Android file chooser redirects audio files to /external

Question

I am writing an app that requires the user to choose files of various types on their phone. I use this code to launch a file chooser intent:

 Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
 intent.setType("file/*");
 startActivityForResult(Intent.createChooser(intent, "Unhelpful text"), INTEGER_CONSTANT);

And here is the relevant part of onActivityResult:

if (requestCode == INTEGER_CONSTANT && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
        Uri uri = data.getData();
        path = uri.getPath();
        Log.i(DEBUG_TAG, "Path: " + path);
}

When I choose a pdf file or a video on my SD card, the path displayed to the log is as it should be: /storage/emulated/path/to/file. But when I choose an audio file in WAV format in the same folder as that document or video (or any other folder), the path printed to the log is /external/audio/media/217.

Why does this happen, and how can I retrieve the actual path of the file?

at the set type do you wish to have any file extension available? — EnderNicky, Aug 19 '15 at 14:45
Yes, I want the user to be able to choose a file of any file extension. — ItsAmy, Aug 19 '15 at 14:46
I used this in my app ones and it worked. It is explained in detail how it works on different details: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8945531/pick-any-kind-file-via-an-intent-on-android — EnderNicky, Aug 19 '15 at 14:50

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:17

/**
 * Get a file path from a Uri. This will get the the path for Storage Access
 * Framework Documents, as well as the _data field for the MediaStore and
 * other file-based ContentProviders.
 *
 * @param context The context.
 * @param uri The Uri to query.
 * @author paulburke
 */
public static String getPath(final Context context, final Uri uri) {

    final boolean isKitKat = Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT;

    // DocumentProvider
    if (isKitKat && DocumentsContract.isDocumentUri(context, uri)) {
        // ExternalStorageProvider
        if (isExternalStorageDocument(uri)) {
            final String docId = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final String[] split = docId.split(":");
            final String type = split[0];

            if ("primary".equalsIgnoreCase(type)) {
                return Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/" + split[1];
            }

            // TODO handle non-primary volumes
        }
        // DownloadsProvider
        else if (isDownloadsDocument(uri)) {

            final String id = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final Uri contentUri = ContentUris.withAppendedId(
                    Uri.parse("content://downloads/public_downloads"), Long.valueOf(id));

            return getDataColumn(context, contentUri, null, null);
        }
        // MediaProvider
        else if (isMediaDocument(uri)) {
            final String docId = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final String[] split = docId.split(":");
            final String type = split[0];

            Uri contentUri = null;
            if ("image".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            } else if ("video".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Video.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            } else if ("audio".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Audio.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            }

            final String selection = "_id=?";
            final String[] selectionArgs = new String[] {
                    split[1]
            };

            return getDataColumn(context, contentUri, selection, selectionArgs);
        }
    }
    // MediaStore (and general)
    else if ("content".equalsIgnoreCase(uri.getScheme())) {

        // Return the remote address
        if (isGooglePhotosUri(uri))
            return uri.getLastPathSegment();

        return getDataColumn(context, uri, null, null);
    }
    // File
    else if ("file".equalsIgnoreCase(uri.getScheme())) {
        return uri.getPath();
    }

    return null;
}

/**
 * Get the value of the data column for this Uri. This is useful for
 * MediaStore Uris, and other file-based ContentProviders.
 *
 * @param context The context.
 * @param uri The Uri to query.
 * @param selection (Optional) Filter used in the query.
 * @param selectionArgs (Optional) Selection arguments used in the query.
 * @return The value of the _data column, which is typically a file path.
 */
public static String getDataColumn(Context context, Uri uri, String selection,
        String[] selectionArgs) {

    Cursor cursor = null;
    final String column = "_data";
    final String[] projection = {
            column
    };

    try {
        cursor = context.getContentResolver().query(uri, projection, selection, selectionArgs,
                null);
        if (cursor != null && cursor.moveToFirst()) {
            final int index = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(column);
            return cursor.getString(index);
        }
    } finally {
        if (cursor != null)
            cursor.close();
    }
    return null;
}


/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is ExternalStorageProvider.
 */
public static boolean isExternalStorageDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.externalstorage.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is DownloadsProvider.
 */
public static boolean isDownloadsDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.providers.downloads.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is MediaProvider.
 */
public static boolean isMediaDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.providers.media.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is Google Photos.
 */
public static boolean isGooglePhotosUri(Uri uri) {
    return "com.google.android.apps.photos.content".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

taken from https://github.com/iPaulPro/aFileChooser/blob/master/aFileChooser/src/com/ipaulpro/afilechooser/utils/FileUtils.java and from this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/20559418/4128945

This worked perfectly, thanks. Why is it this complicated to just get a file path for certain files? — ItsAmy, Aug 19 '15 at 15:01
blame custom implementations by different vendors, plus changes made post kitkat :( — Bhargav, Aug 19 '15 at 18:31

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 19 '15 at 14:48

This is working for me

private void browseFile() {
    Intent fileIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
    fileIntent.setType("gagt/sdf");
    try {
        startActivityForResult(fileIntent, PICKFILE_RESULT_CODE);
    } catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
        Log.e("tag", "No activity can handle picking a file. Showing alternatives.");
    }
}


protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    // TODO Fix no activity available
    if (data == null)
        return;
    switch (requestCode) {
    case PICKFILE_RESULT_CODE:
        if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
            String filePath = data.getData().getPath();
            Log.d("RPM", "File path : " + filePath);
            // FilePath is your file as a string
            // Do your work here
        }
    }
}

Call browseFile() method and it will automatically take you on browsing screen. PICKFILE_RESULT_CODE is an integer constant. You can decide its value according to you, whatever you want. In my case it is

public static final int PICKFILE_RESULT_CODE = 11;

This does not work for me. It gives the exact same result as before. The only change between your version and mine is the `fileIntent.setType("gagt/sdf")` where mine had `setType("file/*")`. — ItsAmy, Aug 19 '15 at 14:54

Android file chooser redirects audio files to /external

2 Answers2