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Implicit Intent in Android example – Kotlin

Implicit Intent is not known which app or android component is a target. You have to specifics action in intent, that can invoke any android app on the device able to perform the action. Why Implicit Intent is required? Sometimes your app can’t perform particular actions. At that time you can use implicit intent with action and other apps that can able to this action will show to the user by the android system. If there are multiple apps that can able to do, then the pick-up option will show. This example we will write in Kotlin.

In Android, there are 2 types of Intent.

  • Implicit Intent
  • Explicit Intent

On this tutorial, you can read about all basic of about Android Intent and Types of Intent.

Note: If your app supports some action like open images then you have to implement Intent Filter in your app component.

Here is Some actions can do with

  • Call
  • Call Log
  • Contact
  • Browser
  • Gallery
  • Camera
  • Show alarm

And so many more actions can do with Implicit Intent, you don’t need to write all app ability to do things. Some awesome specifics app already in the device to handle those actions. Like call app, there is so many call apps, and Android also his own. So you don’t need to build your on calling app component, just pass the intent and let handle to another app.

Official doc (more options) : https://developer.android.com/guide/components/intents-common

Let’s Build an App for Implicit intent in kotlin :

In this example, we are sharing some example of Implicit intent with kotlin language.

Step 1. Create a new project “Build Your First Android App in Kotlin“
Step 2. Add the string in res/values/strings.xml
<resources>
    <string name="app_name">Implicit Intent Example</string>
    <string name="phone_number">Phone Number</string>
    <string name="call">Call</string>
    <string name="call_logs">Call Logs</string>
    <string name="contact">Contact</string>
    <string name="web_browser">Web Browser</string>
    <string name="gallery">Gallery</string>
    <string name="camera">Camera</string>
    <string name="alarm">Alarm</string>
</resources>
Step 3. Open an “activity_main.xml” resource file

add buttons or add the following code

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".MainActivity"
    android:isScrollContainer="true">

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/et_number"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:ems="10"
        android:hint="@string/phone_number"
        android:inputType="number"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_call"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/call"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/et_number" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_call_log"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/call_logs"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_call" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_contact"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/contact"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_call_log" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_browser"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/web_browser"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_contact" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_gallery"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/gallery"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_browser" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_camera"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/camera"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_gallery" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_alarm"
        android:layout_width="0dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_marginLeft="8dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginStart="8dp"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        android:text="@string/alarm"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btn_camera" />
</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>
Step 4. Open an “ActivityMain.kt” class file

and add the following code

*App permission is required for some actions.

package `in`.eyehunt.implicitintentexample

import android.Manifest
import android.annotation.SuppressLint
import android.content.Intent
import android.content.pm.PackageManager
import android.net.Uri
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.provider.AlarmClock
import android.provider.CallLog
import android.provider.CallLog.*
import android.provider.ContactsContract
import android.provider.MediaStore
import android.support.v4.app.ActivityCompat
import android.support.v4.content.ContextCompat
import android.util.Log
import android.view.View
import kotlinx.android.synthetic.main.activity_main.*

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    val CALL_REQUEST_CODE = 101

    @SuppressLint("MissingPermission")
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

        setupPermissions()

        // Calling using intent
        btn_call.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_CALL)
            intent.data = Uri.parse("tel:" + et_number.getText())
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        // Call log
        btn_call_log.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
            intent.type = Calls.CONTENT_TYPE
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        //Contact
        btn_contact.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK)
            intent.type = ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_TYPE
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        // browser
        btn_browser.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
            intent.data = Uri.parse("http://tutorial.eyehunts.com/")
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        // Gallery
        btn_gallery.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW)
            intent.data = Uri.parse("content://media/external/images/media/")
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        // camera
        btn_camera.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE)
            startActivity(intent)
        })

        // alarm
        btn_alarm.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            val intent = Intent(AlarmClock.ACTION_SHOW_ALARMS)
            startActivity(intent)
        })
    }

    private fun setupPermissions() {
        val permission = ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(this,
                Manifest.permission.CALL_PHONE)

        if (permission != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            Log.i("noone", "Permission to Call has denied")
            makeRequest()
        }
    }

    private fun makeRequest() {
        ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(this,
                arrayOf(Manifest.permission.CALL_PHONE),
                CALL_REQUEST_CODE)
    }

}
Step 5. Add Call permission in “AndroidManifest.xml“

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CALL_PHONE" />

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="in.eyehunt.implicitintentexample">

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CALL_PHONE" />
    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>
Step 6. Run the application, in an emulator or On your Android device

Output screenshot Implicit Intent kotlin example in Android :

Implicit Intent in Android example - Kotlin tutorial output

Video Output

Download source code Implicit Intent kotlin example

https://github.com/EyeHunts/ImplicitIntentExample

Note: This example (Project) is developed in Android Studio 3.1.3. Tested on Android 9 ( Android-P), compile SDK version API 26: Android 8.0 (Oreo)

MinSdkVersion=”15″

TargetSdkVersion=”27″

Coding in Kotlin

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