I try to export a bitmap from my app using share intent without saving a file for a temporal location. All the examples I found are two-step
1) save to SD Card and create Uri for that file
2) start the intent with this Uri
Is it possible to make it without requiring WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission, saving the file [and removing it afterwards]? How to address devices without ExternalStorage?
Best Answer
I had this same problem. I didn't want to have to ask for the read and write external storage permissions. Also, sometimes there are problems when phones don't have SD cards or the cards get unmounted.
The following method uses a ContentProvider called FileProvider. Technically, you are still saving the bitmap (in internal storage) prior to sharing, but you don't need to request any permissions. Also, every time you share the bitmap the image file gets overwritten. And since it is in the internal cache, it will be deleted when the user uninstalls the app. So in my opinion, it is just as good as not saving the image. This method is also more secure than saving it to external storage.
The documentation is pretty good (see the Further Reading below), but some parts are a little tricky. Here is a summary that worked for me.
Set up the FileProvider in the Manifest
Replace
com.example.myapp
with your app package name.Create res/xml/filepaths.xml
This tells the FileProvider where to get the files to share (using the cache directory in this case).
Save the image to internal storage
Share the image
Further reading