Android Tutorial => Showing a File Chooser and Reading the Result

Example

Starting a File Chooser Activity

public void showFileChooser() {
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);

    // Update with mime types
    intent.setType("*/*");

    // Update with additional mime types here using a String[]. 
    intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_MIME_TYPES, mimeTypes);

    // Only pick openable and local files. Theoretically we could pull files from google drive
    // or other applications that have networked files, but that's unnecessary for this example.
    intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE);
    intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_LOCAL_ONLY, true);

    // REQUEST_CODE = <some-integer>
    startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE);
}

Reading the Result

@Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    // If the user doesn't pick a file just return
    if (requestCode != REQUEST_CODE || resultCode != RESULT_OK) {
        return;
    }

    // Import the file
    importFile(data.getData());
}

public void importFile(Uri uri) {
    String fileName = getFileName(uri);

    // The temp file could be whatever you want
    File fileCopy = copyToTempFile(uri, File tempFile)

    // Done!
}

/**
 * Obtains the file name for a URI using content resolvers. Taken from the following link
 * https://developer.android.com/training/secure-file-sharing/retrieve-info.html#RetrieveFileInfo
 *
 * @param uri a uri to query
 * @return the file name with no path
 * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the query is null, empty, or the column doesn't exist
 */
private String getFileName(Uri uri) throws IllegalArgumentException {
    // Obtain a cursor with information regarding this uri
    Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query(uri, null, null, null, null);

    if (cursor.getCount() <= 0) {
        cursor.close();
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Can't obtain file name, cursor is empty");
    }

    cursor.moveToFirst();

    String fileName = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(OpenableColumns.DISPLAY_NAME));

    cursor.close();

    return fileName;
}

/**
 * Copies a uri reference to a temporary file
 *
 * @param uri      the uri used as the input stream
 * @param tempFile the file used as an output stream
 * @return the input tempFile for convenience
 * @throws IOException if an error occurs
 */
private File copyToTempFile(Uri uri, File tempFile) throws IOException {
    // Obtain an input stream from the uri
    InputStream inputStream = getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri);

    if (inputStream == null) {
        throw new IOException("Unable to obtain input stream from URI");
    }

    // Copy the stream to the temp file
    FileUtils.copyInputStreamToFile(inputStream, tempFile);

    return tempFile;
}

PDF - Download Android for free

Previous Next

Android

Fastest Entity Framework Extensions

Example

Starting a File Chooser Activity

Reading the Result

Got any Android Question?

Android

Android Intent Showing a File Chooser and Reading the Result

Fastest Entity Framework Extensions

Example

Starting a File Chooser Activity

Reading the Result

Got any Android Question?