Saving files to MediaStore on devices running Android below 10

Question

I am writing code for downloading and storing in MediaStore files of different types. For devices running Android 10 and above I store all of them to Downloads collection, and it works fine. Those running Android below 10 don't have this collection. At the beginning I tried to store them to the Files collection, but it turned out that it's not possible to store for example image to the Files collection. So I came to this code:

fun createDownloadsFile(context: Context, fileName: String, mimeType: String): Uri? {
    val values = ContentValues().apply {
        put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.DISPLAY_NAME, fileName)
        put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.MIME_TYPE, mimeType)
    }
    val collection = if (hasAndroid10()) {
        values.put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.IS_PENDING, 1)
        MediaStore.Downloads.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL_PRIMARY)
    } else getMediaStoreCollectionBelowAndroid10(mimeType)

    return context.contentResolver.insert(collection, values)
}

private fun getMediaStoreCollectionBelowAndroid10(mimeType: String): Uri = when {
    mimeType.startsWith("image/") -> MediaStore.Images.Media.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL)
    mimeType.startsWith("audio/") -> MediaStore.Audio.Media.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL)
    mimeType.startsWith("video/") -> MediaStore.Video.Media.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL)
    else -> MediaStore.Files.getContentUri(MediaStore.VOLUME_EXTERNAL)
}

Images and videos now get stored fine on Android below 10. But attempts to store audio crash on the line contentResolver.insert(collection, values) with: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'int java.lang.String.lastIndexOf(int)' on a null object reference

Attempts to store files of type different from image, video and audio crash on the same row with: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: no path was provided when inserting new file

I will be grateful for any help!

Use the .DATA column to indicate where the file should be stored. But for below Android 10 it makes no sense to use the media store. — blackapps, Dec 24 '20 at 20:44
@blackapps use .DATA like described here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/60496366/3400881 for audio/* mimeType and all mimeTypes excepto of image/* and video/* ? — Oleh Liskovych, Dec 24 '20 at 20:53
You cannot use the media store for external files dir. That is an app specific directory where the media store keeps its hands off. — blackapps, Dec 24 '20 at 21:07
Could you show or link some code sample demonstrating your solution? — Oleh Liskovych, Dec 24 '20 at 21:11
@blackapps "But for below Android 10 it makes no sense to use the media store" - I need these files to be opened with other apps. As I understand If my app targets API level 30, than other apps won't be able to access `file://` Uri even though device is running Android below 10. Right? — Oleh Liskovych, Dec 24 '20 at 21:23
You can use, no you have to use, FileProvider to serve your files to other apps with ACTION_VIEW. — blackapps, Dec 24 '20 at 21:52
@blackapps why you not try in detail solution, related to media store. as I saw you have commented my question related to this topic. — Mohd Qasim, Dec 31 '21 at 06:16

Saving files to MediaStore on devices running Android below 10

0 Answers0