Browse Button required?

Question

Hii i am working on an application in which i require to select files using browse button.. How can i implement a browse button in android?

Solution 1

Below is whole code from my sample application. I used a button which will pick files from any directory of your phone.

---

layouts

file_picker_empty_view.xml

<TextView
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:text="No files or directories"
android:background="@android:drawable/toast_frame"
android:textSize="28sp"
android:gravity="center_vertical|center_horizontal"/>

file_picker_list_item.xml

<LinearLayout
  xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  android:layout_width="fill_parent"
  android:layout_height="wrap_content"
  android:orientation="horizontal" >
  <ImageView
      android:id="@+id/file_picker_image"
      android:layout_width="40dip"
      android:layout_height="40dip"
      android:layout_marginTop="5dip"
      android:layout_marginBottom="5dip"
      android:layout_marginLeft="5dip"
      android:src="@drawable/file"
      android:scaleType="centerCrop"/>
  <TextView
      android:id="@+id/file_picker_text"
      android:layout_width="fill_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:layout_weight="1"
      android:layout_gravity="left|center_vertical"
      android:textSize="28sp"
      android:layout_marginLeft="10dip"
      android:singleLine="true"
      android:text="filename"/>
</LinearLayout>

file_view.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent">
    <TextView android:text="@+id/TextView01" 
    android:id="@+id/TextView01" 
    android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:singleLine="true" 
    android:textStyle="bold" 
    android:layout_marginTop="5dip" 
    android:layout_marginLeft="5dip"></TextView>
    <TextView android:text="@+id/TextView02" 
    android:id="@+id/TextView02" 
    android:layout_width="wrap_content" 
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:layout_marginLeft="10dip"></TextView>
</LinearLayout>

main.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:gravity="center_vertical">
    <Button android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/start_file_picker_button"
        android:text="Browse" />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Selected file"
        android:textStyle="bold"
        android:textColor="#fff"
        android:textSize="24sp" />
    <TextView
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/file_path_text_view"
        android:text="No file has been selected"
        android:textSize="18sp" />
</LinearLayout>

Activities are

FilePickerActivity

import java.io.File;
import java.io.FilenameFilter;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;
import android.app.ListActivity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.widget.TextView;

/**
 * 
 * @author pankaj
 *
 */
public class FilePickerActivity extends ListActivity {

    public final static String EXTRA_FILE_PATH = "file_path";
    public final static String EXTRA_SHOW_HIDDEN_FILES = "show_hidden_files";
    public final static String EXTRA_ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS = "accepted_file_extensions";
    private final static String DEFAULT_INITIAL_DIRECTORY = "/";

    protected File mDirectory;
    protected ArrayList<File> mFiles;
    protected FilePickerListAdapter mAdapter;
    protected boolean mShowHiddenFiles = false;
    protected String[] acceptedFileExtensions;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);

        // Set the view to be shown if the list is empty
        LayoutInflater inflator = (LayoutInflater)getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
        View emptyView = inflator.inflate(R.layout.file_picker_empty_view, null);
        ((ViewGroup)getListView().getParent()).addView(emptyView);
        getListView().setEmptyView(emptyView);

        // Set initial directory
        mDirectory = new File(DEFAULT_INITIAL_DIRECTORY);

        // Initialize the ArrayList
        mFiles = new ArrayList<File>();

        // Set the ListAdapter
        mAdapter = new FilePickerListAdapter(this, mFiles);
        setListAdapter(mAdapter);

        // Initialize the extensions array to allow any file extensions
        acceptedFileExtensions = new String[] {};

        // Get intent extras
        if(getIntent().hasExtra(EXTRA_FILE_PATH)) {
            mDirectory = new File(getIntent().getStringExtra(EXTRA_FILE_PATH));
        }
        if(getIntent().hasExtra(EXTRA_SHOW_HIDDEN_FILES)) {
            mShowHiddenFiles = getIntent().getBooleanExtra(EXTRA_SHOW_HIDDEN_FILES, false);
        }
        if(getIntent().hasExtra(EXTRA_ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS)) {
            ArrayList<String> collection = getIntent().getStringArrayListExtra(EXTRA_ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS);
            acceptedFileExtensions = (String[]) collection.toArray(new String[collection.size()]);
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onResume() {
        refreshFilesList();
        super.onResume();
    }

    /**
     * Updates the list view to the current directory
     */
    protected void refreshFilesList() {
        // Clear the files ArrayList
        mFiles.clear();

        // Set the extension file filter
        ExtensionFilenameFilter filter = new ExtensionFilenameFilter(acceptedFileExtensions);

        // Get the files in the directory
        File[] files = mDirectory.listFiles(filter);
        if(files != null && files.length > 0) {
            for(File f : files) {
                if(f.isHidden() && !mShowHiddenFiles) {
                    // Don't add the file
                    continue;
                }

                // Add the file the ArrayAdapter
                mFiles.add(f);
            }

            Collections.sort(mFiles, new FileComparator());
        }
        mAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
    }

    @Override
    public void onBackPressed() {
        if(mDirectory.getParentFile() != null) {
            // Go to parent directory
            mDirectory = mDirectory.getParentFile();
            refreshFilesList();
            return;
        }

        super.onBackPressed();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onListItemClick(ListView l, View v, int position, long id) {
        File newFile = (File)l.getItemAtPosition(position);

        if(newFile.isFile()) {
            // Set result
            Intent extra = new Intent();
            extra.putExtra(EXTRA_FILE_PATH, newFile.getAbsolutePath());
            setResult(RESULT_OK, extra);
            // Finish the activity
            finish();
        } else {
            mDirectory = newFile;
            // Update the files list
            refreshFilesList();
        }

        super.onListItemClick(l, v, position, id);
    }

    private class FilePickerListAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<File> {

        private List<File> mObjects;

        public FilePickerListAdapter(Context context, List<File> objects) {
            super(context, R.layout.file_picker_list_item, android.R.id.text1, objects);
            mObjects = objects;
        }

        @Override
        public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {

            View row = null;

            if(convertView == null) { 
                LayoutInflater inflater = (LayoutInflater)getContext().getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
                row = inflater.inflate(R.layout.file_picker_list_item, parent, false);
            } else {
                row = convertView;
            }

            File object = mObjects.get(position);

            ImageView imageView = (ImageView)row.findViewById(R.id.file_picker_image);
            TextView textView = (TextView)row.findViewById(R.id.file_picker_text);
            // Set single line
            textView.setSingleLine(true);

            textView.setText(object.getName());
            if(object.isFile()) {
                // Show the file icon
                imageView.setImageResource(R.drawable.file);
            } else {
                // Show the folder icon
                imageView.setImageResource(R.drawable.folder);
            }

            return row;
        }

    }

    private class FileComparator implements Comparator<File> {
        public int compare(File f1, File f2) {
            if(f1 == f2) {
                return 0;
            }
            if(f1.isDirectory() && f2.isFile()) {
                // Show directories above files
                return -1;
            }
            if(f1.isFile() && f2.isDirectory()) {
                // Show files below directories
                return 1;
            }
            // Sort the directories alphabetically
            return f1.getName().compareToIgnoreCase(f2.getName());
        }
    }

    private class ExtensionFilenameFilter implements FilenameFilter {
        private String[] mExtensions;

        public ExtensionFilenameFilter(String[] extensions) {
            super();
            mExtensions = extensions;
        }

        public boolean accept(File dir, String filename) {
            if(new File(dir, filename).isDirectory()) {
                // Accept all directory names
                return true;
            }
            if(mExtensions != null && mExtensions.length > 0) {
                for(int i = 0; i < mExtensions.length; i++) {
                    if(filename.endsWith(mExtensions[i])) {
                        // The filename ends with the extension
                        return true;
                    }
                }
                // The filename did not match any of the extensions
                return false;
            }
            // No extensions has been set. Accept all file extensions.
            return true;
        }
    }
}

MainActivity // This must be your default Activity, as MAIN in manifest

public class MainActivity extends Activity implements OnClickListener {

    private static final int REQUEST_PICK_FILE = 1;

    private TextView mFilePathTextView;
    private Button mStartActivityButton;
    private File selectedFile;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        // Set the views
        mFilePathTextView = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.file_path_text_view);
        mStartActivityButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.start_file_picker_button);
        mStartActivityButton.setOnClickListener(this);      
    }

    public void onClick(View v) {
        switch(v.getId()) {
        case R.id.start_file_picker_button:
            // Create a new Intent for the file picker activity
            Intent intent = new Intent(this, FilePickerActivity.class);

            // Set the initial directory to be the sdcard
            //intent.putExtra(FilePickerActivity.EXTRA_FILE_PATH, Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory());

            // Show hidden files
            //intent.putExtra(FilePickerActivity.EXTRA_SHOW_HIDDEN_FILES, true);

            // Only make .png files visible
            //ArrayList<String> extensions = new ArrayList<String>();
            //extensions.add(".png");
            //intent.putExtra(FilePickerActivity.EXTRA_ACCEPTED_FILE_EXTENSIONS, extensions);

            // Start the activity
            startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_PICK_FILE);
            break;

        case R.id.You_can_handle_more_onclick_events_from_here:
            //Do something
            break;
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        if(resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
            switch(requestCode) {
            case REQUEST_PICK_FILE:
                if(data.hasExtra(FilePickerActivity.EXTRA_FILE_PATH)) {
                    // Get the file path
                    selectedFile = new File(data.getStringExtra(FilePickerActivity.EXTRA_FILE_PATH));
                    // Set the file path text view
                    mFilePathTextView.setText(selectedFile.getPath());  
                    //Now you have your selected file, You can do your additional requirement with file.                
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Now Iam uploading images, You can use your own images.

Image Name: file

Image Name: folder

and finally

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
      package="org.myContactAdder.adder"
      android:versionCode="1"
      android:versionName="1.0">
      <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
      <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS" />
    <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">
        <activity android:name=".FilePickerActivity"
                  android:label="@string/app_name">
        </activity>
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity"
                  android:label="@string/app_name">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="7" />

</manifest> 

These are links for more information: Android file picker Activity and Creating simple file chooser.

Solution 2

You need to do:

1. Create a button which runs a separate activity(startActivityForResult).

2. This file choosing activity should list all the files and folders from a particular location. If you click on a folder, then activity is reinitialized for this folder(list the files from this).

3. If a file clicked, then activity should set the result, passing the filename in extras, and finish.

Solution 3

Here is some code you can use to do a file picker:

http://www.kaloer.com/android-file-picker-activity

It has an Apache license.

Comments

[WarrenFaith]

-1 because posting links isn't a good answer. Please provide some details about the links you post so that everybody can get an idea of what he might find when he follow them.

[Pankaj Kumar]

@WarrenFaith I updated my answer and if this is good way to give answer, can you cancel your down vote? And sometime when you are busy then you can not post some codes, so usually I sare links, If it is not a good way to answer any question, I will take care of it.

[WarrenFaith]

this is now a pretty good answer, I upvoted it now. If you are to busy, to create a good answer, you might consider putting some links as a comment or leave it completely (I just edited your link names on the bottom. 1 and 2 aren't a good choice for a linkname...)