MIME type for directories in Android

Question

I was wondering if I can start an Intent for viewing a directory with a File browser (if there's one installed on the device) so I can open a folder like this:

Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
Uri uri = Uri.parse("file:///sdcard/MyFolder");
intent.setDataAndType(uri, "MIME TYPE FOR FOLDERS");
startActivity(intent);

Answer 1

This is an ancient question but I noticed that the directory MimeType had not actually been specified properly in any of the answers. I found this in the Google code sample for SAF (Storage Access Framework) android-StorageProvider:

DocumentsContract.Document.MIME_TYPE_DIR

Which is this string:

vnd.android.document/directory

So for the initial question:

    Uri uri = Uri.parse(getFilesDir().getPath());
    int OPEN_REQUEST = 1337;
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT);
    intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE);
    intent.setDataAndType(uri, DocumentsContract.Document.MIME_TYPE_DIR);

    startActivityForResult(intent, OPEN_REQUEST);

But the Storage Access Framework will navigate through the directories for you. So you may only need to do this:

    int OPEN_REQUEST = 1337;
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT);
    intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE);
    intent.setType("*/*");

    startActivityForResult(intent, OPEN_REQUEST);

Answer 2

AndExplorer has vendor mime types to use AndExplorer as a file chooser:

• vnd.android.cursor.dir/lysesoft.andexplorer.director
• vnd.android.cursor.dir/lysesoft.andexplorer.file

See AndExplorer's developper documentation for more information. I think other file explorers as similar features, but I didn't find their docs yet.