Question

I am trying to open a file for an Android app I am making. I tested the code that opens this file on a regular Java project, and it opens fine. However when I use this code in an Android Java project I get an java.io.FileNotFoundException error.

File file = new File ("list.plist");

Now the list.plist file is in the parent directory of the project. This file will be included in the app as its the only one it will be using.

I guess I am used to Xcode where I can just place the file anywhere in the project and I can access it without a problem.

How am I supposed to structure this path?

Thanks 🙂

I’ve used this but it also did not work.

File file = new File(context.getFilesDir().getAbsoluteFile(), "list.plist");

Answer 1

Firstly, you need to ensure the file you are using is packaged within your app – such as in the assets directory.

Secondly, Android automatically compresses plist files based on the extension. As a workaround, change the extension to something Android will not compress. These extensions include:

".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png", ".gif",
".wav", ".mp2", ".mp3", ".ogg", ".aac",
".mpg", ".mpeg", ".mid", ".midi", ".smf", ".jet",
".rtttl", ".imy", ".xmf", ".mp4", ".m4a",
".m4v", ".3gp", ".3gpp", ".3g2", ".3gpp2",
".amr", ".awb", ".wma", ".wmv"

(for full article, see dealing-with-asset-compression-in-android-apps)