Resolving URI Permission Issues for Playing Local MP4 Files in Android Apps

Описание: Discover how to persist URI permissions in Android to enable seamless playback of local MP4 files without re-selection.
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Resolving URI Permission Issues for Playing Local MP4 Files in Android Apps

Developing an Android app that allows users to play local video files can be quite challenging, especially when dealing with URI permissions. If you're facing difficulties playing a selected MP4 file after closing and reopening your app, you're not alone. In this guide, we'll explore the problem and provide a step-by-step solution to ensure that your app can play local MP4 files smoothly, without the need for re-selection every time.

The Challenge

You aim to build an app that lets users select and play their local MP4 videos. While it’s straightforward to include buffer files in the project (like storing the MP4 in the raw folder), this method substantially increases the app's size. Instead, you want to enable users to choose any MP4 file stored on their device. Here’s what you’ve implemented so far:

You use ActivityResultLauncher to allow users to pick a video file.

You save the selected URI for later use when playing the video.

However, upon closing and reopening the app, you find that you can no longer play the MP4 file directly using the saved URI due to permission restrictions. Here’s the issue rephrased:

Problem: The app needs to ask users to select the MP4 file again each time it is reopened.

Understanding URI Permissions

When you call the OpenDocument action to select a video, you receive a URI that temporarily gives your app access to that file.

However, this permission is not persistent. Therefore, when your app closes, you lose the ability to access that file unless the user selects it again.

The Solution

The key to overcoming URI permission issues is to use the takePersistableUriPermission method, which allows your app to retain access to the selected file even after it closes. Below are the steps you should take to implement this solution effectively.

Step 1: Modify Your Video File Picker Code

Make modifications to your existing code to include the persistence of URI permission right after the user selects a video. Here is how to do it:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Play the Video Using the Stored URI

When you want to play the video, simply refer to the videoUri you saved along with the persistent permissions. Here’s the code snippet for playing the video:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By integrating the takePersistableUriPermission method, you can ensure that your Android app retains the necessary URI permissions to play local MP4 files seamlessly, even after the app is closed and reopened. This ultimately creates a more user-friendly experience, eliminating the inconvenience of re-selecting video files.

With these changes, you should now be able to play your local MP4 files without encountering permission errors. Happy coding!