Convert Uri return from Gallery to file path

The old exercise "Select Image using Android build-in Gallery" show how to selecte photo using Gallery app, in Uri form. In this exercise, the returned Uri is converted to file path in String form.

I also show using deprecated managedQuery() method for API under level 11, and CursorLoader() method for API level 11 or higher.

Layout file:

<LinearLayout 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"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    tools:context=".MainActivity" >

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="http://android-er.blogspot.com/"
        android:textStyle="bold"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:autoLink="web" />
    
    <Button
        android:id="@+id/loadimage" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
        android:text="Load Image"/>
    <TextView 
        android:id="@+id/targeturi" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
    <TextView 
        android:id="@+id/targetpath1" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
    <TextView 
        android:id="@+id/targetpath2" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
</LinearLayout>

MainActivity.java

package com.example.androidselectimage;

import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.provider.MediaStore;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.CursorLoader;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.database.Cursor;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class MainActivity extends Activity {
 
 TextView textTargetUri, textTargetPath1, textTargetPath2;

 @Override
 protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
  setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
  
  Button buttonLoadImage = (Button)findViewById(R.id.loadimage);
        textTargetUri = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.targeturi);
        textTargetPath1 = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.targetpath1);
        textTargetPath2 = (TextView)findViewById(R.id.targetpath2);
        
        buttonLoadImage.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener(){

   @Override
   public void onClick(View arg0) {
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK, 
      android.provider.MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI);
    startActivityForResult(intent, 0);
   }});
 }

 @Override
 protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
  // TODO Auto-generated method stub
  super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
  
  if (resultCode == RESULT_OK){
   Uri targetUri = data.getData();
   textTargetUri.setText("Uri: " + targetUri.toString());
   textTargetPath1.setText("path: " + getPathFromUri_managedQuery(targetUri));
   textTargetPath2.setText("path: " + getPathFromUri_CursorLoader(targetUri));
  }
 }
 
 //using deprecated managedQuery() method 
 private String getPathFromUri_managedQuery(Uri uri){
  String [] projection = {MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA};
  
        Cursor cursor = managedQuery( 
          uri, 
          projection,
          null,   //selection
          null,   //selectionArgs
          null   //sortOrder
        );
        
        int column_index = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA);
        cursor.moveToFirst();

        return cursor.getString(column_index);
 }

 //using CursorLoader() method for API level 11 or higher
 private String getPathFromUri_CursorLoader(Uri uri){
  
  String [] projection = {MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA};
  
  CursorLoader cursorLoader = new CursorLoader(
    getApplicationContext(),
    uri, 
          projection,
          null,   //selection
          null,   //selectionArgs
          null   //sortOrder
        );
  
  Cursor cursor = cursorLoader.loadInBackground();
  
  int column_index = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA);
        cursor.moveToFirst();

        return cursor.getString(column_index);    
 }
}

Note: To use CursorLoader() in your code, you have to modify AndroidManifest.xml to speciify android:minSdkVersion="11".

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.androidselectimage"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0" >

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="11"
        android:targetSdkVersion="17" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >
        <activity
            android:name="com.example.androidselectimage.MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name" >
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Download the files.