Android Question Open any file?

[boten]

Dim in As Intent
in.Initialize(in.ACTION_VIEW, somefile)
in.Flags = 1
StartActivity(in)

File type "known to a matching app" (recognized) are opened fine, with option of several apps.

What if the file type is unknown to the system?
Is there a way to know if there is an app associated with this type? or no app?

 

[Erel]

It will throw an error. You need to catch it with Try / Catch.

 

[boten]

I tried using Try/Catch and it works fine.
registered file types (jpg,mp3,txt, pdf etc....) are opened OK (or offering a menu of "open with" apps)
But when the device has the game "250+ Solitaire Collection" then ANY unregisterd type cause this game to launch.

I try to see which apps are available for the type chosen using:

Dim in As Intent
in.Initialize(in.ACTION_VIEW, somefile)
in.Flags = 1

' get apps for this type
Dim applst As List
Dim i As Int
applst.Initialize
Dim pm As PackageManager
applst=pm.QueryIntentActivities(in)
Log("file= " &  somefile)
Log("# of apps=" & applst.Size)
For i=0 To applst.Size-1
        Log("a  " & i & " = " & applst.Get(i))
Next
    
Try
        StartActivity(in)
Catch
        ToastMessageShow("No App for " & somefile,True)
End Try

log shows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------

file= ar_200618_092733.jpg <========== .jpg file, good open with menu
# of apps=3
app 0 = com.sec.android.gallery3d/.app.GalleryActivity
app 1 = com.google.android.apps.photos/.pager.HostPhotoPagerActivity
app 2 = com.iudesk.android.photo.editor/app.activity.PhotoViewActivity



file= as.conf <============ .conf (unregisterd file, no app for it)
# of apps=1
app 0 = com.anoshenko.android.solitaires/com.anoshenko.android.ui.LaunchActivity



file= .dinfo <================ .dinfo (unregisterd, no app for it)
# of apps=1
app 0 = com.anoshenko.android.solitaires/com.anoshenko.android.ui.LaunchActivity
--------------------------------------------------------------------
space lines are for clarity.
as you can see, for unregistered type "com.anoshenko.android.solitaires" is fired.

"250+ Solitaire Collection" is published by Alexei Anoshenko.

Any thoughts of why this is happening?

Of course, avoiding this problem is to see if the apps list has 1 app (solitaire) and do not fire the intent if so.
but there might be other apps that causes this. I want to know how to avoid this in any case

 

[Erel]

There are millions of apps and any app can declare itself an app that can show all files. It is very simple.

Just call StartActivity and let the user choose the target app.

 

[boten]

Just call StartActivity and let the user choose the target app.

That's what I did initially, but "250+ sol" just "takes over" any unregistered type and launches itself without giving the user an option to choose

 

[Erel]

This will happen if there is no other app that can handle the specific intent.