File not found error after selecting a file in android

Question

I want to open a .pdf file in my android app.now i can browse the pdf file and after browsing the file I am getting File Not Found Error when i check the file exist or not. Now after selecting the file my selected file Uri data.getData() is like

content://com.android.externalstorage.documents/document/6333-6131:SHIDHIN.pdf

and the path when i parse using data.getData().getPath().toString() is like

/document/6333-6131:SHIDHIN.pdf Here is my code. Please Help me.

// To Browse the file

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
intent.setType("application/pdf");
startActivityForResult(intent, PICK_FILE_REQUEST);

After selecting file

//onActivityResult

public void onActivityResult(final int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    try {
        switch (requestCode) {
            case PICK_FILE_REQUEST:
                if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
                    try {
                        Uri fileUri = data.getData();
                        String path  = fileUri.getPath().toString();
                        File f = new File(path);
                        if (f.exists()) {
                            System.out.println("\n**** Uri :> "+fileUri.toString());
                            System.out.println("\n**** Path :> "+path.toString());
                            final Intent intent = new Intent(MainActivity.this, ViewPdf.class);
                            intent.putExtra(PdfViewerActivity.EXTRA_PDFFILENAME, path);
                            startActivity(intent);
                        } else {
                            System.out.println("\n**** File Not Exist :> "+path);
                        }

                    } catch (Exception e) {
                        ShowDialog_Ok("Error", "Cannot Open File");
                    }
                }
                break;
        }
    } catch (Exception e) {
    }
}

Imbue

If the file is stored in an app's internal cache, android does not allow other apps to access it. So maybe that could be the problem. – Huonghupeh

The file is stored in the external directiory. – Imbue

You can not just convert uri to absolute path. you need to use ContentResolver. – Huonghupeh

Check this answer. https://mcmap.net/q/73848/-convert-file-uri-to-file-in-android – Huonghupeh

@Huonghupeh that is also not working for me. I am getting an null pointer exception "ava.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'char[] java.lang.String.toCharArray()' on a null object reference" – Imbue

Also, is it necessary to pass absolute file path? Could you pass Uri only? and use it as context.getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri) ? – Huonghupeh

Can u show me one Example using context.getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri). – Imbue

Answer 1

This is not the answer but a workaround.

File file = new File("some_temp_path"); # you can also use app's internal cache to store the file
FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(file);

InputStream is = context.getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri);
byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
int len = 0;
try {
    len = is.read(buffer);
    while (len != -1) {
        fos.write(buffer, 0, len);
        len = is.read(buffer);
    }

    fos.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

pass this file's absolute path to your activity.

Huonghupeh

This is also not working. we are getting Nullpointer error. I think because of the problem with url. when we retrieve the path from the url the file not exist error is getting. – Imbue

Where are you getting the error? Update the question with logs – Huonghupeh

Hay Sorry.. That was my Mistake I didn't change the some_temp_path. Now its working fine. Thanks Thanks a lot. – Imbue

Answer 2

button.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View v) {
        File pdfFile = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "Case Study.pdf");

        try {
            if (pdfFile.exists()) {
                Uri path = Uri.fromFile(pdfFile);
                Intent objIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
                objIntent.setDataAndType(path, "application/pdf");
                objIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
                startActivity(objIntent);
            } else {
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "File NotFound", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
        } catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) {
            Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "No Viewer Application Found", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
});

Hornet

My .pdf file may change. The user can select the file from their own device. – Imbue