Android ACTION_GET_CONTENT from Dropbox sources

Thanks for your patience Craig. I heard back from engineering here with the following information:

• FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION seems to have no effect.
• On Android API level 18 (and presumably probably below), specifying READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE or WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE does not matter. The calling app is able to read the file irrespective of these settings.
• On Android API level 19 and above, the calling app needs the READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE or WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission to be able to read the data provided by us.

Also, on Android API level 19 and above caller will need to read the data using the ContentResolver#openInputStream(fileUri) method to be able to read the files. While on API level 18 and below directly creating the file object to read the file works.

Thanks for that. I have not had any problems with reading the file. I am therefore unsure what the problem was that the other posters met.

I have read and write permissions set.

I initially used code like this (based on suggestions found online):

ParcelFileDescriptor mInputPFD = null ;
           try {
                mInputPFD = getContentResolver().openFileDescriptor(returnUri, "r");
           } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
                System.out.println("File not found...");
                return;
           }
if(mInputPFD!=null){
    fd = mInputPFD.getFileDescriptor();           
     FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(fd);
    //process the input stream
}

I tried the more direct method suggested above and it also worked:

FileInputStream fis = null ;
    try {
            fis = (FileInputStream) getContentResolver().openInputStream(returnUri);
    }
    catch (FileNotFoundException e1) {
             e1.printStackTrace();
             System.out.println("File not found...");            
             return ;
    }

 //process the input stream

I am using targeted Android API 19.

Can I assume that the ContentResolver#openInputStream(fileUri) method will also work on API 18 and lower?

openInputStream was added in API level 1 and is documented to support both content and file schemes, so it looks like it should work.

I don't have an update on the Dropbox for Android app potentially returning content:// links for ACTION_GET_CONTENT in the future, but I'll be sure to pass this along as feedback.

Thanks for the additional feedback Evgeny! I can't speak to why or why not particular changes are or aren't implemented, but we appreciate everyone taking the time to write, and I'm sending this along to the team.

Hello, Gregory. Thank you for your reply.
I have one more question.
When the Dropbox supports `content://` URI, can we get that notification?
e.g. a comment at here, your blog or a page such as the release-note.
(It seems that the update information in the Google Play page does not include the information about development.)

We need that notification because we will have to update our apps at that time.

I'll be happy to update this thread if/when I have any news on this.

Thank you! :D

Thanks for the feedback Marius!

Thanks for the feedback Josh. I don't have an update on this unfortunately, but I'll send along your feedback as well.