You always have to specify a content provider when implementing a SyncAdapter, but that's not to say it actually has to do anything.
I've written SyncAdapters that create accounts and integrate with the "Accounts & sync" framework in Android that don't necessarily store their content in a standard provider.
In your xml/syncadapter.xml:
<sync-adapter xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:accountType="com.company.app"
android:contentAuthority="com.company.content"
android:supportsUploading="false" />
In your manifest:
<provider android:name="DummyProvider"
android:authorities="com.company.content"
android:syncable="true"
android:label="DummyProvider" />
And then add a dummy provider that doesn't do anything useful except exist, DummyProvider.java:
public class DummyProvider extends ContentProvider {
@Override
public int delete(Uri uri, String selection, String[] selectionArgs) {
return 0;
}
@Override
public String getType(Uri uri) {
return null;
}
@Override
public Uri insert(Uri uri, ContentValues values) {
return null;
}
@Override
public boolean onCreate() {
return false;
}
@Override
public Cursor query(Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection,
String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder) {
return null;
}
@Override
public int update(Uri uri, ContentValues values, String selection,
String[] selectionArgs) {
return 0;
}
}
