Intent ACTION_GET_CONTENT returns uri even for deleted files

Question

I am trying to read pdf files in the android app.

Fire following intent to get URI.

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
intent.setType("application/pdf");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_LOCAL_ONLY, true);
startActivityForResult(intent, PDF_FILE_SELECTOR_INTENT_ID);

Problem is, the Downloads folder also shows old files that I have deleted. Also, when I select those files a valid URI is returned in onActivityResult(). When I create File from URI and check exists() it returns false which makes sense as I have already deleted the file from the Downloads folder.

How can I make sure that the Downloads folder shown on ACTION_GET_CONTENT shows only files which are currently present and not deleted ones?

Thanks.

Hood

This is the intented behavior. URI(s) are not updated instantly, so, they may point to null, non-existant, or even different kind of targets (audio, images, etc.) – Riker

Wouldn't you need a content provider to do this for you? – Caduceus

in which device you are testing. And what is android os version? – Shoshonean

Answer 1

Instead of

intent.setType("application/pdf"); use the Intent.EXTRA_MIME_TYPES in the putExtra

In Java:

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT);
        intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE);
        intent.setType("*/*");
        intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_MIME_TYPES, new String[] {
                "application/pdf", // .pdf
        });
        startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE);

In Kotlin

startActivityForResult(
        Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT).apply {
            addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE)
            type = "*/*"
            putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_MIME_TYPES, arrayOf(
                    "application/pdf", // .pdf
            ))
        },
        REQUEST_CODE
      )

Update: Actual Download Folder & "Downloads" folder different in this case.

Download is for your actual downloaded files Downloads is a history folder behaves like a short-cut and it's not cleared automatically when the actual file pointed to is manually removed. This might be most likely an expect behavior.

In your case , you need to hide the downloads folder ( still you can use Download). using this line of code will show "Internal storage" by default:

intent.putExtra("android.content.extra.SHOW_ADVANCED", true);

Geraldo

For me, with the code, the old already deleted folders in Downloads is still shown. How to refresh? – Stipulate

Answer 2

Call addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE) to your Intent as recommended here: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Intent#ACTION_GET_CONTENT

Habile

with CATEGORY_OPENABLE still shows a lot of previously deleted files... – Stipulate