MediaStore: After updating the file which is created by my app it cannot be deleted easily

Question

Next code for deleting a file which my app owns works ok, there is no exception RecoverableSecurityException because the file was created by my app (using ContentResolver.insert(...) method)

getVideoFileContentUri(context, file)?.let { uri ->
    try {
        context.contentResolver.delete(uri, null, null)
    } catch (securityException: RecoverableSecurityException) {
        val intentSender =
            securityException.userAction.actionIntent.intentSender
        intentSender?.let {
            activity.startIntentSenderForRecsult(
                intentSender,
                REQUEST_CODE,
                null,
                0,
                0,
                0,
                null
            )
        }
    }
}

fun getVideoFileContentUri(context: Context, file: File): Uri? {
    val filePath = file.absolutePath
    val cursor = context.contentResolver.query(
        MediaStore.Video.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI, arrayOf(MediaStore.Video.Media._ID),
        MediaStore.Video.Media.DATA + "=? ", arrayOf(filePath), null
    )
    return if (cursor != null && cursor.moveToFirst()) {
        val id: Int = cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(MediaStore.MediaColumns._ID))
        cursor.close()
        Uri.withAppendedPath(MediaStore.Video.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI, "" + id)
    } else {
        null
    }
}

But if I update a file created by app using ContentResolver.update(...) method then deleting the file will require permission - it throws RecoverableSecurityException and starts intent which opens a system dialog to confirm modifying the file

// here I change file name of the file
val contentValues = ContentValues(1).apply {
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.DISPLAY_NAME, "SOME NEW FILE NAME")
}
contentResolver.update(uri, contentValues, null, null)

So now it doesn't look like my app owns that file and for deleting it my users have to confirm deletion for each file

This is really annoying, how can I solve this problem?

So after ContentResolver.update(...) for your own file created by ContentResolver.insert(...) app loses permission for modifying this file and will require requesting it

Answer 1

I found a solution.

When you create a file we need to add put(MediaStore.*.Media.IS_PENDING, 1) to content values:

val contentValues = ContentValues(5).apply {
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.IS_PENDING, 1)
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.DISPLAY_NAME, "INITIAL FILENAME")
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.DATE_ADDED, System.currentTimeMillis() / 1000)
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.MIME_TYPE, "video/mp4")
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.RELATIVE_PATH, relativePath)
}

val uri = resolver.insert(
    MediaStore.Video.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI,
    contentValues
)

And then when you're done with a file (e.g., finished video recording using MediaRecorder to that file) you can update it like this (you have to add put(MediaStore.*.Media.IS_PENDING, 0):

val contentValues = ContentValues(2).apply {
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.IS_PENDING, 0)
    put(MediaStore.Video.Media.DISPLAY_NAME, "NEW FILENAME, E.G. APPENDING END RECORDING TIMESTAMP TO PREVIOUS FILE NAME")
}
resolver.update(uri, contentValues, null, null)

And then when calling ContentResolver.delete(...) function, requesting permission is not needed anymore (RecoverableSecurityException isn't thrown)

try {
    resolver.delete(uri, null, null)
} catch (securityException: RecoverableSecurityException) {
    val intentSender =
        securityException.userAction.actionIntent.intentSender
    intentSender?.let {
        activity.startIntentSenderForRecsult(
            intentSender,
            REQUEST_CODE,
            null,
            0,
            0,
            0,
            null
        )
}

Users aren't annoyed :)

Though if a user reinstall your app, permission requesting will be required for all the files your app previously created, yeah beginning with Android Q it's not easy... :)