flutter_sharing_intent

A flutter plugin that allow flutter apps to receive photos, videos, text, urls or any other file types from another app.

Features

• It's allow to share image, text, video, urls and file from other app to flutter app.
• It's allow to share multiple image, multiple video and multiple file from other app to flutter app.

Installing

command:

 $ flutter pub add flutter_sharing_intent

pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
flutter_sharing_intent: ^(latest)

Usage

We are using following methods :-

• getMediaStream() * => Sets up a broadcast stream for receiving incoming media share change events.
• getInitialSharing() * => To get sharing data when app is start.
• reset() * => To clear all sharing data

Setup

Android

Add the following intent filters to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="{YOUR_PACKAGE_NAME}">

    /// Add this permission if you want to read files from external storage
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
.....

  <application
        android:name="io.flutter.app.FlutterApplication"
        ...
        >

    <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize"
            android:exported="true"
            android:theme="@style/LaunchTheme"
            android:hardwareAccelerated="true"
            android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"
            android:screenOrientation="portrait"
            android:launchMode="singleTask">

            <!--TODO:  Add this filter, if you want support opening urls into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
               <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
               <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
               <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
               <data
                   android:scheme="https"
                   android:host="example.com"
                   android:pathPrefix="/invite"/>
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing text into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="text/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing images into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="image/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing multi images into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="image/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing videos into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="video/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing multi videos into your app-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="video/*" />
            </intent-filter>


            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing any type of files-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
            </intent-filter>

            <!--TODO: Add this filter, if you want to support sharing multiple files of any type-->
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
            </intent-filter>
      </activity>

  </application>
</manifest>
....

IOS

1. Create Share Extension

• Using Xcode, go to File/New/Target and Choose "Share Extension".
• Give it a name, i.e., "Share Extension".

Make sure the deployment target for Runner.app and the share extension is the same.

2. Update your ios/Runner/Info.plist for the following keys:

...
<key>AppGroupId</key>
<string>$(CUSTOM_GROUP_ID)</string> 
<key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
	<array>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleTypeRole</key>
			<string>Editor</string>
			<key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
			<array>
				<string>SharingMedia-$(PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER)</string>
			</array>
		</dict>
	</array>

<key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key>
<string>To upload photos, please allow permission to access your photo library.</string>
...

3. Add the following to your ios/Podfile:

...
target 'Runner' do
  use_frameworks!
  use_modular_headers!

  flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))

  # Share Extension is name of Extension which you created which is in this case 'Share Extension'
  target 'Share Extension' do
    inherit! :search_paths
  end
end
...

4. Add Runner and Share Extension in the same group

• Go to Signing & Capabilities tab and add App Groups capability in BOTH Targets: Runner and Share Extension
• Add a new container with the name of your choice. For example group.MyContainer in the example project its group.com.techind.flutterSharingIntentExample
• Add User-Defined(Build Settings -> +) string CUSTOM_GROUP_ID in BOTH Targets: Runner and Share Extension and set value to group id created above. You can use different group ids depends on your flavor schemes

Make sure the deployment target for Runner.app and the share extension is the same.

5. Add the following code in ios/Share Extension/Info.plist:

....
    <key>AppGroupId</key>
    <string>$(CUSTOM_GROUP_ID)</string>
    <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
    <string>$(FLUTTER_BUILD_NUMBER)</string>
	<key>NSExtension</key>
    <dict>
    <key>NSExtensionAttributes</key>
    <dict>
        <key>PHSupportedMediaTypes</key>
        <array>
            <!-- To share video into your app-->
            <string>Video</string>
            <!-- To share images into your app-->
            <string>Image</string>
        </array>

        <key>NSExtensionActivationRule</key>
        <dict>
            <!-- To share text into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsText</key>
            <true/>
            <!-- TO share urls into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsWebURLWithMaxCount</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <!-- To share images into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsImageWithMaxCount</key>
            <integer>20</integer>
            <!-- To share video into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsMovieWithMaxCount</key>
            <integer>10</integer>
            <!-- To share other files into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsFileWithMaxCount</key>
            <integer>10</integer>
            <!-- To share plain text into your app -->
            <key>NSExtensionActivationSupportsPlainText</key>
            <true/>
          
        </dict>
    </dict>
    <key>NSExtensionMainStoryboard</key>
    <string>MainInterface</string>
    <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.share-services</string>
    </dict>
....

6. Add file FSIShareViewController.swift to ios/Share Extension/FSIShareViewController.swift:

You can get the file from here

Make your ShareViewController ios/Share Extension/ShareViewController.swift inherit from FSIShareViewController:

class ShareViewController: FSIShareViewController {
    
}

7. Add following code in your host app AppDelegate file - ios/Runner/AppDelegate.swift

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE
Do NOT replace your existing AppDelegate.swift file or remove any existing code.
You should add the following snippet to your current file and merge it with your existing logic.
Keep any other URL handling logic you already have (Firebase, uni_links, deep links, etc.).

    import flutter_sharing_intent
    ....
    override func application(_ app: UIApplication, open url: URL, options: [UIApplication.OpenURLOptionsKey : Any] = [:]) -> Bool {

     let sharingIntent = SwiftFlutterSharingIntentPlugin.instance
     /// if the url is made from SwiftFlutterSharingIntentPlugin then handle it with plugin [SwiftFlutterSharingIntentPlugin]
     if sharingIntent.hasSameSchemePrefix(url: url) {
         return sharingIntent.application(app, open: url, options: options)
     }

     // Proceed url handling for other Flutter libraries like uni_links
     return super.application(app, open: url, options:options)
   }
    ....

Full Example

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'dart:async';
import 'package:flutter_sharing_intent/flutter_sharing_intent.dart';
import 'package:flutter_sharing_intent/model/sharing_file.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(const MyApp());
}

class MyApp extends StatefulWidget {
  const MyApp({super.key});

  @override
  State<MyApp> createState() => _MyAppState();
}

class _MyAppState extends State<MyApp> {
  late StreamSubscription _intentDataStreamSubscription;
  List<SharedFile>? list;
  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    // For sharing images coming from outside the app while the app is in the memory
    _intentDataStreamSubscription = FlutterSharingIntent.instance.getMediaStream()
        .listen((List<SharedFile> value) {
      setState(() {
        list = value;
      });
      print("Shared: getMediaStream ${value.map((f) => f.value).join(",")}");
    }, onError: (err) {
      print("getIntentDataStream error: $err");
    });

    // For sharing images coming from outside the app while the app is closed
    FlutterSharingIntent.instance.getInitialSharing().then((List<SharedFile> value) {
      print("Shared: getInitialMedia ${value.map((f) => f.value).join(",")}");
      setState(() {
        list = value;
      });
    });
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: const Text('Plugin example app'),
        ),
        body: Center(
          child: Container(
              margin: EdgeInsets.symmetric(horizontal: 24),
              child: Text('Sharing data: \n${list?.join("\n\n")}\n')),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
  @override
  void dispose() {
    _intentDataStreamSubscription.cancel();
    super.dispose();
  }
}

Troubleshooting

• Error: No such module 'flutter_sharing_intent'

  • Fix: Go to Build Phases of your Runner target and move Embed Foundation Extension to the top of Thin Binary.

• Error: App does not build after adding Share Extension?

  • Fix: Check Build Settings of your share extension and remove everything that tries to import Cocoapods from your main project. i.e. remove everything under Linking/Other Linker Flags

• You might need to disable bitcode for the extension target

• Error: Invalid Bundle. The bundle at 'Runner.app/Plugins/Sharing Extension.appex' contains disallowed file 'Frameworks'

  • Fix: https://stackoverflow.com/a/25789145/2061365