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Android APIs
public abstract class

ContentProvider

extends Object
implements ComponentCallbacks2
java.lang.Object
   ↳ android.content.ContentProvider
Known Direct Subclasses

Class Overview

Content providers are one of the primary building blocks of Android applications, providing content to applications. They encapsulate data and provide it to applications through the single ContentResolver interface. A content provider is only required if you need to share data between multiple applications. For example, the contacts data is used by multiple applications and must be stored in a content provider. If you don't need to share data amongst multiple applications you can use a database directly via SQLiteDatabase.

When a request is made via a ContentResolver the system inspects the authority of the given URI and passes the request to the content provider registered with the authority. The content provider can interpret the rest of the URI however it wants. The UriMatcher class is helpful for parsing URIs.

The primary methods that need to be implemented are:

Data access methods (such as insert(Uri, ContentValues) and update(Uri, ContentValues, String, String[])) may be called from many threads at once, and must be thread-safe. Other methods (such as onCreate()) are only called from the application main thread, and must avoid performing lengthy operations. See the method descriptions for their expected thread behavior.

Requests to ContentResolver are automatically forwarded to the appropriate ContentProvider instance, so subclasses don't have to worry about the details of cross-process calls.

Developer Guides

For more information about using content providers, read the Content Providers developer guide.

Summary

Nested Classes
interface ContentProvider.PipeDataWriter<T> Interface to write a stream of data to a pipe. 
[Expand]
Inherited Constants
From interface android.content.ComponentCallbacks2
Public Constructors
ContentProvider()
Construct a ContentProvider instance.
Public Methods
ContentProviderResult[] applyBatch(ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation> operations)
Override this to handle requests to perform a batch of operations, or the default implementation will iterate over the operations and call apply(ContentProvider, ContentProviderResult[], int) on each of them.
void attachInfo(Context context, ProviderInfo info)
After being instantiated, this is called to tell the content provider about itself.
int bulkInsert(Uri uri, ContentValues[] values)
Override this to handle requests to insert a set of new rows, or the default implementation will iterate over the values and call insert(Uri, ContentValues) on each of them.
Bundle call(String method, String arg, Bundle extras)
Call a provider-defined method.
abstract int delete(Uri uri, String selection, String[] selectionArgs)
Implement this to handle requests to delete one or more rows.
final Context getContext()
Retrieves the Context this provider is running in.
final PathPermission[] getPathPermissions()
Return the path-based permissions required for read and/or write access to this content provider.
final String getReadPermission()
Return the name of the permission required for read-only access to this content provider.
String[] getStreamTypes(Uri uri, String mimeTypeFilter)
Called by a client to determine the types of data streams that this content provider supports for the given URI.
abstract String getType(Uri uri)
Implement this to handle requests for the MIME type of the data at the given URI.
final String getWritePermission()
Return the name of the permission required for read/write access to this content provider.
abstract Uri insert(Uri uri, ContentValues values)
Implement this to handle requests to insert a new row.
void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig)
Called by the system when the device configuration changes while your component is running. This method is always called on the application main thread, and must not perform lengthy operations.
abstract boolean onCreate()
Implement this to initialize your content provider on startup.
void onLowMemory()
This is called when the overall system is running low on memory, and would like actively running process to try to tighten their belt. This method is always called on the application main thread, and must not perform lengthy operations.
void onTrimMemory(int level)
Called when the operating system has determined that it is a good time for a process to trim unneeded memory from its process.
AssetFileDescriptor openAssetFile(Uri uri, String mode)
This is like openFile(Uri, String), but can be implemented by providers that need to be able to return sub-sections of files, often assets inside of their .apk.
ParcelFileDescriptor openFile(Uri uri, String mode)
Override this to handle requests to open a file blob.
<T> ParcelFileDescriptor openPipeHelper(Uri uri, String mimeType, Bundle opts, T args, PipeDataWriter<T> func)
A helper function for implementing openTypedAssetFile(Uri, String, Bundle), for creating a data pipe and background thread allowing you to stream generated data back to the client.
AssetFileDescriptor openTypedAssetFile(Uri uri, String mimeTypeFilter, Bundle opts)
Called by a client to open a read-only stream containing data of a particular MIME type.
abstract Cursor query(Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection, String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder)
Implement this to handle query requests from clients.
Cursor query(Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection, String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder, CancellationSignal cancellationSignal)
Implement this to handle query requests from clients with support for cancellation.
void shutdown()
Implement this to shut down the ContentProvider instance.
abstract int update(Uri uri, ContentValues values, String selection, String[] selectionArgs)
Implement this to handle requests to update one or more rows.
Protected Methods
boolean isTemporary()
Returns true if this instance is a temporary content provider.
final ParcelFileDescriptor openFileHelper(Uri uri, String mode)
Convenience for subclasses that wish to implement openFile(Uri, String) by looking up a column named "_data" at the given URI.
final void setPathPermissions(PathPermission[] permissions)
Change the path-based permission required to read and/or write data in the content provider.
final void setReadPermission(String permission)
Change the permission required to read data from the content provider.
final void setWritePermission(String permission)
Change the permission required to read and write data in the content provider.
[Expand]
Inherited Methods
From class java.lang.Object
From interface android.content.ComponentCallbacks
From interface android.content.ComponentCallbacks2

Public Constructors

public ContentProvider ()

Added in API level 1

Construct a ContentProvider instance. Content providers must be declared in the manifest, accessed with ContentResolver, and created automatically by the system, so applications usually do not create ContentProvider instances directly.

At construction time, the object is uninitialized, and most fields and methods are unavailable. Subclasses should initialize themselves in onCreate(), not the constructor.

Content providers are created on the application main thread at application launch time. The constructor must not perform lengthy operations, or application startup will be delayed.

Public Methods

public ContentProviderResult[] applyBatch (ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation> operations)

Added in API level 5

Override this to handle requests to perform a batch of operations, or the default implementation will iterate over the operations and call apply(ContentProvider, ContentProviderResult[], int) on each of them. If all calls to apply(ContentProvider, ContentProviderResult[], int) succeed then a ContentProviderResult array with as many elements as there were operations will be returned. If any of the calls fail, it is up to the implementation how many of the others take effect. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Parameters
operations the operations to apply
Returns
  • the results of the applications
Throws
OperationApplicationException thrown if any operation fails.

public void attachInfo (Context context, ProviderInfo info)

Added in API level 1

After being instantiated, this is called to tell the content provider about itself.

Parameters
context The context this provider is running in
info Registered information about this content provider

public int bulkInsert (Uri uri, ContentValues[] values)

Added in API level 1

Override this to handle requests to insert a set of new rows, or the default implementation will iterate over the values and call insert(Uri, ContentValues) on each of them. As a courtesy, call notifyChange() after inserting. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Parameters
uri The content:// URI of the insertion request.
values An array of sets of column_name/value pairs to add to the database.
Returns
  • The number of values that were inserted.

public Bundle call (String method, String arg, Bundle extras)

Added in API level 11

Call a provider-defined method. This can be used to implement interfaces that are cheaper and/or unnatural for a table-like model.

Parameters
method method name to call. Opaque to framework, but should not be null.
arg provider-defined String argument. May be null.
extras provider-defined Bundle argument. May be null.
Returns
  • provider-defined return value. May be null. Null is also the default for providers which don't implement any call methods.

public abstract int delete (Uri uri, String selection, String[] selectionArgs)

Added in API level 1

Implement this to handle requests to delete one or more rows. The implementation should apply the selection clause when performing deletion, allowing the operation to affect multiple rows in a directory. As a courtesy, call notifyDelete() after deleting. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

The implementation is responsible for parsing out a row ID at the end of the URI, if a specific row is being deleted. That is, the client would pass in content://contacts/people/22 and the implementation is responsible for parsing the record number (22) when creating a SQL statement.

Parameters
uri The full URI to query, including a row ID (if a specific record is requested).
selection An optional restriction to apply to rows when deleting.
Returns
  • The number of rows affected.
Throws
SQLException

public final Context getContext ()

Added in API level 1

Retrieves the Context this provider is running in. Only available once onCreate() has been called -- this will return null in the constructor.

public final PathPermission[] getPathPermissions ()

Added in API level 4

Return the path-based permissions required for read and/or write access to this content provider. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

public final String getReadPermission ()

Added in API level 1

Return the name of the permission required for read-only access to this content provider. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

public String[] getStreamTypes (Uri uri, String mimeTypeFilter)

Added in API level 11

Called by a client to determine the types of data streams that this content provider supports for the given URI. The default implementation returns null, meaning no types. If your content provider stores data of a particular type, return that MIME type if it matches the given mimeTypeFilter. If it can perform type conversions, return an array of all supported MIME types that match mimeTypeFilter.

Parameters
uri The data in the content provider being queried.
mimeTypeFilter The type of data the client desires. May be a pattern, such as *\/* to retrieve all possible data types.
Returns
  • Returns null if there are no possible data streams for the given mimeTypeFilter. Otherwise returns an array of all available concrete MIME types.

public abstract String getType (Uri uri)

Added in API level 1

Implement this to handle requests for the MIME type of the data at the given URI. The returned MIME type should start with vnd.android.cursor.item for a single record, or vnd.android.cursor.dir/ for multiple items. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Note that there are no permissions needed for an application to access this information; if your content provider requires read and/or write permissions, or is not exported, all applications can still call this method regardless of their access permissions. This allows them to retrieve the MIME type for a URI when dispatching intents.

Parameters
uri the URI to query.
Returns
  • a MIME type string, or null if there is no type.

public final String getWritePermission ()

Added in API level 1

Return the name of the permission required for read/write access to this content provider. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

public abstract Uri insert (Uri uri, ContentValues values)

Added in API level 1

Implement this to handle requests to insert a new row. As a courtesy, call notifyChange() after inserting. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Parameters
uri The content:// URI of the insertion request.
values A set of column_name/value pairs to add to the database.
Returns
  • The URI for the newly inserted item.

public void onConfigurationChanged (Configuration newConfig)

Added in API level 1

Called by the system when the device configuration changes while your component is running. Note that, unlike activities, other components are never restarted when a configuration changes: they must always deal with the results of the change, such as by re-retrieving resources.

At the time that this function has been called, your Resources object will have been updated to return resource values matching the new configuration. This method is always called on the application main thread, and must not perform lengthy operations.

The default content provider implementation does nothing. Override this method to take appropriate action. (Content providers do not usually care about things like screen orientation, but may want to know about locale changes.)

Parameters
newConfig The new device configuration.

public abstract boolean onCreate ()

Added in API level 1

Implement this to initialize your content provider on startup. This method is called for all registered content providers on the application main thread at application launch time. It must not perform lengthy operations, or application startup will be delayed.

You should defer nontrivial initialization (such as opening, upgrading, and scanning databases) until the content provider is used (via query(Uri, String[], String, String[], String), insert(Uri, ContentValues), etc). Deferred initialization keeps application startup fast, avoids unnecessary work if the provider turns out not to be needed, and stops database errors (such as a full disk) from halting application launch.

If you use SQLite, SQLiteOpenHelper is a helpful utility class that makes it easy to manage databases, and will automatically defer opening until first use. If you do use SQLiteOpenHelper, make sure to avoid calling getReadableDatabase() or getWritableDatabase() from this method. (Instead, override onOpen(SQLiteDatabase) to initialize the database when it is first opened.)

Returns
  • true if the provider was successfully loaded, false otherwise

public void onLowMemory ()

Added in API level 1

This is called when the overall system is running low on memory, and would like actively running process to try to tighten their belt. While the exact point at which this will be called is not defined, generally it will happen around the time all background process have been killed, that is before reaching the point of killing processes hosting service and foreground UI that we would like to avoid killing.

Applications that want to be nice can implement this method to release any caches or other unnecessary resources they may be holding on to. The system will perform a gc for you after returning from this method. This method is always called on the application main thread, and must not perform lengthy operations.

The default content provider implementation does nothing. Subclasses may override this method to take appropriate action.

public void onTrimMemory (int level)

Added in API level 14

Called when the operating system has determined that it is a good time for a process to trim unneeded memory from its process. This will happen for example when it goes in the background and there is not enough memory to keep as many background processes running as desired. You should never compare to exact values of the level, since new intermediate values may be added -- you will typically want to compare if the value is greater or equal to a level you are interested in.

To retrieve the processes current trim level at any point, you can use ActivityManager.getMyMemoryState(RunningAppProcessInfo).

Parameters
level The context of the trim, giving a hint of the amount of trimming the application may like to perform. May be TRIM_MEMORY_COMPLETE, TRIM_MEMORY_MODERATE, TRIM_MEMORY_BACKGROUND, TRIM_MEMORY_UI_HIDDEN, TRIM_MEMORY_RUNNING_CRITICAL, TRIM_MEMORY_RUNNING_LOW, or TRIM_MEMORY_RUNNING_MODERATE.

public AssetFileDescriptor openAssetFile (Uri uri, String mode)

Added in API level 3

This is like openFile(Uri, String), but can be implemented by providers that need to be able to return sub-sections of files, often assets inside of their .apk. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

If you implement this, your clients must be able to deal with such file slices, either directly with openAssetFileDescriptor(Uri, String), or by using the higher-level ContentResolver.openInputStream or ContentResolver.openOutputStream methods.

If you are implementing this to return a full file, you should create the AssetFileDescriptor with UNKNOWN_LENGTH to be compatible with applications that can not handle sub-sections of files.

Parameters
uri The URI whose file is to be opened.
mode Access mode for the file. May be "r" for read-only access, "w" for write-only access (erasing whatever data is currently in the file), "wa" for write-only access to append to any existing data, "rw" for read and write access on any existing data, and "rwt" for read and write access that truncates any existing file.
Returns
  • Returns a new AssetFileDescriptor which you can use to access the file.
Throws
FileNotFoundException Throws FileNotFoundException if there is no file associated with the given URI or the mode is invalid.
SecurityException Throws SecurityException if the caller does not have permission to access the file.

public ParcelFileDescriptor openFile (Uri uri, String mode)

Added in API level 1

Override this to handle requests to open a file blob. The default implementation always throws FileNotFoundException. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

This method returns a ParcelFileDescriptor, which is returned directly to the caller. This way large data (such as images and documents) can be returned without copying the content.

The returned ParcelFileDescriptor is owned by the caller, so it is their responsibility to close it when done. That is, the implementation of this method should create a new ParcelFileDescriptor for each call.

Parameters
uri The URI whose file is to be opened.
mode Access mode for the file. May be "r" for read-only access, "rw" for read and write access, or "rwt" for read and write access that truncates any existing file.
Returns
  • Returns a new ParcelFileDescriptor which you can use to access the file.
Throws
FileNotFoundException Throws FileNotFoundException if there is no file associated with the given URI or the mode is invalid.
SecurityException Throws SecurityException if the caller does not have permission to access the file.

public ParcelFileDescriptor openPipeHelper (Uri uri, String mimeType, Bundle opts, T args, PipeDataWriter<T> func)

Added in API level 11

A helper function for implementing openTypedAssetFile(Uri, String, Bundle), for creating a data pipe and background thread allowing you to stream generated data back to the client. This function returns a new ParcelFileDescriptor that should be returned to the caller (the caller is responsible for closing it).

Parameters
uri The URI whose data is to be written.
mimeType The desired type of data to be written.
opts Options supplied by caller.
args Your own custom arguments.
func Interface implementing the function that will actually stream the data.
Returns
  • Returns a new ParcelFileDescriptor holding the read side of the pipe. This should be returned to the caller for reading; the caller is responsible for closing it when done.

public AssetFileDescriptor openTypedAssetFile (Uri uri, String mimeTypeFilter, Bundle opts)

Added in API level 11

Called by a client to open a read-only stream containing data of a particular MIME type. This is like openAssetFile(Uri, String), except the file can only be read-only and the content provider may perform data conversions to generate data of the desired type.

The default implementation compares the given mimeType against the result of getType(Uri) and, if the match, simple calls openAssetFile(Uri, String).

See ClipData for examples of the use and implementation of this method.

Parameters
uri The data in the content provider being queried.
mimeTypeFilter The type of data the client desires. May be a pattern, such as *\/*, if the caller does not have specific type requirements; in this case the content provider will pick its best type matching the pattern.
opts Additional options from the client. The definitions of these are specific to the content provider being called.
Returns
  • Returns a new AssetFileDescriptor from which the client can read data of the desired type.
Throws
FileNotFoundException Throws FileNotFoundException if there is no file associated with the given URI or the mode is invalid.
SecurityException Throws SecurityException if the caller does not have permission to access the data.
IllegalArgumentException Throws IllegalArgumentException if the content provider does not support the requested MIME type.

public abstract Cursor query (Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection, String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder)

Added in API level 1

Implement this to handle query requests from clients. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Example client call:

// Request a specific record.
 Cursor managedCursor = managedQuery(
                ContentUris.withAppendedId(Contacts.People.CONTENT_URI, 2),
                projection,    // Which columns to return.
                null,          // WHERE clause.
                null,          // WHERE clause value substitution
                People.NAME + " ASC");   // Sort order.
Example implementation:

// SQLiteQueryBuilder is a helper class that creates the
        // proper SQL syntax for us.
        SQLiteQueryBuilder qBuilder = new SQLiteQueryBuilder();

        // Set the table we're querying.
        qBuilder.setTables(DATABASE_TABLE_NAME);

        // If the query ends in a specific record number, we're
        // being asked for a specific record, so set the
        // WHERE clause in our query.
        if((URI_MATCHER.match(uri)) == SPECIFIC_MESSAGE){
            qBuilder.appendWhere("_id=" + uri.getPathLeafId());
        }

        // Make the query.
        Cursor c = qBuilder.query(mDb,
                projection,
                selection,
                selectionArgs,
                groupBy,
                having,
                sortOrder);
        c.setNotificationUri(getContext().getContentResolver(), uri);
        return c;

Parameters
uri The URI to query. This will be the full URI sent by the client; if the client is requesting a specific record, the URI will end in a record number that the implementation should parse and add to a WHERE or HAVING clause, specifying that _id value.
projection The list of columns to put into the cursor. If null all columns are included.
selection A selection criteria to apply when filtering rows. If null then all rows are included.
selectionArgs You may include ?s in selection, which will be replaced by the values from selectionArgs, in order that they appear in the selection. The values will be bound as Strings.
sortOrder How the rows in the cursor should be sorted. If null then the provider is free to define the sort order.
Returns
  • a Cursor or null.

public Cursor query (Uri uri, String[] projection, String selection, String[] selectionArgs, String sortOrder, CancellationSignal cancellationSignal)

Added in API level 16

Implement this to handle query requests from clients with support for cancellation. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Example client call:

// Request a specific record.
 Cursor managedCursor = managedQuery(
                ContentUris.withAppendedId(Contacts.People.CONTENT_URI, 2),
                projection,    // Which columns to return.
                null,          // WHERE clause.
                null,          // WHERE clause value substitution
                People.NAME + " ASC");   // Sort order.
Example implementation:

// SQLiteQueryBuilder is a helper class that creates the
        // proper SQL syntax for us.
        SQLiteQueryBuilder qBuilder = new SQLiteQueryBuilder();

        // Set the table we're querying.
        qBuilder.setTables(DATABASE_TABLE_NAME);

        // If the query ends in a specific record number, we're
        // being asked for a specific record, so set the
        // WHERE clause in our query.
        if((URI_MATCHER.match(uri)) == SPECIFIC_MESSAGE){
            qBuilder.appendWhere("_id=" + uri.getPathLeafId());
        }

        // Make the query.
        Cursor c = qBuilder.query(mDb,
                projection,
                selection,
                selectionArgs,
                groupBy,
                having,
                sortOrder);
        c.setNotificationUri(getContext().getContentResolver(), uri);
        return c;

If you implement this method then you must also implement the version of query(Uri, String[], String, String[], String) that does not take a cancellation signal to ensure correct operation on older versions of the Android Framework in which the cancellation signal overload was not available.

Parameters
uri The URI to query. This will be the full URI sent by the client; if the client is requesting a specific record, the URI will end in a record number that the implementation should parse and add to a WHERE or HAVING clause, specifying that _id value.
projection The list of columns to put into the cursor. If null all columns are included.
selection A selection criteria to apply when filtering rows. If null then all rows are included.
selectionArgs You may include ?s in selection, which will be replaced by the values from selectionArgs, in order that they appear in the selection. The values will be bound as Strings.
sortOrder How the rows in the cursor should be sorted. If null then the provider is free to define the sort order.
cancellationSignal A signal to cancel the operation in progress, or null if none. If the operation is canceled, then OperationCanceledException will be thrown when the query is executed.
Returns
  • a Cursor or null.

public void shutdown ()

Added in API level 11

Implement this to shut down the ContentProvider instance. You can then invoke this method in unit tests.

Android normally handles ContentProvider startup and shutdown automatically. You do not need to start up or shut down a ContentProvider. When you invoke a test method on a ContentProvider, however, a ContentProvider instance is started and keeps running after the test finishes, even if a succeeding test instantiates another ContentProvider. A conflict develops because the two instances are usually running against the same underlying data source (for example, an sqlite database).

Implementing shutDown() avoids this conflict by providing a way to terminate the ContentProvider. This method can also prevent memory leaks from multiple instantiations of the ContentProvider, and it can ensure unit test isolation by allowing you to completely clean up the test fixture before moving on to the next test.

public abstract int update (Uri uri, ContentValues values, String selection, String[] selectionArgs)

Added in API level 1

Implement this to handle requests to update one or more rows. The implementation should update all rows matching the selection to set the columns according to the provided values map. As a courtesy, call notifyChange() after updating. This method can be called from multiple threads, as described in Processes and Threads.

Parameters
uri The URI to query. This can potentially have a record ID if this is an update request for a specific record.
values A Bundle mapping from column names to new column values (NULL is a valid value).
selection An optional filter to match rows to update.
Returns
  • the number of rows affected.

Protected Methods

protected boolean isTemporary ()

Added in API level 1

Returns true if this instance is a temporary content provider.

Returns
  • true if this instance is a temporary content provider

protected final ParcelFileDescriptor openFileHelper (Uri uri, String mode)

Added in API level 1

Convenience for subclasses that wish to implement openFile(Uri, String) by looking up a column named "_data" at the given URI.

Parameters
uri The URI to be opened.
mode The file mode. May be "r" for read-only access, "w" for write-only access (erasing whatever data is currently in the file), "wa" for write-only access to append to any existing data, "rw" for read and write access on any existing data, and "rwt" for read and write access that truncates any existing file.
Returns
  • Returns a new ParcelFileDescriptor that can be used by the client to access the file.

protected final void setPathPermissions (PathPermission[] permissions)

Added in API level 4

Change the path-based permission required to read and/or write data in the content provider. This is normally set for you from its manifest information when the provider is first created.

Parameters
permissions Array of path permission descriptions.

protected final void setReadPermission (String permission)

Added in API level 1

Change the permission required to read data from the content provider. This is normally set for you from its manifest information when the provider is first created.

Parameters
permission Name of the permission required for read-only access.

protected final void setWritePermission (String permission)

Added in API level 1

Change the permission required to read and write data in the content provider. This is normally set for you from its manifest information when the provider is first created.

Parameters
permission Name of the permission required for read/write access.