android intent filter for custom file extension

Question

I am trying to make an android app to open files with extension .abc and this is my application section from android manifest xml

Answer 1

First of all, the first intent-filter in your example uses MIME type image/jpeg. Is jpeg your .abc extension?

I think there may be three reasons why this does not work:

1. You need to add more MIME types. Try adding the following:

   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE"/>
       <data android:mimeType="application/abc"/>
   </intent-filter>
   
   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE"/>
       <data android:mimeType="application/octet-stream"/>
   </intent-filter>
   

   And, if your .abc format is a text format:

   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE"/>
       <data android:mimeType="text/plain"/>
   </intent-filter>
   

2. You have registered the file scheme. You might also need the content scheme:

   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
       <data android:scheme="content" />
       <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
       <data android:pathPattern=".*\\.abc" />
       <data android:host="*" />
   </intent-filter>
   

3. Rumor has it that pathPattern with a dot only matches files containing a single dot. In your example, this would mean that your app would be associated with One.abc but not with Two.Dots.abc. Try adding more pathPatterns .*\\..*\\.abc, .*\\..*\\..*\\.abc etc.:

   <intent-filter>
       <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
       <data android:scheme="file" />
       <data android:mimeType="*/*" />
       <data android:pathPattern=".*\\..*\\.abc" />
       <data android:host="*" />
   </intent-filter>