Get/pick an image from Android's built-in Gallery app programmatically

Question

I am trying to open an image / picture in the Gallery built-in app from inside my application.

I have a URI of the picture (the picture is located on the SD card).

Answer 1

here is my example, might not be as your case exactly.

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assuming that you get base64 format from your API provider, give it a file name and file extension, save it to certain location in the file system.

public static void shownInBuiltInGallery(final Context ctx, String strBase64Image, final String strFileName, final String strFileExtension){

new AsyncTask() {
    @Override
    protected File doInBackground(String... strBase64Image) {

        Bitmap bmpImage = convertBase64StringToBitmap(strBase64Image[0], Base64.NO_WRAP);

        if(bmpImage == null) {
            cancel(true);
            return null;
        }

        byte[] byImage = null;

        if(strFileExtension.compareToIgnoreCase(FILE_EXTENSION_JPG) == 0) {
            byImage = convertToJpgByte(bmpImage); // convert bitmap to binary for latter use
        } else if(strFileExtension.compareToIgnoreCase(FILE_EXTENSION_PNG) == 0){
            byImage = convertToPngByte(bmpImage); // convert bitmap to binary for latter use
        } else if(strFileExtension.compareToIgnoreCase(FILE_EXTENSION_BMP) == 0){
            byImage = convertToBmpByte(bmpImage); // convert bitmap to binary for latter use
        } else {
            cancel(true);
            return null;
        }

        if(byImage == null) {
            cancel(true);
            return null;
        }

        File imageFolder = ctx.getExternalCacheDir();

        if(imageFolder.exists() == false){
            if(imageFolder.mkdirs() == false){
                cancel(true);
                return null;
            }
        }

        File imageFile = null;

        try {
            imageFile = File.createTempFile(strFileName, strFileExtension, imageFolder);
        } catch (IOException e){
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

        if(imageFile == null){
            cancel(true);
            return null;
        }

        if (imageFile.exists() == true) {
            if(imageFile.delete() == false){
                cancel(true);
                return null;
            }
        }

        FileOutputStream fos = null;

        try {
            fos = new FileOutputStream(imageFile.getPath());
            fos.write(byImage);
            fos.flush();
            fos.close();
        } catch (java.io.IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        } finally {
            fos = null;
        }

        return imageFile;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(File file) {
        super.onPostExecute(file);

            String strAuthority = ctx.getPackageName() + ".provider";
            Uri uriImage = FileProvider.getUriForFile(ctx, strAuthority, file);

            Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
            intent.setDataAndType(uriImage, "image/*");
            intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
            ctx.startActivity(intent);

    }
}.execute(strBase64Image);}

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Don't forget to set up a proper file provider at first place in AndroidManifest.xml

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where the file path is a xml in .../res/xml/file_path.xml

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Long story short, have file provider ready at first, pass Uri to Intent for known and accessible picture source, otherwise, save the picture in desired location and then pass the location (as Uri) to Intent.