Getting pdf or doc file from Downloads Folder in Android

Question

I'm trying numerous ways to open the Downloads folder of the user and allowing the user to ONLY select a doc or pdf file to open up. Majority of the methods out there have been deprecated and their alternatives just don't seem to work for me.

Current Code:

// I've heavily altered the code but hope you guys understand the gist of it.


//Steps:
// Open the Downloads folder 
// Let user select the pdf or docx.
// Open the doc or pdf.

        // Adding Syllabus Function Method Here.
        addSyllabus = findViewById(R.id.add_syllabus_button);
        addSyllabus.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                webview = (WebView) findViewById(R.id.webView);
                progressbar = (ProgressBar) findViewById(R.id.progressBar);
                webview.getSettings().setJavaScriptEnabled(true);
                String filename = "https://s25.q4cdn.com/967830246/files/doc_downloads/test.pdf";
                webview.loadUrl("http://docs.google.com/gview?embedded=true&url=" + filename);
                webview.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient() {

                    public void onPageFinished(WebView view, String url) {
                        // do your stuff here
                        progressbar.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                    }
                });
            }

        });

Appreciate it, thanks.

Answer 1

An Intent from DocumentsProvider is probably your best bet.

From this Google Guide :

private void openFile(Uri pickerInitialUri) {
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT);
    intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE);
    intent.setType("application/pdf");

    // Optionally, specify a URI for the file that should appear in the
    // system file picker when it loads.
    intent.putExtra(DocumentsContract.EXTRA_INITIAL_URI, pickerInitialUri);

    startActivityForResult(intent, PICK_PDF_FILE);

You can use setType as shown and if you want to default to Downloads, you can use putExtra as shown. Change pickerInitialUri to the correct URI, which I think can be found as a constant: Environment.DIRECTORY_DOWNLOADS .

Update: I realize now you wanted more than one filetype. Per this thread : you can use:

String [] mimeTypes = {"application/pdf", "application/msword", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document"};
intent.setType("*/*");
intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_MIME_TYPES, mimeTypes);

(I got the MIME type strings from mozilla .)