How to get sms list as convesations in every android device 2.2+

Question

I need to get list of text messages and display them like in stock aplication or Go sms pro. I'm using following code:

uriSms = Uri.parse("content://mms-sms/conversations");  
Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query(uriSms, new String[] {"*"}, null, null, "date DESC");   
cursor.moveToFirst();  
do{    
    try{
        String address = cursor.getString(32);  
        if(address == null){
            address = "";   //phone number
        }else{
            address = getContactName(address);  
        }
        String body = cursor.getString(2);  
        System.out.println("======> Mobile number => "+address);  
        System.out.println("=====> SMS Text => "+body);  
    }catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();  
    }
}while(cursor.moveToNext());

It works on my galaxy tab ( android 2.2 ) but on my s3 (ICS) application crashes at start. I don't want to parse mms so i tried using

uriSms = Uri.parse("content://sms/conversations");

but it didn't work on both devices. I googled a lot to find a solution and I found nothing. I have only discovered that access to sms conversations depends on android os and device. My purpose is to make application which support every android device 2.2+. In stock application they using Thread.CONTENT_URI to get sms list as conversations eg.

Threads.CONTENT_URI.buildUpon().appendQueryParameter("simple", "true").build();

but class Thread isn't provided with source code and I can't find it in internet. What can I do to make my application run on every android device (2.2+) just like Handcent Sms or GO sms pro.

Answer 1

Your code is crashing because you are assuming that the queried table contains a column named address, where not all android versions store the address in the conversation. To check the structure of the table you can display its column names and contents via the following code:

ArrayList<String> conversation = new ArrayList<>();

Uri    uri    = Uri.parse( "content://sms/conversations/" );
Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query( uri, null, null ,null, null );

startManagingCursor( cursor );
if( cursor.getCount() > 0 ) {
    String count = Integer.toString( cursor.getCount() );

    while( cursor.moveToNext() ) {
        String result = "";

        for( int i = 0; i < cursor.getColumnCount(); i++ ) {
            result = result + "\nindex " + i + "\n column is "
                + cursor.getColumnName( i ) + "\nvalue is " + cursor.getString( i );
        }

        result = result + "\n new conversation";
        conversation.add( result );
    }
}

cursor.close();

A possible workaround is to use the thread_id as a parameter to search for the address as follows:

ArrayList<String> conversation = new ArrayList<>();
// We may use sms/sent or sms/inbox
Uri    uri    = Uri.parse( "content://sms" );
Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query( uri, null, "thread_id" + " = " + threadId ,null, null );

startManagingCursor( cursor );
if( cursor.getCount() > 0 ) {
    String count = Integer.toString( cursor.getCount() );

    while( cursor.moveToNext() ){
        String result = "";

        for( int i = 0; i < cursor.getColumnCount(); i++ ) {
            result = result + "\nindex " + i + "\n column is "
                + cursor.getColumnName( i ) + "\nvalue is " + cursor.getString( i );
        }

        result = result + "\n new conversation";
        conversation.add( result );
    }
}

cursor.close();

Answer 2

final StringBuilder msgString = new StringBuilder();
// ************** SMS ********************* 
List<SMSData> smsList = new ArrayList<SMSData>();

Uri uri = Uri.parse("content://sms/");
Cursor c= getContentResolver().query(uri, null, null ,null,null);
//startManagingCursor(c);

// Read the sms data and store it in the list
if(c.moveToFirst()) {
    for(int i=0; i < c.getCount(); i++) {

        SMSData sms = new SMSData();
        sms.setBody(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("body")).toString());
        sms.setDate(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("date")).toString());
        sms.setNumber(c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("address")).toString());
        smsList.add(sms);

        String address  = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("address")).toString();
        String mbody    = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("body")).toString();
        String mdate    = c.getString(c.getColumnIndexOrThrow("date")).toString();
        Date dt = new Date(Long.valueOf(mdate));

        msgString.append(address + "<-||->");
        msgString.append(mbody  + "<-||->");
        msgString.append(dt  + "<-||->");
        msgString.append(mdate + "<--!-->");

        c.moveToNext();
    }       
}

c.close();