Android – Camera not working/saving when using Cache Uri as MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT

androidandroid-cameraandroid-intent

I am trying to get the full image after taking a picture from a Fragment.

If I use the Uri from the file (Uri.fromFile(file)), the camera won't exit after taking the photo and tapping on the 'ok' button (looks like can't write to the Uri or who knows what).

Using the File String, in the form of '/data/data/com.package.bla/cache/img198346262jpg', it's not working as well (The file is there, but it's empty because the camera is not saving anything on it).

What I tried so far:

Deleting the file after creating it, as this example does. However, the file doesn't exist after the camera exits.
Added External Storage READ permission, just in case

So I have no idea why the image is not being saved and already spent/wasted a lot of time testing and figuring why it's not working.

Fragment:

private void launchCamera() {
    Intent cameraIntent = new Intent(android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
    File outputDir = getActivity().getCacheDir();
    File file = null;
    try {
        file = File.createTempFile("img", "jpg", outputDir);
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    if (file != null) {
        mImageUri = Uri.fromFile(file);   //using Uri is not even exiting the camera
        //mImageUri = File.toString();    //If I use String instead of an Uri, it works better (ie, can accept camera photo)
        cameraIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, mImageUri);
        startActivityForResult(cameraIntent, RESULT_TAKE_IMAGE);
    }
}


public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
    if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
        Bitmap original = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(mImageUri.toString(), bounds);
    }
}

Edited code, mImageUri. As explained, if I use Uri I can't even accept the photo in the camera app. Using a String will let me accept the photo, though the photo is not actually saved (ie the file has 0 bytes inside it).

EXPLANATION: The problem was related to saving into the cache directory. Maybe it's a bug, I am missing a permission or the camera app just can't save into your application private data directory. Adding Permission FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION didn't solve it. Related posts: Store image from camera into private app cache directory AND Saving camera data to cache when launched via intent

UPDATE From Android 2.2 onwards getExternalCacheDir() method can be used instead of getCacheDir()

Best Answer

from android 26+ Uri.fromFile will not work, you should use File provider instead.

AndroidManifest.xml

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <application
        .........

        <provider
            android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
            android:authorities="com.mydomain.fileprovider"
            android:exported="false"
            android:grantUriPermissions="true">
            <meta-data
                android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
                android:resource="@xml/file_paths" />
        </provider>
    </application>

res/xml/file_paths.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
    <external-path
        name="external"
        path="." />
</paths>

finally

final Intent takeVideoIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_VIDEO_CAPTURE);

// output file
File path = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "tmp.mp4");

// com.mydomain.fileprovider is authorities (manifest)
// getUri from file
Uri uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(this, "com.mydomain.fileprovider", path);

takeVideoIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, uri);
startActivityForResult(takeVideoIntent, 99);

tested on android 8.0 and 5.1.1

Update: on some device built-in camera would not support for EXTRA_OUTPUT, so if you want to work on all devices, build your own camera module.

Related Solutions

Java – Intent problem, return value (Android)

I think you got the directions mixed up.

In the Repository class you have to setResult() before calling finish. For additional Data you can putExtra() data.

For example, set your result in the onCreate() function.

In your calling class (the one that starts Repository) you overwrite onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) and get data with data.getBundleExtra().

Androids reference for Intent and Activity has good descriptions and the samples also contain a ReceiveResult and SendResult sample.

Android – How to get camera result as a uri in data folder

There are two ways to solve this problem.

1. Save bitmap which you received from onActivityResult method

You can start camera through intent to capture photo using below code

Intent cameraIntent=new Intent(android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
startActivityForResult(cameraIntent, CAMERA_REQUEST);

After capture photo, you will get bitmap in onActivityResult method

if (requestCode == CAMERA_REQUEST) {  
    Bitmap photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data"); 
 }

Now you can simply save this bitmap to internal storage

Note: Here bitmap object consists of thumb image, it will not have a full resolution image

2. Save bitmap directly to internal storage using content provider

Here we will create content provider class to allow permission of local storage directory to camera activity

Sample provider example as per below

public class MyFileContentProvider extends ContentProvider {
    public static final Uri CONTENT_URI = Uri.parse
                                    ("content://com.example.camerademo/");
    private static final HashMap<String, String> MIME_TYPES = 
                                     new HashMap<String, String>();

    static {
        MIME_TYPES.put(".jpg", "image/jpeg");
        MIME_TYPES.put(".jpeg", "image/jpeg");
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreate() {

        try {
            File mFile = new File(getContext().getFilesDir(), "newImage.jpg");
            if(!mFile.exists()) {
                mFile.createNewFile();
            }
            getContext().getContentResolver().notifyChange(CONTENT_URI, null);
            return (true);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
            return false;
        }

    }

    @Override
    public String getType(Uri uri) {
        String path = uri.toString();

        for (String extension : MIME_TYPES.keySet()) {
            if (path.endsWith(extension)) {
                return (MIME_TYPES.get(extension));
            }
        }
        return (null);
    }

    @Override
    public ParcelFileDescriptor openFile(Uri uri, String mode)
    throws FileNotFoundException {

        File f = new File(getContext().getFilesDir(), "newImage.jpg");
        if (f.exists()) {
            return (ParcelFileDescriptor.open(f,
                    ParcelFileDescriptor.MODE_READ_WRITE));
        }
        throw new FileNotFoundException(uri.getPath());
    }
}

After that you can simply use the URI to pass to camera activity using the below code

Intent i = new Intent(android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
i.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, MyFileContentProvider.CONTENT_URI);
startActivityForResult(i, CAMERA_RESULT);

If you don't want to create your own provider then you can use FileProvider from support-library-v4. For detailed help you can look into this post

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Java – Intent problem, return value (Android)

Android – How to get camera result as a uri in data folder

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