checkSelfPermission method is not working in targetSdkVersion 22

Question

CheckSelfPermission method is not working as expected and it is always returning zero in android 6.0(Marshmallow). Because the target sdk is 22 and i am using http Client for network connection. Following is the code snippet.

private void insertDummyContactWrapper() {
    List<String> permissionsNeeded = new ArrayList<String>();

    final List<String> permissionsList = new ArrayList<String>();
    if (!addPermission(permissionsList, Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION))
        permissionsNeeded.add("GPS");
    if (!addPermission(permissionsList, Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS))
        permissionsNeeded.add("Read Contacts");
    if (!addPermission(permissionsList, Manifest.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS))
        permissionsNeeded.add("Write Contacts");

    if (permissionsList.size() > 0) {
        if (permissionsNeeded.size() > 0) {
            // Need Rationale
            String message = "You need to grant access to " + permissionsNeeded.get(0);
            for (int i = 1; i < permissionsNeeded.size(); i++)
                message = message + ", " + permissionsNeeded.get(i);
            showMessageOKCancel(message,
                    new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
                        @Override
                        public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
                            requestPermissions(permissionsList.toArray(new String[permissionsList.size()]),
                                    REQUEST_CODE_ASK_MULTIPLE_PERMISSIONS);
                        }
                    });
            return;
        }
        requestPermissions(permissionsList.toArray(new String[permissionsList.size()]),
                REQUEST_CODE_ASK_MULTIPLE_PERMISSIONS);
        return;
    }

    insertDummyContact();
}

@TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.M)
private boolean addPermission(List<String> permissionsList, String permission) {
    if (checkSelfPermission(permission) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
        permissionsList.add(permission);
        // Check for Rationale Option
        if (!shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(permission)) return false;
    }
    return true;
}

private void showMessageOKCancel(String message, DialogInterface.OnClickListener okListener) {
    new AlertDialog.Builder(MainActivity.this)
            .setMessage(message)
            .setPositiveButton("OK", okListener)
            .setNegativeButton("Cancel", null)
            .create()
            .show();
}

@Override
public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, String[] permissions, int[] grantResults) {
    switch (requestCode) {
        case REQUEST_CODE_ASK_MULTIPLE_PERMISSIONS: {
            Map<String, Integer> perms = new HashMap<String, Integer>();
            // Initial
            perms.put(Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED);
            perms.put(Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS, PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED);
            perms.put(Manifest.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS, PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED);
            // Fill with results
            for (int i = 0; i < permissions.length; i++)
                perms.put(permissions[i], grantResults[i]);
            // Check for ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
            if (perms.get(Manifest.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED && perms.get(Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED && perms.get(Manifest.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                // All Permissions Granted
                insertDummyContact();
            } else {
                // Permission Denied
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Some Permission is Denied", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
                        .show();
            }
        }
        break;
        default:
            super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
    }
}"

Answer 1

1. If your application is targeting an API level before 23 (Android M) then both: ContextCompat#checkSelfPermission and Context#checkSelfPermission doesn't work and always returns 0 (PERMISSION_GRANTED). Even if you run the application on Android 6.0 (API 23).

2. It's not fully true that if you targeting an API level before 23 then you don't have to take care of permissions. If you targeting an API level before 23 then:

   • Android < 6.0: Everything will be ok.
   • Android 6.0: Application's run-time permissions will be granted by default (compatibility mode applies), but the user can change run-time permissions in Android Settings, then you may have a problem.

3. As I said in the 1st point, if you targeting an API level before 23 on Android 6.0 then ContextCompat#checkSelfPermission and Context#checkSelfPermission doesn't work. Fortunately you can use PermissionChecker#checkSelfPermission to check run-time permissions.

Example code:

    public boolean selfPermissionGranted(String permission) {
        // For Android < Android M, self permissions are always granted.
        boolean result = true;

        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {

            if (targetSdkVersion >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
                // targetSdkVersion >= Android M, we can
                // use Context#checkSelfPermission
                result = context.checkSelfPermission(permission)
                        == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED;
            } else {
                // targetSdkVersion < Android M, we have to use PermissionChecker
                result = PermissionChecker.checkSelfPermission(context, permission)
                        == PermissionChecker.PERMISSION_GRANTED;
            }
        }

        return result;
    }

In order to obtain target Sdk Version you can use:

    try {
        final PackageInfo info = context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(
                context.getPackageName(), 0);
        targetSdkVersion = info.applicationInfo.targetSdkVersion;
    } catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }

It works on Nexus 5 with Android M.