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Action view intent cannot open image in files dir with fileProvider

What it is, is that I have an image in the files directory of my app. And then I want to open it with an intent, action view.
I have been on this for ages it seems and it just does not want to work out for me.
I have the following code:
private void changeInputFileViewer(File file){
boolean noApp = false;
file = new File(getFilesDir()+"/test.png");
try {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(FileProvider.getUriForFile(getApplicationContext(), "com.example.mayzom", file), "image/png");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
startActivity(intent);
} catch ( ActivityNotFoundException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
noApp = true;
}
if (noApp){
Toast.makeText(this, getString(R.string.noApp), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}
}
Manifest:
<provider
android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
android:grantUriPermissions="true"
android:authorities="com.example.mayzom"
android:exported="false">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/provider_paths"/>
</provider>
Provider paths:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
<files-path name="files" path="."/>
</paths>
The image exists with the following path found in the device file explorer: /data/data/com.example.mayzom/files/test.png.
The image is opened as this an endless buffer, with the following info:
I looked around online for a fix for a former error and thus, I have the following code in my onCreate: StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder builder = new StrictMode.VmPolicy.Builder();
StrictMode.setVmPolicy(builder.build());

Maybe to add a more fulfilling answer than what it is in the comments.
You need to create a fileProvider. You can find a guide here, afterwards you need the following code for your intent
boolean noApp = false;
try {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(FileProvider.getUriForFile(getApplicationContext(), getPackageName()+".provider", file), "application/pdf");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
startActivity(intent);
} catch ( ActivityNotFoundException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
noApp = true;
}
if (noApp){
Toast.makeText(this, getString(R.string.noApp), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}

Intent to open PDF file in Android N

I have been trying to open a PDF file using the intent. It works fine for devices prior to Adroid N. Following is the code I have used
File file = new File(gridItems.get(position).getPath());
Intent intent = null;
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < 24) {
intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(file), "application/pdf");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
} else {
intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
Uri pdfURI = FileProvider.getUriForFile(GalleryPdfActivity.this, getApplicationContext()
.getPackageName
() +
".provider", file);
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM, pdfURI);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY);
intent.setType("application/pdf");
}
try {
if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null)
startActivity(intent);
else
AppUtils.toast("No Application found to open the pdf", GalleryPdfActivity.this);
} catch (Exception e) {
AppUtils.toast(e.getMessage(), GalleryPdfActivity.this);
}
The file chooser opens and I have selected Google PDF Viewer to open the app. But it returns an error "Cannot display PDF(no file received)" . I was able to open the same file in devices prior to Android N

Add FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION on the Intent in your FileProvider case. Otherwise, the other app has no access to the content. See the documentation.

Add FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
Uri outputFileUri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(getActivity(), BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".provider", file);
intent.setDataAndType(outputFileUri, "application/pdf");
intent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_CLEAR_TOP);
Intent in = Intent.createChooser(intent, "Open File");
startActivity(in);
also add provider_paths.xml at res -> xml folder
and need to add below code at manifests
<application>
<provider
android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="${applicationId}.provider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true"
tools:replace="android:authorities">
<meta-data
tools:replace="android:resource"
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/provider_paths" />
</provider>
</application>

Intent to install APK file - Android Nougat

I searched extensively and did not find the problem. When you try to install an APK file using an Intent in Android Nougat, it simply does not install and displays the following warning: "There was a problem parsing the package".
It works perfectly to open PDF files, for example, with settings to open this type of file (.PDF). However to install .apk files does not work.
LogCat does not show any errors and I can not reach any solution.
What could be wrong?
The following code:
Manifest:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INSTALL_PACKAGES" />
<provider
android:name="android.support.v4.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="br.com.xxxxxx.xxxxxx.fileprovider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/filepaths"/>
</provider>
xml/filepaths:
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<files-path name="storage/emulated/0" path="."/>
Activity:
if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
try {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSTALL_PACKAGE);
File file = new File(getContext().getFilesDir(), "app-debug.apk");
Uri uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(getContext(), BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".fileprovider", file);
intent.setDataAndType(uri, "application/vnd.android.package-archive");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
startActivity(intent);
finish();
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}else{
try {
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
File file = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/app-debug.apk");
intent.setAction(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(file), "application/vnd.android.package-archive");
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
startActivity(intent);
finish();
} catch (Exception e) {
e.getMessage();
}
}
Please, what could be wrong with this code? Can someone help me?

I had to change the intent for N (and higher) and remove the type designation. Once I did that the install worked as expected.
So for N:
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSTALL_PACKAGE);
File file = new File(getContext().getFilesDir(), "app-debug.apk");
Uri uri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(getContext(), BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".fileprovider", file);
intent.setData(uri)
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
startActivity(intent);
finish();

Open Image with intent from internal storage

I want to open an image from internal folder with the android default image viewer, on the Nexus 7 tablet.
I use the following code,but for some reason the image is not displayed. What I'm doing wrong? The path to the file is :
file:///data/data/com.example.denandroidapp/files/Attachments/photoTemp/photo.jpg
(this is what Uri.parse("file://" + file) returns).
ArticlePhoto photo = new ArticlePhoto(soapObject);
File f = new File(context.getFilesDir() + "/Attachments/photoTemp");
if(!f.exists())
f.mkdirs();
if (photo.ArtPhoto != null) {
Bitmap articlePhoto = BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(photo.ArtPhoto, 0, photo.ArtPhoto.length);
ByteArrayOutputStream bytesFile = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
articlePhoto.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 100, bytesFile);
File file = new File(f + "/photo.jpeg");
try {
if(!file.exists())
file.createNewFile();
FileOutputStream outStream = new FileOutputStream(file);
outStream.write(bytesFile.toByteArray());
outStream.close();
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.parse("file://" + file),"image/jpeg");
startActivity(intent);
} catch(Exception ex) {
AlertDialog alert = new AlertDialog.Builder(context).create();
alert.setTitle("Warning!");
alert.setMessage(ex.getMessage());
alert.show();
}
}

Try with this :
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
Uri uri = Uri.parse("file://" + file.getAbsolutePath());
intent.setDataAndType(uri,"image/*");
startActivity(intent);
Thanks.

The problem is that the image is internal to your application! So an external application (Image Viewer) has no access to the data that is internal to your application.
What you might have to do is create a Content Provider .
http://web.archive.org/web/20111020204554/http://www.marcofaion.it/?p=7
Android Manifest.xml
<provider android:authorities="com.example.denandroidapp" android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:name=<fully classified name of provider class>>
</provider>
Creating Intent
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
Uri uri = Uri.parse("content://com.example.denandroidapp/" + filename);
intent.setDataAndType(uri, "image/jpeg");

If a file is associated with your app (stored on the internal storage of your app space ), other apps can not access your file directly provided a valid file path. Instead, you have to create a file provider and generate a content uri.
First, add the file provider in your AndroidManifest.xml
<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>
Then you need to create an a file named file_paths in xml/file_paths.xml (the directory xml is not created by default, so create it).
file_paths.xml looks like
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<files-path name="myFiles" path="./"/>
</paths>
add as much as paths you want your provider to access in .
atlast you need to create your intent
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
File imagePath = new File(context.getFilesDir(), "fileName");
Uri contentUri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(context, "com.mydomain.fileprovider", imagePath);
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
intent.setDataAndType(contentUri,"image/*");
context.startActivity(intent);
Note: make sure the file path sepecefied in file_paths.xml and new File(context.getFilesDir(),"fileName"), matches. getFilesDir() will give you the root directory of your app.

Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new File(outputFileName)),"image/jpeg");
startActivity(intent);

You can use FileProvider which extends ContentProvider
Check the link -
https://developer.android.com/reference/android/support/v4/content/FileProvider
To specify the FileProvider component itself, add a "provider" element to your app manifest.
<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>
You must specify a child element of "paths" for each directory that contains files for which you want content URIs. For example, these XML elements specify two directories
<paths xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<files-path name="my_images" path="images/"/>
<files-path name="my_docs" path="docs/"/>
</paths>
After this you need to generate content URI for the file and then call the intent, refer the below link
https://developer.android.com/reference/android/support/v4/content/FileProvider#GetUri

Check this: https://stackoverflow.com/a/11088980/1038442;
File file = new File(filePath);
MimeTypeMap map = MimeTypeMap.getSingleton();
String ext = MimeTypeMap.getFileExtensionFromUrl(file.getName());
String type = map.getMimeTypeFromExtension(ext);
if (type == null)
type = "*/*";
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
Uri data = Uri.fromFile(file);
intent.setDataAndType(data, type);
startActivity(intent);
PS: if your are trying to open .jpg files, try to
Replace String ext = MimeTypeMap.getFileExtensionFromUrl(file.getName());
With String ext = MimeTypeMap.getFileExtensionFromUrl(".jpg");
Good luck.

In my case, The gallery launched but did not show any images and went straight to the home page. My situation is quite different from what OP faced but I think it's worth mentioning here since the question is about images not being shown through implicit intent.
My problem came from the code below.
val intent = context.packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName ?: "")
The code above tells PackageManager to launch the entry point of the application, instead of the activity that shows the images.
If you look at the Logcat above, you can find that the intent launched with cat=[android.intent.category.Launcher] will go to SplashActivity. This happened because I created the intent with getLaunchIntentForPackage()
Alternative is to use Intent with setPackage() like the code in below
val intent = Intent()
val uri = Uri.fromFile(file) // You should probably replace with ContentProvider's uri
intent.apply {
flags = Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION
action = Intent.ACTION_VIEW
setPackage(packageName)
setDataAndType(uri, "image/*")
}
context.startActivity(intent)

Open an image using URI in Android's default gallery image viewer

I have extracted image uri, now I would like to open image with Android's default image viewer. Or even better, user could choose what program to use to open the image. Something like File Explorers offer you if you try to open a file.

Accepted answer was not working for me,
What had worked:
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.parse("file://" + "/sdcard/test.jpg"), "image/*");
startActivity(intent);

If your app targets Android N (7.0) and above, you should not use the answers above (of the "Uri.fromFile" method), because it won't work for you.
Instead, you should use a ContentProvider.
For example, if your image file is in external folder, you can use this (similar to the code I've made here) :
File file = ...;
final Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)//
.setDataAndType(VERSION.SDK_INT >= VERSION_CODES.N ?
FileProvider.getUriForFile(this,getPackageName() + ".provider", file) : Uri.fromFile(file),
"image/*").addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
manifest:
<provider
android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="${applicationId}.provider"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/provider_paths"/>
</provider>
res/xml/provider_paths.xml :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
<!--<external-path name="external_files" path="."/>-->
<external-path
name="files_root"
path="Android/data/${applicationId}"/>
<external-path
name="external_storage_root"
path="."/>
</paths>
If your image is in the private path of the app, you should create your own ContentProvider, as I've created "OpenFileProvider" on the link.

Ask myself, answer myself also:
startActivity(new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("content://media/external/images/media/16"))); /** replace with your own uri */
It will also ask what program to use to view the file.

Try use it:
Uri uri = Uri.fromFile(entry);
Intent intent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
String mime = "*/*";
MimeTypeMap mimeTypeMap = MimeTypeMap.getSingleton();
if (mimeTypeMap.hasExtension(
mimeTypeMap.getFileExtensionFromUrl(uri.toString())))
mime = mimeTypeMap.getMimeTypeFromExtension(
mimeTypeMap.getFileExtensionFromUrl(uri.toString()));
intent.setDataAndType(uri,mime);
startActivity(intent);

Based on Vikas answer but with a slight modification: The Uri is received by parameter:
private void showPhoto(Uri photoUri){
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(photoUri, "image/*");
startActivity(intent);
}

This thing might help if your working with android N and below
File file=new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory()+"/directoryname/"+filename);
Uri path= FileProvider.getUriForFile(MainActivity.this,BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID + ".provider",file);
Intent intent=new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(path,"image/*");
intent.setFlags(FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION | FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION); //must for reading data from directory

A much cleaner, safer answer to this problem (you really shouldn't hard code Strings):
public void openInGallery(String imageId) {
Uri uri = MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI.buildUpon().appendPath(imageId).build();
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, uri);
startActivity(intent);
}
All you have to do is append the image id to the end of the path for the EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI. Then launch an Intent with the View action, and the Uri.
The image id comes from querying the content resolver.

All the above answers not opening image.. when second time I try to open it show the gallery not image.
I got solution from mix of various SO answers..
Intent galleryIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, android.provider.MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI);
galleryIntent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(mImsgeFileName), "image/*");
galleryIntent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(galleryIntent);
This one only worked for me..

The problem with showing a file using Intent.ACTION_VIEW, is that if you pass the Uri parsing the path. Doesn't work in all cases. To fix that problem, you need to use:
Uri.fromFile(new File(filePath));
Instead of:
Uri.parse(filePath);
Edit
Here is my complete code:
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new File(mediaFile.filePath)), mediaFile.getExtension());
intent.setFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
startActivity(intent);
Info
MediaFile is my domain class to wrap files from database in objects.
MediaFile.getExtension() returns a String with Mimetype for the file extension. Example: "image/png"
Aditional code: needed for showing any file (extension)
import android.webkit.MimeTypeMap;
public String getExtension () {
MimeTypeMap myMime = MimeTypeMap.getSingleton();
return myMime.getMimeTypeFromExtension(MediaFile.fileExtension(filePath));
}
public static String fileExtension(String path) {
if (path.indexOf("?") > -1) {
path = path.substring(0, path.indexOf("?"));
}
if (path.lastIndexOf(".") == -1) {
return null;
} else {
String ext = path.substring(path.lastIndexOf(".") + 1);
if (ext.indexOf("%") > -1) {
ext = ext.substring(0, ext.indexOf("%"));
}
if (ext.indexOf("/") > -1) {
ext = ext.substring(0, ext.indexOf("/"));
}
return ext.toLowerCase();
}
}
Let me know if you need more code.

I use this it works for me
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setType("image/*");
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_GET_CONTENT);
startActivityForResult(Intent.createChooser(intent,
"Select Picture"), 1);

My solution using File Provider
private void viewGallery(File file) {
Uri mImageCaptureUri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(
mContext,
mContext.getApplicationContext()
.getPackageName() + ".provider", file);
Intent view = new Intent();
view.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
view.setData(mImageCaptureUri);
List < ResolveInfo > resInfoList =
mContext.getPackageManager()
.queryIntentActivities(view, PackageManager.MATCH_DEFAULT_ONLY);
for (ResolveInfo resolveInfo: resInfoList) {
String packageName = resolveInfo.activityInfo.packageName;
mContext.grantUriPermission(packageName, mImageCaptureUri, Intent.FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION | Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION);
}
view.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION);
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(mImageCaptureUri, "image/*");
mContext.startActivity(intent);
}

Almost NO chance to use photo or gallery application(might exist one), but you can try the content-viewer.
Please checkout another answer to similar question here

My solution
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setDataAndType(Uri.fromFile(new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getPath()+"/your_app_folder/"+"your_picture_saved_name"+".png")), "image/*");
context.startActivity(intent);

The uri must be content uri not file uri,
You can get contentUri by FileProvider as
Uri contentUri = FileProvider.getUriForFile(getContext(),"com.github.myApp",curFile);
Don't forget adding provider in Manifest file.
<provider
android:name="androidx.core.content.FileProvider"
android:authorities="com.github.myApp"
android:exported="false"
android:grantUriPermissions="true">
<meta-data
android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS"
android:resource="#xml/provider_paths" />
</provider>