Android: Can't Read From File using FileInputStream

Question

I'm trying to read from a file called "quiz_questions.txt" in my res/raw folder. The code I have compiles, but it looks like it stops before it gets to the FileInputStream. Maybe it is opening it, but not reading it. I'm not sure.

import java.io.*;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.res.Resources;

public class Questions extends Activity {

public String[][] questions = new String[10][5];

public void fillArray() {
    {
        Context con = null;
        try {
            //fis = new BufferedInputStream(new FileInputStream("res/raw/quiz_questions.txt"));
            FileInputStream fis = (FileInputStream) con.getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.quiz_questions);
            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(fis));
            String nextLine;
            int i = 0, j = 0;
            while ((nextLine = br.readLine()) != null) {
                if (j == 5) {
                    j = 0;
                    i++;
                }
                questions[i][j] = nextLine;
            }
            fis.close();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }
}
}

Consider using Apache IOUtils.

JJD
– JJD

2013-10-08 11:02:10 +00:00
Commented Oct 8, 2013 at 11:02 — JJD
– JJD, Commented Oct 8, 2013 at 11:02

Ted Hopp · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-30 14:37:29Z

6

You don't post it, but I imagine that you are getting a NullPointerException. This is because con is null when you try to create the FileInputStream.

Since an Activity is already a Context, you can just eliminate con from the statement. (You should also use the InputStream interface instead of FileInputStream.)

InputStream is = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.quiz_questions);

Finally, you should reorganize your code so is is closed whether or not an exception is thrown:

public void fillArray() {
    try (InputStream is = getResources().openRawResource(R.raw.quiz_questions)) {
        BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(is));
        String nextLine;
        int i = 0, j = 0;
        while ((nextLine = br.readLine()) != null) {
            if (j == 5) {
                j = 0;
                i++;
            }
            questions[i][j] = nextLine;
        }
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

edited May 30, 2019 at 14:37

answered Mar 25, 2012 at 21:16

Ted Hopp

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4 Comments

rockhard_ridefree Over a year ago

You're correct. I was getting a NullPointerException, I just didn't notice that. I tried editing my code like you suggested, but I'm still not having much success.

rockhard_ridefree Over a year ago

OK, now I'm not getting the NullPointerException anymore. Thanks a lot for the help.

Ravinder Payal Over a year ago

android.content.res.AssetManager$AssetInputStream cannot be cast to java.io.FileInputStream

Ted Hopp Over a year ago

@RavinderPayal - Thanks for catching that. I updated my answer to eliminate the unnecessary (and incorrect) use of FileInputStream.

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