NullPointerException when accessing Room database in CoroutineScope inside ViewModel in Android 14
I'm having a hard time understanding I've tried everything I can think of but I'm stuck on something that should probably be simple. I'm stuck on something that should probably be simple. Quick question that's been bugging me - I'm working with a `NullPointerException` when I try to access my Room database inside a coroutine launched in the ViewModel... Specifically, the behavior occurs when I attempt to retrieve a list of items from the database. Here’s the relevant code snippet: ```kotlin class MyViewModel(private val repository: MyRepository) : ViewModel() { private var _items = MutableLiveData<List<Item>>() val items: LiveData<List<Item>> get() = _items fun fetchItems() { viewModelScope.launch { try { _items.value = repository.getAllItems() // This line throws NullPointerException } catch (e: Exception) { Log.e("MyViewModel", "behavior fetching items", e) } } } } ``` The `getAllItems()` method in my repository looks like this: ```kotlin class MyRepository(private val itemDao: ItemDao) { suspend fun getAllItems(): List<Item> { return itemDao.getItems() // This function is a suspend function that fetches from the database } } ``` I have checked the `itemDao` instance in my `MyRepository` constructor, and it is correctly initialized. The database is also set up correctly, and I can confirm that the items exist in the database. However, the exception is still thrown when `fetchItems()` is called from my UI. I've tried adding null checks and ensuring the coroutine is actually executing, but the behavior continues. The NullPointerException stack trace gives the following message: `java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'java.util.List com.example.app.data.ItemDao.getItems()' on a null object reference.` I'm using Kotlin coroutines with Android 14, and the Room database is properly configured with the latest dependencies. Am I missing something in the ViewModel setup or coroutine context that could lead to this scenario? Is there a better approach? What's the best practice here? Any ideas what could be causing this? What's the best practice here?