Android mkdirs() not working

Question

I''m developing my first Android application and I'v run into a problem while trying to create a directory to save recorded video files.

I have a method in my main activity buttonOnClickRecord that invokes an intent to use the android camera, I'm also creating a file during this method call and I'm calling the mkdirs() method on it to create the directory to store the file.

I have also implemented <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" /> in my Manifest.

public void buttonOnClickRecord(View v){
        mediaFile =
                new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath()
                        + "/NewDirectory/myvideo.mp4");
        mediaFile.mkdirs();

        Intent takeVideoIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_VIDEO_CAPTURE);
        if (takeVideoIntent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {

            Uri videoUri = Uri.fromFile(mediaFile);
            takeVideoIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, videoUri);
            startActivityForResult(takeVideoIntent, REQUEST_VIDEO_CAPTURE);
        }
    }

@Override
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        if (requestCode == REQUEST_VIDEO_CAPTURE && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {

            Toast.makeText(this, "Video saved to:\n" +
                    data.getData(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        } else if (resultCode == RESULT_CANCELED) {


  Toast.makeText(this, "Video recording cancelled.",
                Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    } else {
        Toast.makeText(this, "Failed to record video",
                Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
}

if I remove the /NewDirectory/ the video file is saved to the root of the sd card and I get a message to that affect from my onActivityResult method.

But with the /NewDirectory/ added I get video saved to: content:://media/external/video/media/15625

the mediaFile.mkdirs(); is not creating the directory.

Where have I gone wrong?

Answer 1

You are trying to create a directory called myvideo.mp4.

mediaFile = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath()
                        + "/NewDirectory/myvideo.mp4");
mediaFile.mkdirs();

should be

File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), "NewDirectory");
mediaFile.mkdirs();

or better

mediaFile = new File(getExternalCacheDir(), "NewDirectory");
mediaFile.mkdirs();

Here you can find the documentation for getExternalCacheDir()

Be aware the from kitkat writing on the root of the sdcard is not allowed anymore.

Edit: the path to the file should be:

mediaFile = new File(getExternalCacheDir(), "NewDirectory");
File file = new File(mediaFile, "myvideo.mp4");
Uri videoUri = Uri.fromFile(file);