How Can I Get the Real Path of a Text File Selected from Android's File Explorer?

Get Real Path of a Text File from File Explorer in Android

In Android, when selecting a file from the file explorer using Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT, you may encounter difficulties in obtaining the file's real path. This is because the Uri returned by the file explorer may not directly point to a filesystem path.

To understand this issue, it is crucial to know that ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT opens a document, not necessarily a file. The document may be a file, but it could also be a database entry, a stream of bytes, or some other type of data object.

Therefore, trying to get the "real path" of a file from a document Uri is not always possible or advisable. Here are some alternative approaches:

1. Use ContentResolver: Instead of trying to extract the file path, use ContentResolver and openInputStream() to read the contents of the document and write them to a file that you control. This ensures that you have a local copy of the data that you can work with.
2. Use a File Chooser Library: If you are specifically interested in selecting files, integrate a file chooser library into your app. These libraries provide a more controlled file selection experience and can simplify the process of obtaining the file's path. However, keep in mind that filesystem access is restricted in newer versions of Android, especially for external storage.
3. Check the Document's Scheme: If you use ACTION_GET_CONTENT, check the scheme of the returned Uri. If it is "file," you can use the getPath() method to retrieve the filesystem path. However, if the scheme is anything else, you should not rely on the Uri providing a path to a file.

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