ContentProvider Examples

This is a ContentProvider tutorial. Through various examples you will learn how to use contentprovider to load data from an android device. ContentProvider is one of android's fundamental components, alongside activity, service, application and broadcastreceiver. As such it is important for your android development journey.

What is a ContentProvider?

A content provider manages access to a central repository of data. A provider is part of an Android application, which often provides its own UI for working with the data.

However, content providers are primarily intended to be used by other applications, which access the provider using a provider client object. Together, providers and provider clients offer a consistent, standard interface to data that also handles inter-process communication and secure data access.

Typically you work with content providers in one of two scenarios; you may want to implement code to access an existing content provider in another application, or you may want to create a new content provider in your application to share data with other applications. This topic covers the basics of working with existing content providers.

Example 1 - How to Load Contacts from the device.

This example examines how to use content provider to load contacts from any android device.

Step 1: Dependencies

No third party dependency is needed.

Step 2: Add Permissions

To read contacts from a user's device, you need permission from the user. Thus you need to add the READ_CONTACTS permission which will be shown to the user when the user is installing your app.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS"/>

Step 3: Design UI

The UI will comprise a button a listview. The user presses the button and contacts are fetched and loaded onto the listview.

activity_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context="com.parag.contentprovidersample.MainActivity">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Get contact names"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"
        />

    <ListView
        android:id="@+id/listview"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:layout_below="@+id/btn"
        android:layout_margin="10dp"/>

</RelativeLayout>

Step 3: Write Code

The code is in java but can be converted to kotlin.

MainActivity.java

Add imports including the LoaderManager and cursorLoader:

import android.app.LoaderManager;
import android.content.CursorLoader;
import android.content.Loader;
import android.database.Cursor;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.provider.ContactsContract;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.ArrayAdapter;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.ListView;

import java.util.ArrayList;

Extend the appcompactivity and implement several interfaces including the LoaderManager.LoaderCallbacks<Cursor>:

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements View.OnClickListener,LoaderManager.LoaderCallbacks<Cursor>{

Declare our UI widgets as well as projection:

    Button button;
    ListView listView;
    String[] projection = {ContactsContract.Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME};
    boolean hasLoaded;

Here's the rest of the code:

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        button = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn);
        listView = (ListView)findViewById(R.id.listview);
        button.setOnClickListener(this);

    }

    @Override
    public Loader<Cursor> onCreateLoader(int i, Bundle bundle) { // CursorLoader instance
        Uri uri = ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI;
        String orderBy = ContactsContract.Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME_PRIMARY;
        if(i == 1) {
            return new CursorLoader(this,uri ,projection,null,null,orderBy);
        }
        else
        {
            return null;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onLoadFinished(Loader<Cursor> loader, Cursor cursor) {

        ArrayList<String> contactList = new ArrayList<>();
        if(cursor != null && cursor.getCount() > 0)
        {
            while(cursor.moveToNext())
            {
                contactList.add(cursor.getString(0));
            }
            ArrayAdapter<String> contactArrayAdapter = new ArrayAdapter<>(this,android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,contactList);
            listView.setAdapter(contactArrayAdapter);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onLoaderReset(Loader<Cursor> loader) {

    }

    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
        switch (view.getId())
        {
            case R.id.btn:
                if(!hasLoaded)
                {
                    getLoaderManager().initLoader(1,null,this);
                    hasLoaded = true;
                }
                else
                {
                    getLoaderManager().restartLoader(1,null,this);
                }
        }
    }
}

Reference

No.	Name
1.	Download Now
2.	Visit Author

Example 2: ## Kotlin Android ContentProviders, Room MVVM Example

In this tutorial you will learn how to implement your own ContentProvider to access data from a Room Database via the MVVM design pattern.

Step 1: Create Project

Start by creating an empty Android Studio project.

Step 2: Dependencies

In your app/build.gradle addd the following dependencies:

    //Anko to async load data from room
    implementation "org.jetbrains.anko:anko-common:$ankoVersion"
    implementation "android.arch.persistence.room:runtime:$roomVersion"
    kapt "android.arch.persistence.room:compiler:$roomVersion"
    annotationProcessor "android.arch.persistence.room:compiler:$roomVersion"

Step : Create Model class

Villains.kt

import androidx.room.ColumnInfo
import androidx.room.Entity
import androidx.room.PrimaryKey
import android.content.ContentValues
import android.provider.BaseColumns

@Entity(tableName = Villains.TABLE_NAME)
data class Villains(
        @ColumnInfo(name = VILLAIN_NAME)
        var villainName: String,
        @ColumnInfo(name = VILLAIN_SERIES)
        var villainSeries: String,
        @PrimaryKey(autoGenerate = true)
        @ColumnInfo(index = true, name = COLUMN_ID)
        var id: Long = 0) {

    companion object {

        const val COLUMN_ID = BaseColumns._ID
        const val TABLE_NAME = "villains"
        const val VILLAIN_NAME = "villain_name"
        const val VILLAIN_SERIES = "series"
        val villainsName = listOf("Joker", "DeathStroke", "Reverse Flash", "Lex Luthor", "Harley Quinn")
        val villainsSeries = listOf("Batman", "Arrow", "Flash", "Superman", "Suicide Squad")
        var villain: Villains = Villains("", "")
        fun fromContentValues(vals: ContentValues): Villains {
            if (vals.containsKey(COLUMN_ID)) {
                villain.id = vals.getAsLong(COLUMN_ID)
            }
            if (vals.containsKey(VILLAIN_NAME)) {
                villain.villainName = vals.getAsString(VILLAIN_NAME)
            }
            if (vals.containsKey(VILLAIN_SERIES)) {
                villain.villainSeries = vals.getAsString(VILLAIN_SERIES)
            }
            return villain
        }
    }

}

Step : Create Dao Interface

VillainsDao.kt

import androidx.room.Dao
import androidx.room.Insert
import androidx.room.Query
import android.database.Cursor
import androidx.room.Update

@Dao
interface VillainsDao {

    @Query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM " + Villains.TABLE_NAME)
    fun count(): Int

    @Query("SELECT * FROM " + Villains.TABLE_NAME)
    fun selectAll(): Cursor

    @Insert
    fun insert(villains: Villains): Long

    @Query("DELETE FROM " + Villains.TABLE_NAME + " WHERE " + Villains.COLUMN_ID + " = :id")
    fun deleteById(id: Long): Int

    @Query("SELECT * FROM " + Villains.TABLE_NAME + " WHERE " + Villains.COLUMN_ID + " = :id")
    fun selectById(id: Long): Cursor

    @Update
    fun update(villains: Villains): Int

}

Step : Create Room Database

VillainsDatabase.kt

package com.developers.contentproviders.data

import androidx.room.Database
import androidx.room.Room
import androidx.room.RoomDatabase
import android.content.Context

@Database(entities = arrayOf(Villains::class), version = 1)
abstract class VillainsDatabase : RoomDatabase() {

    abstract fun villainDao(): VillainsDao

    companion object {

        private lateinit var villainDatabase: VillainsDatabase

        fun villainDatabaseInstance(context: Context): VillainsDatabase {
            villainDatabase = Room.databaseBuilder(context,
                    VillainsDatabase::class.java, "room-db").build()
            villainDatabase.insertDummyData()
            return villainDatabase
        }
    }

    private fun insertDummyData() {
        if (villainDao().count() == 0) {
            beginTransaction()
            try {
                for (i in 0..4) {
                    val villain = Villains(Villains.villainsName[i], Villains.villainsSeries[i])
                    villainDao().insert(villain)
                }
                setTransactionSuccessful()
            } catch (exception: Exception) {
                exception.printStackTrace()
            } finally {
                endTransaction()
            }

        }
    }
}

Step : Create a ContentProvider

VillainProvider.kt

import android.content.*
import android.database.Cursor
import android.net.Uri
import com.developers.contentproviders.data.Villains
import com.developers.contentproviders.data.VillainsDatabase

class VillainProvider : ContentProvider() {

    companion object {
        val AUTHORITY: String = "com.developers.contentproviders"
        val uri = Uri.parse("content://" + AUTHORITY + "/" + Villains.TABLE_NAME)
        val CODE_VILLAINS_ALL = 1
        val CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM = 2
        val MATCHER = UriMatcher(UriMatcher.NO_MATCH)

        init {
            MATCHER.addURI(AUTHORITY, Villains.TABLE_NAME, CODE_VILLAINS_ALL)
            MATCHER.addURI(AUTHORITY, Villains.TABLE_NAME + "/*", CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM)
        }
    }

    override fun delete(uri: Uri, selection: String?, selectionArgs: Array<String>?): Int {
        // Implement this to handle requests to delete one or more rows.
        when(MATCHER.match(uri)){
           CODE_VILLAINS_ALL->{
               throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid URI, cannot update without ID" + uri);
           }
           CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM->{
               val count = VillainsDatabase.villainDatabaseInstance(context).villainDao()
                       .deleteById(ContentUris.parseId(uri))
               context.getContentResolver().notifyChange(uri, null)
               return count
           }
           else->{
               throw IllegalArgumentException("\"Unknown URI: \" + uri")
           }
        }
    }

    override fun getType(uri: Uri): String? {
        // at the given URI for getting MIME TYPE
        when (MATCHER.match(uri)) {
            CODE_VILLAINS_ALL ->
                return ContentResolver.CURSOR_DIR_BASE_TYPE + "/" + AUTHORITY + Villains.TABLE_NAME
            CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM ->
                return ContentResolver.CURSOR_ITEM_BASE_TYPE + "/" + AUTHORITY + Villains.TABLE_NAME
            else ->
                throw IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI: " + uri)
        }
    }

    override fun insert(uri: Uri, values: ContentValues?): Uri? {
        //for insertion of contentValues
        when (MATCHER.match(uri)) {
            CODE_VILLAINS_ALL -> {
                val id = VillainsDatabase.villainDatabaseInstance(context).villainDao()
                        .insert(Villains.fromContentValues(values as ContentValues))
                context.contentResolver.notifyChange(uri, null)
                VillainsDatabase.villainDatabaseInstance(context).close()
                return ContentUris.withAppendedId(uri, id)
            }
            CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM -> {
                throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid URI, cannot insert with ID: " + uri)
            }
            else -> {
                throw IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI: " + uri);
            }
        }
    }

    override fun onCreate(): Boolean {
        // TODO: Implement this to initialize your content provider on startup.
        return true
    }

    override fun query(uri: Uri, projection: Array<String>?, selection: String?,
                       selectionArgs: Array<String>?, sortOrder: String?): Cursor? {
        val code = MATCHER.match(uri)
        if (code == CODE_VILLAINS_ALL || code == CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM) {
            val villain = VillainsDatabase.villainDatabaseInstance(context).villainDao()
            if (code == CODE_VILLAINS_ALL) {
                val cursor = villain.selectAll()
                cursor.setNotificationUri(context.getContentResolver(), uri)
                return cursor
            } else {
                val cursor = villain.selectById(ContentUris.parseId(uri))
                cursor.setNotificationUri(context.getContentResolver(), uri)
                return cursor
            }
        } else {
            throw java.lang.IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI: " + uri)
        }
    }

    override fun update(uri: Uri, values: ContentValues?, selection: String?,
                        selectionArgs: Array<String>?): Int {
        when (MATCHER.match(uri)) {
            CODE_VILLAINS_ALL -> {
                throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid URI, cannot update without ID" + uri);
            }
            CODE_VILLAIN_ITEM -> {
                val villains = Villains.fromContentValues(values as ContentValues)
                villains.id = ContentUris.parseId(uri)
                val count = VillainsDatabase.villainDatabaseInstance(context).villainDao().update(villains)
                context.getContentResolver().notifyChange(uri, null)
                return count
            }
            else -> {
                throw java.lang.IllegalArgumentException("Unknown URI: " + uri)
            }
        }
    }
}

Step : Create RecyclerView Adapter

VillainAdapter.kt

import android.content.Context
import android.database.Cursor
import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView
import android.view.LayoutInflater
import android.view.View
import android.view.ViewGroup
import com.developers.contentproviders.MainActivity
import com.developers.contentproviders.R
import com.developers.contentproviders.data.Villains
import kotlinx.android.synthetic.main.item_row.view.*
import java.util.logging.Logger

class VillainAdapter(val context: Context) : RecyclerView.Adapter<VillainAdapter.MyViewHolder>() {

    lateinit var mCursor: Cursor

    companion object {
        val log = Logger.getLogger(MainActivity::class.java.name)
    }

    override fun getItemCount(): Int {
        if(mCursor.count>0){
            return mCursor.count
        }
        else{
            return 0
        }
    }

    override fun onCreateViewHolder(parent: ViewGroup, viewType: Int): MyViewHolder {
        val view = LayoutInflater.from(context).inflate(R.layout.item_row, parent, false)
        return MyViewHolder(view)
    }

    override fun onBindViewHolder(holder: MyViewHolder, position: Int) {
        if (mCursor.moveToPosition(position)) {
            holder?.bindItems(mCursor)
        }
    }

    class MyViewHolder(itemView: View) : RecyclerView.ViewHolder(itemView) {

        fun bindItems(cursor: Cursor) {
            itemView.name_text_view.text =cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(Villains.VILLAIN_NAME))
            itemView.id_text_view.text = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(Villains.COLUMN_ID)).toString()
            itemView.series_text_view.text = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(Villains.VILLAIN_SERIES))
        }
    }

    fun setVillains(cursor: Cursor) {
        mCursor = cursor
        notifyDataSetChanged()
    }
}

Step : Create MainActivity

MainActivity.kt

import android.content.ContentValues
import android.database.Cursor
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.loader.app.LoaderManager
import androidx.loader.content.CursorLoader
import androidx.loader.content.Loader
import androidx.recyclerview.widget.LinearLayoutManager
import com.developers.contentproviders.adapter.VillainAdapter
import com.developers.contentproviders.data.Villains
import kotlinx.android.synthetic.main.activity_main.*
import org.jetbrains.anko.doAsync
import java.util.logging.Logger

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity(), LoaderManager.LoaderCallbacks<Cursor> {

    private lateinit var mAdapter: VillainAdapter

    companion object {
        const val LOADER_VILLAIN = 1
        val log = Logger.getLogger(MainActivity::class.java.name)
    }

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)
        val layoutManager = LinearLayoutManager(applicationContext)
        doAsync {
            //Insert through content provider
            val values = ContentValues()
            values.put(Villains.VILLAIN_NAME, "Gustavo Fring")
            values.put(Villains.VILLAIN_SERIES, "Breaking Bad")
            contentResolver.insert(VillainProvider.uri, values)
        }
        layoutManager.orientation = LinearLayoutManager.VERTICAL
        recycler_view.layoutManager = layoutManager
        supportLoaderManager.initLoader(LOADER_VILLAIN, null, this)
    }

    override fun onCreateLoader(id: Int, args: Bundle?): Loader<Cursor> {
        when (id) {
            LOADER_VILLAIN -> {
                return CursorLoader(applicationContext, VillainProvider.uri, arrayOf(Villains.VILLAIN_NAME,
                        Villains.VILLAIN_SERIES, Villains.COLUMN_ID), null, null, null)
            }
            else -> {
                throw IllegalArgumentException()
            }
        }
    }

    override fun onLoaderReset(loader: Loader<Cursor>) {
        when (loader.id) {
            LOADER_VILLAIN -> {
                log.info("In RESET")
            }
        }
    }

    override fun onLoadFinished(loader: Loader<Cursor>, data: Cursor?) {
        when (loader.id) {
            LOADER_VILLAIN -> {
                mAdapter = VillainAdapter(applicationContext)
                recycler_view.adapter = mAdapter
                mAdapter.setVillains(data as Cursor)
            }
        }
    }
}

Run

Copy the code or download it in the link below, build and run.

Reference

Here are the reference links:

Number	Link
1.	Download Example
2.	Follow code author
3.	Code: Apache 2.0 License