Android canRead() returns false

Question

I received a file from an intent like so:

Uri incoming = getIntent().getParcelableExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM);
File toStream = new File(incoming.getPath());

I cannot read from it, and toStream.canRead() returns false.

I received this from the share button in the Gallery app, and other apps seem to be receiving this file just fine. Any ideas?

Where do you have the code - toStream.canRead(), because in the doc here "http://developer.android.com/reference/java/io/File.html#canRead()" it's said - "Indicates whether the current context is allowed to read from this file." so the context could be the problem. — g00dy, Aug 02 '13 at 07:53
Stacks28's code does the same thing as mine as far as I can tell. Same results. — rgrasell, Aug 02 '13 at 07:55
I read about that too, but what could the context change? I have the read external storage permission set in the manifest. — rgrasell, Aug 02 '13 at 07:56
goody: I have the .canRead() code running inside the onCreate() of a FragmentActivity. — rgrasell, Aug 02 '13 at 08:10

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:19

1

There is a new issue in SDK 23+ with permissions, which can cause your read/write to fail even though you fixed it in the manifest. It is discussed under permissions even though you first encounter it when you try read/write. Link to thread where it is discussed

edited May 23 '17 at 12:19

Community

1
1

answered Mar 08 '16 at 10:09

darai

11
1

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 22 '16 at 21:52

I had same problem with Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT);. The path which was returned, was something like "/document/primary:Download/a.c" . When I create File object with that path, it was showing exists() and canRead() as false. What I did was, took the path after ":", that is "Download/a.c" and merged that with "/storage/emulated/0/". So final path is "/storage/emulated/0/Download/a.c" . Worked fine with internal storage.

In case of only permission problem make use of this.

ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(MainActivity.this, new String[]{READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE},THIS_REQUEST_CODE);

and override this

public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, @NonNull String[] permissions, @NonNull int[] grantResults)
{
    super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
}

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 02 '13 at 07:55

0

try adding permission to your app READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

answered Aug 02 '13 at 07:55

bongo

733
4
12

I have that permission set. That's what I suspected at first too. – rgrasell Aug 02 '13 at 07:58

Android canRead() returns false

3 Answers3