READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE cannot be resolved or is not a field

Question

I'm trying to republish my app for API level 26 as per Play Store requirements but I am getting null back from this:

File[] files = directory.listFiles();

I understand this is because I need to check permissions at runtime now. I have inserted this code at the start of the activity's onCreate to do that.

// check permissions
    if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, android.Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)
            != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)
    {
        // Permission is not granted
        this.finish();
    }

But it does not recognise READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. Strangely it does recognise WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. I saw many responses saying the wrong import is to blame, so I now have this:

import android.Manifest;

In the manifest itself I have this, inside the Manifest tag but outside the Application tag.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

I am working in Eclipse/ADT and have updated the SDK and support package. Any idea what is going on here?

Answer 1

I had not updated the build target in the Project Properties. If anyone else faces this situation that is the solution.