cannot request READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission

Question

I am trying to read image paths from the storage and i keep getting the SecurityException here:

Caused by: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: reading com.android.providers.media.MediaProvider uri content://media/external/images/media from pid=31409, uid=10053 requires android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, or grantUriPermission()

I am compiling against api 23 and have the permissions clearly stated in my Manifest as a direct child of my Manifest. I understand as well that the new runtime permissions state you have to ask for permission during runtime when you want to access the storage. When i write this line that would begin the check for the permission i get a cannot resolve issue in the IDE:

ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this, Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)

cannot resolve symbol Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. The only Manifest.permission that i can clearly state in my code is Manifest.permission.C2D_MESSAGE without getting a cannot resolve error. Is there something else i need to compile to have access to the other permissions in code?

Just to be clear this is the block of code that is giving me the SecurityException:

public List<String> getCameraImagesFull(Context context) {
        Cursor cursor = null;
        String[] star = {"*"};
        ArrayList<String> result = new ArrayList<>();
        cursor = context.getContentResolver().query(MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI, star, null, null, MediaStore.MediaColumns.DATE_ADDED + " DESC");
        if (cursor != null) {
            if (cursor.moveToFirst()) {
                do {
                    String path = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA));
                    result.add(path);
                } while (cursor.moveToNext());
            }
            cursor.close();
        }
        return result;
    }

this is the line that throws the exception:

cursor = context.getContentResolver().query(MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI, star, null, null, MediaStore.MediaColumns.DATE_ADDED + " DESC");

And here are all the permissions stated in my manifest:

<permission
        android:name="com.example.gcm.permission.C2D_MESSAGE"
        android:protectionLevel="signature" />

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_ACCOUNTS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.USE_CREDENTIALS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.c2dm.permission.RECEIVE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="com.example.gcm.permission.C2D_MESSAGE" />

i am just wondering how i go about requesting that permission so i can get the image paths. This all works when i compile against any Lollipop build, just with the new runtime permissions on Marshmallow im getting the SecurityExeption. Any and all help is appreciated, thanks in advance

Answer 1

cannot resolve symbol Manifest.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

You need to add an import statement for android.Manifest, the same way you do with any other Java class.

The only Manifest.permission that i can clearly state in my code is Manifest.permission.C2D_MESSAGE without getting a cannot resolve error

There is no such value (C2D_MESSAGE) in android.Manifest.permission. I don't even know where there is a Manifest class, with a permission inner class, with a field named C2D_MESSAGE.