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Android Content Providers Overview

This document provides an overview of content providers in Android. It discusses that content providers allow data to be shared across applications and act like a database that can be queried, edited, inserted to, and deleted from. It describes the key components of a content provider including URIs, content provider methods that must be implemented like query(), insert(), etc. It then provides an example of how to create a basic content provider by extending ContentProvider and implementing the required methods along with registering the provider in the manifest.

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Peace Chan
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© All Rights Reserved
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17 views14 pages

Android Content Providers Overview

This document provides an overview of content providers in Android. It discusses that content providers allow data to be shared across applications and act like a database that can be queried, edited, inserted to, and deleted from. It describes the key components of a content provider including URIs, content provider methods that must be implemented like query(), insert(), etc. It then provides an example of how to create a basic content provider by extending ContentProvider and implementing the required methods along with registering the provider in the manifest.

Uploaded by

Peace Chan
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

2/14/2021 Android - Content Providers - Tutorialspoint

Android - Content Providers

A content provider component supplies data from one application to others on request.
Such requests are handled by the methods of the ContentResolver class. A content
provider can use different ways to store its data and the data can be stored in a database,
in files, or even over a network.

ContentProvider

sometimes it is required to share data across applications. This is where content


providers become very useful.

Content providers let you centralize content in one place and have many different applications
access it as needed. A content provider behaves very much like a database where you can
query it, edit its content, as well as add or delete content using insert(), update(), delete(), and
query() methods. In most cases this data is stored in an SQlite database.
A content provider is implemented as a subclass of ContentProvider class and must implement
a standard set of APIs that enable other applications to perform transactions.

public class My Application extends ContentProvider {


}

Content URIs
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To query a content provider, you specify the query string in the form of a URI which has following
format −

<prefix>://<authority>/<data_type>/<id>

Here is the detail of various parts of the URI −

[Link] Part & Description

prefix
1
This is always set to content://

authority

2 This specifies the name of the content provider, for example contacts, browser etc.
For third-party content providers, this could be the fully qualified name, such as
[Link]

data_type

3 This indicates the type of data that this particular provider provides. For example, if
you are getting all the contacts from the Contacts content provider, then the data path
would be people and URI would look like thiscontent://contacts/people

id

4 This specifies the specific record requested. For example, if you are looking for
contact number 5 in the Contacts content provider then URI would look like this
content://contacts/people/5.

Create Content Provider

This involves number of simple steps to create your own content provider.
First of all you need to create a Content Provider class that extends the
ContentProviderbaseclass.

Second, you need to define your content provider URI address which will be used to
access the content.
Next you will need to create your own database to keep the content. Usually, Android
uses SQLite database and framework needs to override onCreate() method which will
use SQLite Open Helper method to create or open the provider's database. When your
application is launched, the onCreate() handler of each of its Content Providers is called
on the main application thread.

Next you will have to implement Content Provider queries to perform different database
specific operations.

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Finally register your Content Provider in your activity file using <provider> tag.

Here is the list of methods which you need to override in Content Provider class to have your
Content Provider working −

ContentProvider

onCreate() This method is called when the provider is started.


query() This method receives a request from a client. The result is returned as a Cursor
object.
insert()This method inserts a new record into the content provider.
delete() This method deletes an existing record from the content provider.

update() This method updates an existing record from the content provider.
getType() This method returns the MIME type of the data at the given URI.

Example
This example will explain you how to create your own ContentProvider. So let's follow the
following steps to similar to what we followed while creating Hello World Example−

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Step Description

1 You will use Android StudioIDE to create an Android application and name it as My
Application under a package [Link], with blank Activity.

2 Modify main activity file [Link] to add two new methods onClickAddName()
and onClickRetrieveStudents().

3 Create a new java file called [Link] under the package


[Link] to define your actual provider and associated methods.

4 Register your content provider in your [Link] file using <provider.../> tag

5 Modify the default content of res/layout/activity_main.xml file to include a small GUI to


add students records.

6 No need to change [Link] studio take care of [Link] file.

7 Run the application to launch Android emulator and verify the result of the changes
done in the application.

Following is the content of the modified main activity file


src/[Link]/[Link]. This file can include each of the
fundamental life cycle methods. We have added two new methods onClickAddName() and
onClickRetrieveStudents() to handle user interaction with the application.

package [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];

import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];

public class MainActivity extends Activity {

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
[Link](savedInstanceState);
setContentView([Link].activity_main);
}
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}
public void onClickAddName(View view) {
// Add a new student record
ContentValues values = new ContentValues();
[Link]([Link],
((EditText)findViewById([Link].editText2)).getText().toString());

[Link]([Link],
((EditText)findViewById([Link].editText3)).getText().toString());

Uri uri = getContentResolver().insert(


StudentsProvider.CONTENT_URI, values);

[Link](getBaseContext(),
[Link](), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
}
public void onClickRetrieveStudents(View view) {
// Retrieve student records
String URL = "content://[Link]";

Uri students = [Link](URL);


Cursor c = managedQuery(students, null, null, null, "name");

if ([Link]()) {
do{

[Link](this,
[Link]([Link](StudentsProvider._ID)) +
", " + [Link]([Link]( [Link]
", " + [Link]([Link]( StudentsProvider.G
Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
} while ([Link]());
}
}
}

Create new file [Link] under [Link] package and following


is the content of src/[Link]/[Link] −

package [Link];

import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];
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import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];

public class StudentsProvider extends ContentProvider {


static final String PROVIDER_NAME = "[Link]
static final String URL = "content://" + PROVIDER_NAME + "/students";
static final Uri CONTENT_URI = [Link](URL);

static final String _ID = "_id";


static final String NAME = "name";
static final String GRADE = "grade";

private static HashMap<String, String> STUDENTS_PROJECTION_MAP;

static final int STUDENTS = 1;


static final int STUDENT_ID = 2;

static final UriMatcher uriMatcher;


static{
uriMatcher = new UriMatcher(UriMatcher.NO_MATCH);
[Link](PROVIDER_NAME, "students", STUDENTS);
[Link](PROVIDER_NAME, "students/#", STUDENT_ID);
}

/**
* Database specific constant declarations
*/

private SQLiteDatabase db;


static final String DATABASE_NAME = "College";
static final String STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME = "students";
static final int DATABASE_VERSION = 1;
static final String CREATE_DB_TABLE =
" CREATE TABLE " + STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME +
" (_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT, " +
" name TEXT NOT NULL, " +
" grade TEXT NOT NULL);";

/**
* Helper class that actually creates and manages
* the provider's underlying data repository.
*/

private static class DatabaseHelper extends SQLiteOpenHelper {


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DatabaseHelper(Context context){
super(context, DATABASE_NAME, null, DATABASE_VERSION);
}

@Override
public void onCreate(SQLiteDatabase db) {
[Link](CREATE_DB_TABLE);
}

@Override
public void onUpgrade(SQLiteDatabase db, int oldVersion, int newVersio
[Link]("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS " + STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME);

onCreate(db);
}
}

@Override
public boolean onCreate() {
Context context = getContext();
DatabaseHelper dbHelper = new DatabaseHelper(context);

/**
* Create a write able database which will trigger its
* creation if it doesn't already exist.
*/

db = [Link]();
return (db == null)? false:true;
}

@Override
public Uri insert(Uri uri, ContentValues values) {
/**
* Add a new student record
*/
long rowID = [Link]( STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME, "", values);

/**
* If record is added successfully
*/
if (rowID > 0) {
Uri _uri = [Link](CONTENT_URI, rowID);
getContext().getContentResolver().notifyChange(_uri, null);
return _uri;
}

throw new SQLException("Failed to add a record into " + uri);


}

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@Override
public Cursor query(Uri uri, String[] projection,
String selection,String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder) {
SQLiteQueryBuilder qb = new SQLiteQueryBuilder();
[Link](STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME);

switch ([Link](uri)) {
case STUDENTS:
[Link](STUDENTS_PROJECTION_MAP);
break;

case STUDENT_ID:

[Link]( _ID + "=" + [Link]().get(1));


break;

default:
}

if (sortOrder == null || sortOrder == ""){


/**
* By default sort on student names
*/
sortOrder = NAME;
}

Cursor c = [Link](db, projection, selection,


selectionArgs,null, null, sortOrder);
/**
* register to watch a content URI for changes
*/
[Link](getContext().getContentResolver(), uri);
return c;
}

@Override
public int delete(Uri uri, String selection, String[] selectionArgs) {
int count = 0;
switch ([Link](uri)){
case STUDENTS:
count = [Link](STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME, selection, selectionArgs)
break;

case STUDENT_ID:
String id = [Link]().get(1);
count = [Link]( STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME, _ID + " = " + id +
(![Link](selection) ? "
AND (" + selection + ')' : ""), selectionArgs);
break;
default:
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throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI " + uri);


}

getContext().getContentResolver().notifyChange(uri, null);
return count;
}

@Override
public int update(Uri uri, ContentValues values,
String selection, String[] selectionArgs) {
int count = 0;
switch ([Link](uri)) {

case STUDENTS:
count = [Link](STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME, values, selection, select
break;

case STUDENT_ID:
count = [Link](STUDENTS_TABLE_NAME, values,
_ID + " = " + [Link]().get(1) +
(![Link](selection) ? "
AND (" +selection + ')' : ""), selectionArgs);
break;
default:
throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI " + uri );
}

getContext().getContentResolver().notifyChange(uri, null);
return count;
}

@Override
public String getType(Uri uri) {
switch ([Link](uri)){
/**
* Get all student records
*/
case STUDENTS:
return "[Link]/[Link]";
/**
* Get a particular student
*/
case STUDENT_ID:
return "[Link]/[Link]";
default:
throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported URI: " + uri);
}
}
}

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Following will the modified content of [Link] file. Here we have added
<provider.../> tag to include our content provider:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>


<manifest xmlns:android="[Link]
package="[Link]">

<application
android:allowBackup="true"
android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:label="@string/app_name"
android:supportsRtl="true"
android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
<activity android:name=".MainActivity">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="[Link]" />
<category android:name="[Link]" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<provider android:name="StudentsProvider"
android:authorities="[Link]"/>
</application>
</manifest>

Following will be the content of res/layout/activity_main.xml file−

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>


<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="[Link]
xmlns:tools="[Link]
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
tools:context="[Link]">

<TextView
android:id="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Content provider"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:textSize="30dp" />

<TextView
android:id="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
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android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Tutorials point "
android:textColor="#ff87ff09"
android:textSize="30dp"
android:layout_below="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" />

<ImageButton
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/imageButton"
android:src="@drawable/abc"
android:layout_below="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" />

<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/button2"
android:text="Add Name"
android:layout_below="@+id/editText3"
android:layout_alignRight="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_alignEnd="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/textView2"
android:layout_alignStart="@+id/textView2"
android:onClick="onClickAddName"/>

<EditText
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/editText"
android:layout_below="@+id/imageButton"
android:layout_alignRight="@+id/imageButton"
android:layout_alignEnd="@+id/imageButton" />

<EditText
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/editText2"
android:layout_alignTop="@+id/editText"
android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_alignStart="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_alignRight="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_alignEnd="@+id/textView1"
android:hint="Name"
android:textColorHint="@android:color/holo_blue_light" />

<EditText
android:layout_width="wrap_content"

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android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/editText3"
android:layout_below="@+id/editText"
android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/editText2"
android:layout_alignStart="@+id/editText2"
android:layout_alignRight="@+id/editText2"
android:layout_alignEnd="@+id/editText2"
android:hint="Grade"
android:textColorHint="@android:color/holo_blue_bright" />

<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Retrive student"
android:id="@+id/button"
android:layout_below="@+id/button2"
android:layout_alignRight="@+id/editText3"
android:layout_alignEnd="@+id/editText3"
android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/button2"
android:layout_alignStart="@+id/button2"
android:onClick="onClickRetrieveStudents"/>
</RelativeLayout>

Make sure you have following content of res/values/[Link] file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>


<resources>
<string name="app_name">My Application</string>
</resources>;

Let's try to run our modified My Application application we just created. I assume you had
created your AVD while doing environment set-up. To run the app from Android Studio IDE,

open one of your project's activity files and click Run icon from the tool bar. Android Studio
installs the app on your AVD and starts it and if everything is fine with your set-up and
application, it will display following Emulator window, be patience because it may take sometime
based on your computer speed −

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Now let's enter student Name and Grade and finally click on Add Name button, this will add
student record in the database and will flash a message at the bottom showing ContentProvider
URI along with record number added in the database. This operation makes use of our insert()
method. Let's repeat this process to add few more students in the database of our content
provider.

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Once you are done with adding records in the database, now its time to ask ContentProvider to
give us those records back, so let's click Retrieve Students button which will fetch and display
all the records one by one which is as per our the implementation of our query() method.
You can write activities against update and delete operations by providing callback functions in
[Link] file and then modify user interface to have buttons for update and deleted
operations in the same way as we have done for add and read operations.
This way you can use existing Content Provider like Address Book or you can use Content
Provider concept in developing nice database oriented applications where you can perform all
sort of database operations like read, write, update and delete as explained above in the
example.

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Common questions

Powered by AI

Creating a custom Content Provider in Android involves several steps. First, you need to create a class that extends the ContentProvider base class and implement the required methods: onCreate(), query(), insert(), delete(), update(), and getType(). You must define a URI that applications will use to interact with your provider by specifying the content URI structure, which typically follows the format content://<authority>/<data_type>/<id> . Next, set up your provider's database, often using SQLite, where the onCreate() method of SQLiteOpenHelper initializes or opens the database . Within the ContentProvider class, define database-specific operations, handle URIs through a UriMatcher, and manage database tables and queries. Finally, register the provider in the AndroidManifest.xml file using the <provider> tag, specifying its authority and exporting settings . All these components together allow for robust data management and sharing strategies within and between Android applications.

SQLite is often used as the underlying database for Content Providers due to its efficiency, lightweight nature, and feature-rich capabilities that suit mobile environments. It offers robust support for complex queries, transactions, and data integrity, crucial for managing application data . As a serverless database, SQLite reduces overhead by embedding directly into the application process, thus minimizing latency and resource consumption — critical factors in mobile app performance. It also integrates seamlessly with Android's native development tools, leveraging existing SDK functionalities like SQLiteOpenHelper for database lifecycle management, which simplifies database setup and maintenance . These characteristics make SQLite an ideal choice for managing structured data within Content Providers, providing both performance and scalability. .

URI patterns in Content Providers are significant because they define how data is accessed and manipulated. They serve as the addressing scheme for data contained within a Content Provider, allowing different applications to query specific data parts. The URI pattern typically consists of a prefix ('content://'), authority (identifying the Content Provider), and path segments indicating data types and specific records . The UriMatcher class processes these URI patterns to determine which specific method in the Content Provider should handle a given request, enabling fine-grained access to data and supporting various operations like querying specific tables or rows . This mechanism allows for a clean separation of data access logic from data manipulation, fostering secure and flexible data sharing paradigms in Android applications .

The `UriMatcher` class functions within a Content Provider to map content URIs to specific data operations or tables. It is critical for handling URI requests as it allows the Content Provider to efficiently determine the set of operations that match a given URI's pattern. The `UriMatcher` is set up by defining multiple URI patterns paired with integer codes representing different request types, such as accessing all records (`students`) or a specific record (`students/#`). When a URI is passed to the Content Provider, the `UriMatcher` resolves it to identify the intended action, determining whether the operation is a query, insert, update, or delete. This mechanism provides a streamlined way to handle complex URI routing logic within the provider, promoting robust and understandable organization of the access control and logic flow .

Content Providers in Android offer several advantages by acting as a central hub for data sharing between applications. They allow different applications to securely access, insert, update, or delete data in a centralized manner using a standard set of APIs. This facilitates data consistency and integrity across applications . Moreover, Content Providers abstract the underlying data storage method, whether it be a database such as SQLite, files, or even network data, making it easier to manage and access data. This separation of data access from data storage enhances the modularity and maintainability of Android applications . Additionally, by using URIs to uniquely identify data items, Content Providers enable fine-grained access control and the ability to handle complex data types seamlessly .

Registering a Content Provider in the AndroidManifest.xml file is crucial for its recognition and operation within the Android ecosystem. The registration process involves declaring the `<provider>` tag in the manifest file, which includes specifying the provider's authority, visibility settings, and any permissions required for access . This setup is vital because it dictates the provider's accessibility to other applications, defining whether it's exported and under what conditions data can be shared. Accurate configuration of these settings ensures that the Content Provider is correctly identified and interacted with by other components across applications, maintaining both the security and integrity of data transactions. By managing the contract between the provider and other components through the manifest, developers can ensure consistent and secure operation across different environments .

When implementing a Content Provider, several key methods must be overridden to handle various data operations: - **onCreate()**: Initializes the Content Provider when it is started, often used to create or open the database . - **query()**: Accepts a request for data and returns a Cursor object that contains the results. It is used to retrieve data from the provider . - **insert()**: Adds a new entry to the ContentProvider, returning the URI for the newly inserted item . - **delete()**: Deletes data from the provider, specified by a selection clause and optional arguments, and returns the number of rows deleted . - **update()**: Modifies existing data in the provider and returns the number of rows affected . - **getType()**: Returns the MIME type of the data at the given URI, essential for clients to understand the type of data returned . Each method plays a critical role in enabling efficient data manipulation and retrieval, contributing to seamless inter-application communication.

The `getType()` method in a Content Provider is essential as it returns the MIME type of the data corresponding to a given URI. This method plays a crucial role in data requests, as it allows client applications to understand the format and type of data they are retrieving, which is necessary for processing the data correctly . MIME types help in identifying whether the response contains a single item (`vnd.android.cursor.item/*`) or multiple items (`vnd.android.cursor.dir/*`). This distinction guides applications in rendering the data appropriately or in structuring further queries based on the type of data requested. Proper implementation of the `getType()` method ensures that data is handled correctly and efficiently by client applications, enhancing data management and user experience .

Creating a Content Provider enhances data security in Android by enforcing controlled access to the shared data through well-defined APIs. Providers use URIs and permission schemes to specify and enforce access controls, ensuring only authorized applications can access or modify the data . They allow developers to specify `read` and `write` permissions separately in the AndroidManifest.xml, granting granular access control to different parts of the data. Furthermore, Content Providers can validate and sanitize user inputs to prevent SQL injection and other malicious interactions during database operations . By using content providers, data is not directly exposed to applications as raw files or unprotected resources, thus minimizing opportunities for unauthorized data access or breaches.

The ContentResolver class acts as an intermediary between an application and the Content Providers it needs to interact with. It is crucial for performing data transactions as it provides methods to communicate with Content Providers to query, insert, delete, and update data. This class abstracts the complexities of the underlying data access operations by providing a unified interface for accessing different providers and managing concurrency and inter-process communication . The ContentResolver handles URI resolution, making it possible to perform operations on data without needing to know the specifics of the data source. This is essential for maintaining data integrity and consistency across applications using shared data .

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