Convert Uri to String and String to Uri

I'm developing some Application which allows select image from SD Card, save it into database and set this value for ImageView. I need to know way for converting uri to string and string to uri. Now I used getEncodedPath() method of Uri, but, for example, this code doesn't work:

ImageView iv=(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.imageView1);
Uri uri=Uri.parse("/external/images/media/470939");
Log.e("uri1", uri.toString());
iv.setImageURI(uri);

Therefore I don't know how I can save Uri into database and create a new Uri from saved value. Please, help me to fix it.

> I need to know way for converting uri to string and string to uri.

Use toString() to convert a Uri to a String. Use Uri.parse() to convert a String to a Uri.

> this code doesn't work

That is not a valid string representation of a Uri. A Uri has a scheme, and "/external/images/media/470939" does not have a scheme.

Try this to convert string to uri

String mystring="Hello"
Uri myUri = Uri.parse(mystring);

Uri to String

Uri uri;
String uri_to_string;
uri_to_string= uri.toString();

This will get the file path from the MediaProvider, DownloadsProvider, and ExternalStorageProvider, while falling back to the unofficial ContentProvider method you mention.

   /**
 * Get a file path from a Uri. This will get the the path for Storage Access
 * Framework Documents, as well as the _data field for the MediaStore and
 * other file-based ContentProviders.
 *
 * @param context The context.
 * @param uri The Uri to query.
 * @author paulburke
 */
public static String getPath(final Context context, final Uri uri) {

    final boolean isKitKat = Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT;

    // DocumentProvider
    if (isKitKat && DocumentsContract.isDocumentUri(context, uri)) {
        // ExternalStorageProvider
        if (isExternalStorageDocument(uri)) {
            final String docId = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final String[] split = docId.split(":");
            final String type = split[0];

            if ("primary".equalsIgnoreCase(type)) {
                return Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + "/" + split[1];
            }

            // TODO handle non-primary volumes
        }
        // DownloadsProvider
        else if (isDownloadsDocument(uri)) {

            final String id = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final Uri contentUri = ContentUris.withAppendedId(
                    Uri.parse("content://downloads/public_downloads"), Long.valueOf(id));

            return getDataColumn(context, contentUri, null, null);
        }
        // MediaProvider
        else if (isMediaDocument(uri)) {
            final String docId = DocumentsContract.getDocumentId(uri);
            final String[] split = docId.split(":");
            final String type = split[0];

            Uri contentUri = null;
            if ("image".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            } else if ("video".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Video.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            } else if ("audio".equals(type)) {
                contentUri = MediaStore.Audio.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI;
            }

            final String selection = "_id=?";
            final String[] selectionArgs = new String[] {
                    split[1]
            };

            return getDataColumn(context, contentUri, selection, selectionArgs);
        }
    }
    // MediaStore (and general)
    else if ("content".equalsIgnoreCase(uri.getScheme())) {
        return getDataColumn(context, uri, null, null);
    }
    // File
    else if ("file".equalsIgnoreCase(uri.getScheme())) {
        return uri.getPath();
    }

    return null;
}

/**
 * Get the value of the data column for this Uri. This is useful for
 * MediaStore Uris, and other file-based ContentProviders.
 *
 * @param context The context.
 * @param uri The Uri to query.
 * @param selection (Optional) Filter used in the query.
 * @param selectionArgs (Optional) Selection arguments used in the query.
 * @return The value of the _data column, which is typically a file path.
 */
public static String getDataColumn(Context context, Uri uri, String selection,
        String[] selectionArgs) {

    Cursor cursor = null;
    final String column = "_data";
    final String[] projection = {
            column
    };

    try {
        cursor = context.getContentResolver().query(uri, projection, selection, selectionArgs,
                null);
        if (cursor != null && cursor.moveToFirst()) {
            final int column_index = cursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(column);
            return cursor.getString(column_index);
        }
    } finally {
        if (cursor != null)
            cursor.close();
    }
    return null;
}


/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is ExternalStorageProvider.
 */
public static boolean isExternalStorageDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.externalstorage.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is DownloadsProvider.
 */
public static boolean isDownloadsDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.providers.downloads.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

/**
 * @param uri The Uri to check.
 * @return Whether the Uri authority is MediaProvider.
 */
public static boolean isMediaDocument(Uri uri) {
    return "com.android.providers.media.documents".equals(uri.getAuthority());
}

I am not sure if you got this resolved. To follow up on "CommonsWare's" comment.

That is not a valid string representation of a Uri. A Uri has a scheme, and "/external/images/media/470939" does not have a scheme.

Change

Uri uri=Uri.parse("/external/images/media/470939");

to

Uri uri=Uri.parse("content://external/images/media/470939");

in my case

Uri uri = Uri.parse("content://media/external/images/media/6562");

You can use Drawable instead of Uri.

   ImageView iv=(ImageView)findViewById(R.id.imageView1);
   String pathName = "/external/images/media/470939"; 
   Drawable image = Drawable.createFromPath(pathName);
   iv.setImageDrawable(image);

This would work.