Viewing a local PDF file in Android Application

Question

I am trying to create an app that will let you view a stored PDF, like a simple file reader.

I am using a Navigational Drawer Project Base and I cannot seem to get the PDF to open.

I stored a test PDF in assets/ and I have also tried in raw/. If I try it with assets/ it crashes whenever I try to open the PDF on the device, saying "Cannot display PDF (test.pdf cannot be opened).

I have tried a few ways to try and get this to work but none have prevailed, here is my code as of now:

public void onSectionAttached(int number){
    switch (number) {
        case 1:
            mTitle = getString(R.string.title_song);

            File pdfFile = new File("/assets/test.pdf");

            Uri path = Uri.fromFile(pdfFile);
            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
            intent.setDataAndType(path, "application/pdf");
            intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);

            try
            {
                startActivity(intent);
            }
            catch(ActivityNotFoundException e)
            {
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "It didn't crash!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
            }



            break;

        case 2:
            mTitle = getString(R.string.title_artist);
            break;
    }


}

Possible duplicate of [Display PDF within app on Android?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2456344/display-pdf-within-app-on-android) — Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com, Apr 18 '16 at 10:40

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 08 '15 at 21:04

1

You're starting an intent to view a file. An intent is launching another app. It doesn't have permission to view your assets, or even your private files. Copy it to somewhere it does have permission to read files from first, or you need to implement a ContentProvider and provide them access to the file.

answered May 08 '15 at 21:04

Gabe Sechan

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Not to mention that assets are not files on the Android filesystem, and so `new File("/assets/test.pdf")` will not work. – CommonsWare May 08 '15 at 21:07

Viewing a local PDF file in Android Application

1 Answers1