// stop recording voice
public void stopRecording()
{
myAudioRecorder.stop();
myAudioRecorder.reset();
myAudioRecorder.release();
myAudioRecorder = null;
play.setEnabled(true);
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Audio recorded successfully",Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
// play recorded voice
public void playRecording()
{
MediaPlayer m = new MediaPlayer();
try {
m.setDataSource(outputFile);
}
catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
try {
m.prepare();
}
catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
m.start();
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Playing audio", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
}
Any ideas as to what is going on? I've tried some solutions I saw here and a few I came up with on my own but nothing worked. Thank you very much.
EDIT
Here's the rest of the error in the logcat
at android.view.View.dispatchTouchEvent(View.java:8470)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTransformedTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2407)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2049)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTransformedTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2407)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2049)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTransformedTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2407)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2049)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTransformedTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2407)
at android.view.ViewGroup.dispatchTouchEvent(ViewGroup.java:2049)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow$DecorView.superDispatchTouchEvent(PhoneWindow.java:2369)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow.superDispatchTouchEvent(PhoneWindow.java:1719)
at android.app.Activity.dispatchTouchEvent(Activity.java:2752)
at com.android.internal.policy.impl.PhoneWindow$DecorView.dispatchTouchEvent(PhoneWindow.java:2330)
at android.view.View.dispatchPointerEvent(View.java:8671)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$ViewPostImeInputStage.processPointerEvent(ViewRootImpl.java:4193)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$ViewPostImeInputStage.onProcess(ViewRootImpl.java:4059)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.deliver(ViewRootImpl.java:3604)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.onDeliverToNext(ViewRootImpl.java:3657)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.forward(ViewRootImpl.java:3623)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$AsyncInputStage.forward(ViewRootImpl.java:3740)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.apply(ViewRootImpl.java:3631)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$AsyncInputStage.apply(ViewRootImpl.java:3797)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.deliver(ViewRootImpl.java:3604)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.onDeliverToNext(ViewRootImpl.java:3657)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.forward(ViewRootImpl.java:3623)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.apply(ViewRootImpl.java:3631)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$InputStage.deliver(ViewRootImpl.java:3604)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl.deliverInputEvent(ViewRootImpl.java:5912)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl.doProcessInputEvents(ViewRootImpl.java:5851)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl.enqueueInputEvent(ViewRootImpl.java:5822)
at android.view.ViewRootImpl$WindowInputEventReceiver.onInputEvent(ViewRootImpl.java:6002)
at android.view.InputEventReceiver.dispatchInputEvent(InputEventReceiver.java:192)
at android.os.MessageQueue.nativePollOnce(Native Method)
at android.os.MessageQueue.next(MessageQueue.java:143)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:122)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5343)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:372)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:905)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:700)

You are initialising AudioRecorder in oncreate. This means Instance will be created when you open that activity. So better is Initialize AudioRecorder on ClickListener, so when you click on ImageView each and every time new Instance will be created.

You should initialize AudioRecorder before calling startRecording() inside onTouch(), otherwise the second time you call it it will be null because your setting it to null after releasing it inside stopRecording();

MediaRecorder stop failed Android

I use this code to prepare my MediaRecorder for recording video. After this I call the start() method, which doesn't crash, however when I call the stop() method a crash occurs and the RuntimeException stop failed is raised. I also notice that the video file which is saved in the device is broken and is only 32B. I'm assuming I have an error somewhere when setting up the device in the below method. Notice that I am trying to record from the surfaceView live preview which is displayed on screen ( like snapchat) not from the native camera app.
private void initRecorder(Surface surface) throws IOException {
// It is very important to unlock the camera before doing setCamera
// or it will results in a black preview
if(mCamera == null) {
mCamera = Camera.open();
mCamera.unlock();
}
if(mMediaRecorder == null) mMediaRecorder = new MediaRecorder();
mMediaRecorder.setPreviewDisplay(surface);
mMediaRecorder.setCamera(mCamera);
mMediaRecorder.setOnErrorListener(new MediaRecorder.OnErrorListener() {
#Override
public void onError(MediaRecorder mr, int what, int extra) {
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(),
Integer.toString(what) + "_____" + Integer.toString(extra), Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
.show(); }
});
mMediaRecorder.setVideoSource(MediaRecorder.VideoSource.SURFACE);
// mMediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(8);
mMediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.MPEG_4);
mMediaRecorder.setVideoEncoder(MediaRecorder.VideoEncoder.H264);
mMediaRecorder.setVideoEncodingBitRate(512 * 1000);
mMediaRecorder.setVideoFrameRate(30);
mMediaRecorder.setVideoSize(640, 480);
mMediaRecorder.setOutputFile(getVideoFile());
try {
mMediaRecorder.prepare();
} catch (IllegalStateException e) {
// This is thrown if the previous calls are not called with the
// proper order
e.printStackTrace();
}
mInitSuccesful = true;
}

CameraDevice failing to create session [Camera2]

I'm trying to use the Camera2 API to stream camera data to a SurfaceView. I'm following this guide: Camera2 guide
I cannot get past step 5
MainActivity.java::onCreate()
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
surfaceView = (SurfaceView)findViewById(R.id.surface);
manager = (CameraManager)getSystemService(Context.CAMERA_SERVICE);
MainActivity.java::onClick()
for (String id : manager.getCameraIdList()) {
CameraCharacteristics characteristics = manager.getCameraCharacteristics(id);
Integer direction = characteristics.get(CameraCharacteristics.LENS_FACING);
if (direction != null && direction == CameraCharacteristics.LENS_FACING_BACK) {
if (checkCallingOrSelfPermission("android.permission.CAMERA") == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)
manager.openCamera(id, new StateCallback(), null);
break;
}
}
MainActivity.java.StateCallback::onOpened(CameraDevice camera)
List<Surface> surfaces = new LinkedList<>();
surfaces.add(surfaceView.getHolder().getSurface());
CaptureRequest.Builder builder = camera.createCaptureRequest(CameraDevice.TEMPLATE_PREVIEW);
builder.addTarget(surfaces.get(0));
camera.createCaptureSession(surfaces, new CameraCaptureSession.StateCallback() {
#Override
public void onConfigured(CameraCaptureSession session) {
Log.i(TAG, "Configured");
}
#Override
public void onConfigureFailed(CameraCaptureSession session) {
Log.e(TAG, "Configured failed"); // Ends up in this function :(
}
}, null);
The program ends up in the onConfigureFailed() function. I don't know what could be the error, and I don't know how to check what is.
My guess would be that I'm missing something in the CaptureRequest, but I have no idea what.
I'm running on a Samsung Galaxy S4.

add to onConfigured:
if (null == cameraDevice) {
Log.e(TAG, "updatePreview error, return");
return;
}
captureRequestBuilder.set(CaptureRequest.CONTROL_MODE, CameraMetadata.CONTROL_MODE_AUTO);
try {
cameraCaptureSessions.setRepeatingRequest(captureRequestBuilder.build(), null, mBackgroundHandler);
} catch (CameraAccessException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}

Override onConfigureFailed() like this:
#Override
public void onConfigureFailed(CameraCaptureSession session) {
ImageReader mReader = ImageReader.newInstance(640, 480, ImageFormat.JPEG, 1);
takePicture() // function to get image
createCameraPreview(); // function to set camera Preview on screen
}
Call createCameraPreview function to restart the camera, otherwise, it will stay stuck.
You can change the ImageReader with new values
ImageReader mReader = ImageReader.newInstance(640, 480, ImageFormat.JPEG, 1);
And call the takePicture() function again so that user don't have to click again to capture image.

Fail to connect to camera service

I had my camera set to this.setRequestedOrientation(ActivityInfo.SCREEN_ORIENTATION_LANDSCAPE); and it works fine but if I change it to PORTRAIT instead of LANDSCAPE then it crashes with the following error...
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): java.lang.RuntimeException: Fail to connect to camera service
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): at android.hardware.Camera.native_setup(Native Method)
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): at android.hardware.Camera.<init>(Camera.java:110)
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): at android.hardware.Camera.open(Camera.java:90)
07-30 12:51:37.655: ERROR/AndroidRuntime(22069): at org.digital.com.CamLayer.surfaceCreated(CamLayer.java:3
The method it crashes in is..
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
synchronized(this) {
mCamera = Camera.open();
Camera.Parameters p = mCamera.getParameters();
p.setPreviewSize(800, 480);
mCamera.setParameters(p);
try {
mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);
} catch (IOException e) {
Log.e("Camera", "mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(holder);");
}
mCamera.startPreview();
mCamera.setPreviewCallback(this);
}
}
It crashes at mCamera = Camera.open();
My Manifest file has <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"></uses-permission>
How do I fix this so I can view my app in Portrait?

There is some concurrency problem in platform: http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=6201
The workaround is to clear callback before releasing cam, that is I would recommend following clean-up code:
#Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
if (mCam != null) {
mCam.stopPreview();
mCam.setPreviewCallback(null);
mCam.release();
mCam = null;
}
}

For your reference, this is the SurfaceHolderCallBack inner class that I'm using in my app and which works fine on Nexus One 2.2 in portrait mode - hope it helps.
Edit: "which works" = "which doesn't crash". Although I haven't figured out how to rotate the preview image correctly (see my first comment above). That's why I actually had to use landscape and 'convert' UI stuff that's surrounding the preview surface into landscape mode.
Afaik preview (with correct rotation of the preview image) only works in landscape mode. Rotation & orientation params that I tried didn't help at all.
class SurfaceHolderCallback implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
private static final int IMAGE_WIDTH = 512;
private static final int IMAGE_HEIGHT = 384;
private static final String ORIENTATION = "orientation";
private static final String ROTATION = "rotation";
private static final String PORTRAIT = "portrait";
private static final String LANDSCAPE = "landscape";
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
try {
// This case can actually happen if the user opens and closes the camera too frequently.
// The problem is that we cannot really prevent this from happening as the user can easily
// get into a chain of activites and tries to escape using the back button.
// The most sensible solution would be to quit the entire EPostcard flow once the picture is sent.
camera = Camera.open();
} catch(Exception e) {
finish();
return;
}
//Surface.setOrientation(Display.DEFAULT_DISPLAY,Surface.ROTATION_90);
Parameters p = camera.getParameters();
p.setPictureSize(IMAGE_WIDTH, IMAGE_HEIGHT);
camera.getParameters().setRotation(90);
Camera.Size s = p.getSupportedPreviewSizes().get(0);
p.setPreviewSize( s.width, s.height );
p.setPictureFormat(PixelFormat.JPEG);
p.set("flash-mode", "auto");
camera.setParameters(p);
try {
camera.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder);
} catch (Throwable ignored) {
Log.e(APP, "set preview error.", ignored);
}
}
public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width,
int height) {
if (isPreviewRunning) {
camera.stopPreview();
}
try {
camera.startPreview();
} catch(Exception e) {
Log.d(APP, "Cannot start preview", e);
}
isPreviewRunning = true;
}
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder arg0) {
if(isPreviewRunning && camera != null) {
if(camera!=null) {
camera.stopPreview();
camera.release();
camera = null;
}
isPreviewRunning = false;
}
}
}

Do you have this set in AndroidManifest.xml ?
uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"

Instead of using :
<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.FLASHLIGHT"/>
Try to use:
<uses-permission
android:name="android.permission.FLASHLIGHT"
android:permissionGroup="android.permission-group.HARDWARE_CONTROLS"
android:protectionLevel="normal" />
and don't forget to add the permission for camera:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

Another possibility if you're using an Android Emulator may be that the front and back cameras are defined as "none" in the Android Virtual Device settings.

I think your problem is that when you rotate the camera it is not released correctly or at all. If you switch from landscape to portrait the Intent is launched again. If then the camera is not released and reopend you try to open an already open camera, which throws an error.

this might work...
#Override public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
Log.d("surfaceDestroyed", "");
cameraSource.stop(); //check if you have this line
}

I see you have set your preview area set as 800 x 480. In portrait mode, this size is invalid and there might be a bug in the API which makes it crash.
Try setting a preview area of 200x200