How to open and read a text file in my /assets directory?

Question

I have spent a couple hours reading through the various hits in stackoverflow that result from my title query.

Using Android Studio.

I have a txt file in my src\main\assets project directory that I want to open and read.

All the examples I find use AssetManager() or getAssets() it seems.

I can't get usage of either to work.

InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader(AssetManager.AssetInputStream("xxx.csv"));

Produces error: AssetManager() is not public in AssetManager; cannot be accessed from outside package

What do I need to do to get access to a file in my /assets folder, in order to open and read it?

Edit the problem with marking this as duplicate is that I had read that other post on this same subject, but the users original question (the same I have) is never answered!!! The answer goes about showing the user how to read a file. But the problem was (same as mine): method isn't recognized. In my case (see comment below on answer) I get error: cannot find symbol method getAssets().

Can anyone help me with this? All the examples show the sample code of

AssetManager am = getAssets();

But something is missing.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9544737/read-file-from-assets — Mike M., Apr 08 '16 at 22:55
As nearly every call `getAssets` assumes you to be called from within an activity. Just use `context.getAssets()` — David Medenjak, Apr 09 '16 at 22:55

Primaël Quémerais · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-09T18:52:48.097

4

What you might want to try is use:

AssetManager am = getAssets();
InputStream is;
is = am.open(pathToFile.txt);

Then use a byte[] buffer (get size using is.available(); ) and is.read(buffer) Don't forget to is.close() after read.

If you're not in an Activity you have to use context.getAssets() in order to get the AssetManager.

Hope that helps you.

edited Apr 09 '16 at 18:52

answered Apr 08 '16 at 23:00

Primaël Quémerais

375
2
12

This is the problem. I know how to open and read a file, I just don't seem to be able to use the AssetManager. When I put in the following line, "AssetManager am = getAssets();" the compilation error is: "error: cannot find symbol method getAssets()". I must be missing something important. – JJJones_3860 Apr 09 '16 at 17:28
Solved! I missed the part that if not in Activity class, then must use context to getAssets(). – JJJones_3860 Apr 09 '16 at 17:41
Nice, glad you solved it. I've edited my answer for the next people who needs it. – Primaël Quémerais Apr 09 '16 at 18:53

How to open and read a text file in my /assets directory?

1 Answers1