Trouble with reading file from assets folder in Android

Question

This question is with regards to this one . Since it is a specific question I moved that question by itself here. I have tried creating a text file, "foo.txt", an read it into my Activity doing:

File file = new File("/assets/foo.txt");
if ( file.exists() ){
    txtView.setText("Exists");
}
else{
    txtView.setText("Does not exist");
}

The "foo.txt" file is located in my assets folder and I have verified that it exists in the OS. My TextView always gets the text "Does not exist" from the code above. I have tried going

File file = new File("/assets/foo.txt");
Scanner in = new Scanner(file);

as well, but this produces the following inline error: "Unhandled exception type FileNotFoundException". Eclipse then suggest to involve try/catch, which removes the error but it doesn't work properly then either.

I have also tried setting my assets folder to "Use as source folder", but this does not make any difference. I have also tried using a raw folder as several people suggests to no use. I am out of options and really need help for this one. Should be easy...

Another try is to go

AssetManager assetManager = getResources().getAssets();
InputStream is = assetManager.open("assets/foo.txt");

but this produces the inline error in the second line: "Unhandled exception type IOException".

Answer 1

I'm with CommonsWare in that case (that's the safe side :) ), but it should be:

AssetManager assetManager = getResources().getAssets();
InputStream inputStream = null;

    try {
        inputStream = assetManager.open("foo.txt");
            if ( inputStream != null)
                Log.d(TAG, "It worked!");
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }

Do not use InputStream is = assetManager.open("assets/foo.txt");

Answer 2

You do not access assets/ at runtime using File . You access assets/ at runtime using AssetManager , which you can get via getResources().getAssets() .

Answer 3

try this :

    private AssetManager am;
     am=getAssets();

     InputStream inputStream = null ;  
        try   
        {  
            inputStream = am.open("read.txt");  
        }   
        catch (IOException e) {}