Develop Reference

Intent filter works on emulator but not on device

I'm creating a custom intent filter which will open my app when I tap a file with a certain file extension (.myextension in this case.) The intent-filter is below. This currently works perfectly every time I open a .myextension file from my emulator. However, when I try it from my device, it no longer works.
On my device, when I tap a .myextension file in the Files browser app, I see Unable to preview file. instead of automatically opening the app. I've tried opening the file from quite a few locations (Files app, GDrive, Downloads folder, Slack/Gmail, both internal storage and SDCard.) I'm using Android 10 on both my emulator and my device.
<intent-filter android:label="My App">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data
android:scheme="content"
android:mimeType="*/*"
android:host="*"
android:pathPattern=".*\\.myextension" />
</intent-filter>
I've also tried replacing that data tag/adding a second tag with this block but it doesn't seem to help:
<data
android:scheme="file"
android:mimeType="*/*"
android:host="*"
android:pathPattern=".*\\.myextension" />
Am I missing something obvious? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

This currently works perfectly every time I open a .myextension file from my emulator.
It will fail much of the time, as it is not really tied to an emulator versus a device.
However, when I try it from my device, it no longer works.
A content Uri is not required to have a file extension, just as an https URL is not required to have a file extension. Much of the time, a content Uri will not have a file extension, and such a Uri will not match your <intent-filter>.
ACTION_VIEW is mostly for files with a widely-recognized MIME type.
I've also tried replacing that data tag/adding a second tag with this block but it doesn't seem to help
file Uri values have been generally banned since Android 7.0.

<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:scheme="file" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:pathPattern="/*.*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.myextension" />
<data android:host="*" />
</intent-filter>
Though it doesnt work in some of the file managers Better first try in ESExplorer.

Creating app which opens a custom file extension

Want to create an android application, which opens a custom-build file extension (for example, I want to open .abcd files)
It is something like Adobe Reader that opens .pdf files, or Photo Viewer that opens .jpg files
Specific conditions:
1. The .abcd file should be outside / external from the application itself. (as .pdf is to Adobe Reader)
2. The .abcd file would be a zipped file, which contains few folders and .xml, .txt, and .jpg files. I think I want to extract it - maybe temporarily - to somewhere in the storage (definitely need a zipper/unzipper library), then read the individual .xml, .txt, and .jpg files.
Looking for insights and answers for this problem.
Additional information:
I am relatively new to Android programming.

I think you need to do that type of customization via intent-filter something like:
<intent-filter android:icon="your_drawable-resource"
android:label="your_string_resource"
android:priority="integer">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:scheme="file" />
<data android:host="*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.YOUR_CUSTOM_FILE_EXTENSION" />
</intent-filter>
Also you should look:
Custom Filetype in Android not working
Android intent filter for a particular file extension?
android intent filter for custom file extension

One possible answer is shown
here
. Try some customisation for intent filters.
<intent-filter android:priority="999">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.OPENABLE" />
<data android:host="*" />
<data android:mimeType="application/octet-stream" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:scheme="content" />
</intent-filter>

Android receive share text file but not share text content

I am making an app that is able to upload single or multiple files or folders. The intent-filter is defined like this:
<activity android:name=".UploadActivity" android:launchMode="singleTop" android:theme="#style/Theme.Sherlock">
<intent-filter android:label="#string/upload_intent">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:mimeType="application/*" />
<data android:mimeType="audio/*" />
<data android:mimeType="image/*" />
<data android:mimeType="media/*" />
<data android:mimeType="multipart/*" />
<data android:mimeType="text/*" />
<data android:mimeType="video/*" />
</intent-filter>
<intent-filter android:label="#string/upload_intent">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:mimeType="*/*" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
This works great with Blackmoon File Explorer and the Android 4.0.3 Gallery. My app shows up in the Share menus. However, it also shows in the Browser, when you long-press the URL and choose to Share Page.
When I send a text file to my app, I get this:
getIntent().getAction() returns Intent.ACTION_SEND
getIntent().getType() returns "text/plain"
getIntent().getScheme() returns null
getIntent().getExtras().getString(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM) returns the filename
However, sending a URL from the Browser returns the same thing minus the Intent.EXTRA_STREAM. I can detect this easily in code and say "hey I can't upload text!" but I'd rather change the intent filter so that it only triggers when there is an EXTRA_STREAM. Is it possible to do so?
(I tried using android:scheme but that won't differentiate between a file and a text string being shared, since they are both null...)

You have:
getIntent().getExtras().getString(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM) returns the filename
AFAIK, Android never sends you an open fh or socket to a file. Just the plain, old path to the file, which you then handle with:
File somefile = new File(filename);
And then read it or write to it or what not.
As for the incoming text being EXTRA_TEXT or STREAM, just test for both and handle appropriately. Hope this helps.

I registered for file in the manifest:
<activity android:name=".ReaderActivity">
<intent-filter >
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:scheme="file"/>
<data android:mimeType="text/plain"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>
And then used getData() and a content resolver in my activity.
Uri uri = getIntent().getData();
InputStream inputStream = getContentResolver().openInputStream(uri);
...
See this answer to find out what the ... is.

Android How to create Intent Filter for custom file extension that does NOT make it part of a chooser for everything on the phone

I have seen numerous answers on here about creating an intent filter for a custom file extension, but none of them seem to be answering my question:
I have an intent filter that works right now... when I browse for my file or when I open it from an email attachment, my app will appear in the list. The file itself has a custom extension of "tgtp", but it is basically just an xml file.
The problem I am having is that although this intent filter works, it also appears to add my app to every chooser for every type of file on my phone. An example would be if I clear my contacts app defaults and click on one of my contacts, it says my app can open it.
I've tried dozens of different combinations of intent filters with different schemes, mime types, etc... and some still let me open the file if i browse with a file browser, but I specifically need to be able to open email attachments and open as file browser. I am yet to find an intent filter(s) that allow me to do that without making my app available for every other intent chooser.
Here is my current intent-filter that uses my app to open everything:
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:mimeType="*/*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.tgtp" />
</intent-filter>
Thank you in advance

The only way to solve this problem is add scheme and host attributes to your intent filter:
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:scheme="file" />
<data android:mimeType="*/*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.tgtp" />
<data android:host="*" />
</intent-filter>
That is because in documentation says that android:pathPattern only works if has an scheme and host defined.
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/data-element.html
Hope it helps.

I've been struggling with this quite a bit for a custom file extension, myself. After a lot of searching, I found this web page where the poster discovered that Android's patternMatcher class (which is used for the pathPattern matching in Intent-Filters) has unexpected behavior when your path contains the first character of your match pattern elsewhere in the path (like if you're trying to match "*.xyz", the patternMatcher class stops if there's an "x" earlier in your path). Here's what he found for a workaround, and worked for me, although it is a bit of a hack:
PatternMatcher is used for pathPattern at IntentFilter But,
PatternMatcher's algorithm is quite strange to me. Here is algorithm
of Android PatternMatcher.
If there is 'next character' of '.*' pattern in the middle of string,
PatternMatcher stops loop at that point. (See PatternMatcher.java of
Android framework.)
Ex. string : "this is a my attachment" pattern : ".att.". Android
PatternMatcher enter loop to match '.' pattern until meet the next
character of pattern (at this example, 'a') So, '.' matching loop
stops at index 8 - 'a' between 'is' and 'my'. Therefore result of this
match returns 'false'.
Quite strange, isn't it. To workaround this - actually reduce
possibility - developer should use annoying stupid pathPattern.
Ex. Goal : Matching uri path which includes 'message'.
<intent-filter>
...
<data android:pathPattern=".*message.*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*m.*message.*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*m.*m.*message.*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*m.*m.*m.*message.*" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*m.*m.*m.*m.*message.*" />
...
</intent-filter>
This is especially issued when matching with custom file extention.

I have the exact same problem, and in my case, both other answers don't work. The closest I came is when I combine both benjamin and sabadow's answers, -and- leave out the dot in the extension, so like this: (i'm using my custom ".trk" extension)
<!-- For opening/viewing only trk-files: (works in google drive and "File Manager", not gmail) -->
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SENDTO" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
<data android:scheme="file" android:mimeType="*/*" android:pathPattern=".*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*t.*trk" android:host="*" />
</intent-filter>
<!-- For catching attachments in Gmail: (also triggers non-trk-files that aren't associated with some other app, but not non-trk-files that already have one of more associations, strangely) -->
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND_MULTIPLE" />
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SENDTO" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:mimeType="*/*" android:scheme="content" />
</intent-filter>
<!-- For catching share actions from apps: (also triggered by sharing actions for all other file types) -->
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:mimeType="application/*" />
</intent-filter>
It's a bit long, but you might not need all lines, like the SENDTO and SEND_MULTIPLE actions. I just need it to work in all cases where it could work. Sadly it also triggers in some, but not all, other cases.

One possible answer is shown
here
. Basically, try the following intent filter inside the desired activity tag to open:
<intent-filter android:priority="999">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.OPENABLE" />
<data android:host="*" />
<data android:mimeType="application/octet-stream" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:pathPattern=".*\\.yourextension" />
<data android:scheme="content" />
</intent-filter>

Cannot download unknown extensions

I cannot download (from web & from e-mail) unkwown extentions such as (*.ini, *.zip, *.ddd)
unless there exists an app that can understand the extention.
For example, I couldn't download *.ini file from the browser (or email) until I downloaded 'Astro' app.
How can you by pass so that they are downloadable?
How can you register your app to understan certain extention so that it can be downloadable?

How can you by pass so that they are downloadable?
You don't.
How can you register your app to understan certain extention so that it can be downloadable?
Ideally, you don't. You do it by MIME type. File extensions are very fragile. However, either can be achieved via the use of the <data> element in your activity's <intent-filter>. You will also want the BROWSEABLE category and probably the VIEW action.
For example, here is how you would arrange to be an option for viewing PDF files:
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data android:mimeType="application/pdf" />
</intent-filter>

<activity
android:name=".Main"
android:label="#string/app_name">
<intent-filter>
<action
android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
<category
android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
<category
android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category
android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<data
android:scheme="file" />
<data
android:pathPattern=".*\\.ini" />
<data
android:host="*" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
Above code allowed me to download *.ini files.
Thank you for your help.