getExternalFilesDir(null) returns null for some users

Question

So the problem I have is the following,

the following line of code throws a NullPointerException for some users of my app, yet i don`t know why

String state = Environment.getExternalStorageState();
if(Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED.equals(state))
    baseDir = getExternalFilesDir(null).getAbsolutePath();
else
    baseDir = getFilesDir().getAbsolutePath();

to be more specific its this part

baseDir = getExternalFilesDir(null).getAbsolutePath();

This code is called in the OnPostCreate() and I also have the required permissions in case you wondered.

So getExternalFilesDir(null) returns null for some reason even though it would be mounted.

I also searched a bit on SO and found related post with the same question but no real answer only good one is this one.

So is this just a problem on some user phones or a problem in general on androids end ?

user3542327 · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-13 21:26:49Z

6

This is strange. The android documentation says it only returns null when the external storage is not mounted. I think the right thing to is this:

String state = Environment.getExternalStorageState();
if(Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED.equals(state)) {
    File baseDirFile = getExternalFilesDir(null);
    if(baseDirFile == null) {
        baseDir = getFilesDir().getAbsolutePath();
    } else {
        baseDir = baseDirFile.getAbsolutePath();
    }
} else {
    baseDir = getFilesDir().getAbsolutePath();
}

answered Dec 13, 2014 at 21:26

user3542327

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

DokutoMekki Over a year ago

hmmm, yeah it pretty much the only solution to this I assume. Yet it would be interessting to know why this can happen. My only assumption would be that it depends on the implementation of the manufacture.

FractalBob Over a year ago

I've seen this problem as well, but for me, it's sporadic and does not depend on the user. I think it's a timing problem within the OS, but I haven't been able to make it happen, so I can't submit a bug report.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

getExternalFilesDir(null) returns null for some users

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related