Android: getting image from Camera and uploading to web server multipart connection type

The camera is the powerful tool and most Android-powered devices already have at least one camera installed. After sparing some time from taking selfies (most important use of camera ever known), we can also use it for many other purposes.

From a seller(E-commerce) point of view, he can add a new product from his application by adding product details and beautiful pictures taken from his camera.

In this post, we are going to take images from the camera and will upload to the PHP web server using multipart connection type.

We will use an existing camera application (that is bundled with all android devices having a camera).

Default camera app itself gives us the ability to review/retake the image, and once an image is accepted.

Step 1: Request Camera Permission

<manifest ... >
    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="true" />
      ...
</manifest>

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" android:required="true" />

...

</manifest>

to allow only those devices which contain built-in camera functionality.

As we know from Marshmallow 6.0 Permission policies are changed thus Permissions are requested on runtime.

Make a request array for all the permission required

String[] permissions = {"android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"};
requestPermissions(permissions, RC_PERMISSIONS);

1 2	String[] permissions = {"android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"}; requestPermissions(permissions, RC_PERMISSIONS);

Override onRequestPermissionsResult

   @Override
    public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, @NonNull String[] permissions, @NonNull int[] grantResults) {
        super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
        if (requestCode == permsRequestCode) {
            if (grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
                startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CAMERA);
            }
        }
    }

@Override

public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, @NonNull String[] permissions, @NonNull int[] grantResults) {

super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);

if (requestCode == permsRequestCode) {

if (grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {

Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);

startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CAMERA);

}

Step2 : Take a Photo with the Camera App

Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
 startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CAMERA);

1 2	Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE); startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CAMERA);

Action “android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE” is used to invoke the native Camera of the device.

Step3: Getting result back in activity and displaying an image taken by the camera.

Now We will Override the onActivitityResult

We will receive a Bitmap of data that we store in a temporary file. This temporary file is uploaded afterwards.

 @Override
    public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);

       if (requestCode==REQUEST_CAMERA)
        {
            Bitmap thumbnail = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");
            ByteArrayOutputStream bytes = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
            thumbnail.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 90, bytes);
            File destination = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(),"temp.jpg");
            FileOutputStream fo;
            try {
                fo = new FileOutputStream(destination);
                fo.write(bytes.toByteArray());
                fo.close();
            } catch (IOException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }

           new uploadFileToServerTask().execute(destination.getAbsolutePath());
        }
    }

@Override

public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {

super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);

if (requestCode==REQUEST_CAMERA)

{

Bitmap thumbnail = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");

ByteArrayOutputStream bytes = new ByteArrayOutputStream();

thumbnail.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 90, bytes);

File destination = new File(Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(),"temp.jpg");

FileOutputStream fo;

try {

fo = new FileOutputStream(destination);

fo.write(bytes.toByteArray());

fo.close();

} catch (IOException e) {

e.printStackTrace();

}

new uploadFileToServerTask().execute(destination.getAbsolutePath());

}

Notice that the image returned by the camera application is passed as an extra named ‘data’ through to the intent of the calling activity. This ‘data’ is a Bitmap object.

Step4: Uploading File to Php server

Hot Served uploadFileToServerTask uploads the file to PHP server using multipart connection type.

    private class uploadFileToServerTask extends AsyncTask<String, String, Object> {
        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(String... args) {
            try {
                String lineEnd = "\r\n";
                String twoHyphens = "--";
                String boundary = "*****";
                int bytesRead, bytesAvailable, bufferSize;
                byte[] buffer;
                @SuppressWarnings("PointlessArithmeticExpression")
                int maxBufferSize = 1 * 1024 * 1024;


                java.net.URL url = new URL((ApplicationConstant.UPLOAD_IMAGE_URL) + IMAGE + customer_id);
                Log.d(ApplicationConstant.TAG, "url " + url);
                HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();

                // Allow Inputs &amp; Outputs.
                connection.setDoInput(true);
                connection.setDoOutput(true);
                connection.setUseCaches(false);

                // Set HTTP method to POST.
                connection.setRequestMethod("POST");

                connection.setRequestProperty("Connection", "Keep-Alive");
                connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "multipart/form-data;boundary=" + boundary);

                FileInputStream fileInputStream;
                DataOutputStream outputStream;
                {
                    outputStream = new DataOutputStream(connection.getOutputStream());

                    outputStream.writeBytes(twoHyphens + boundary + lineEnd);
                    String filename = args[0];
                    outputStream.writeBytes("Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"file\";filename=\"" + filename + "\"" + lineEnd);
                    outputStream.writeBytes(lineEnd);
                    Log.d(ApplicationConstant.TAG, "filename " + filename);

                    fileInputStream = new FileInputStream(filename);

                    bytesAvailable = fileInputStream.available();
                    bufferSize = Math.min(bytesAvailable, maxBufferSize);

                    buffer = new byte[bufferSize];

                    // Read file
                    bytesRead = fileInputStream.read(buffer, 0, bufferSize);

                    while (bytesRead > 0) {
                        outputStream.write(buffer, 0, bufferSize);
                        bytesAvailable = fileInputStream.available();
                        bufferSize = Math.min(bytesAvailable, maxBufferSize);
                        bytesRead = fileInputStream.read(buffer, 0, bufferSize);
                    }
                    outputStream.writeBytes(lineEnd);
                    outputStream.writeBytes(twoHyphens + boundary + twoHyphens + lineEnd);
                }

                int serverResponseCode = connection.getResponseCode();
                String serverResponseMessage = connection.getResponseMessage();
                Log.d("serverResponseCode", "" + serverResponseCode);
                Log.d("serverResponseMessage", "" + serverResponseMessage);

                fileInputStream.close();
                outputStream.flush();
                outputStream.close();

                if (serverResponseCode == 200) {
                    return "true";
                }
            } catch (Exception e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            }
            return "false";
        }

        @Override
        protected void onPostExecute(Object result) {
            
        }
    }

private class uploadFileToServerTask extends AsyncTask<String, String, Object> {

@Override

protected String doInBackground(String... args) {

try {

String lineEnd = "\r\n";

String twoHyphens = "--";

String boundary = "*****";

int bytesRead, bytesAvailable, bufferSize;

byte[] buffer;

@SuppressWarnings("PointlessArithmeticExpression")

int maxBufferSize = 1 * 1024 * 1024;

java.net.URL url = new URL((ApplicationConstant.UPLOAD_IMAGE_URL) + IMAGE + customer_id);

Log.d(ApplicationConstant.TAG, "url " + url);

HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();

// Allow Inputs & Outputs.

connection.setDoInput(true);

connection.setDoOutput(true);

connection.setUseCaches(false);

// Set HTTP method to POST.

connection.setRequestMethod("POST");

connection.setRequestProperty("Connection", "Keep-Alive");

connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "multipart/form-data;boundary=" + boundary);

FileInputStream fileInputStream;

DataOutputStream outputStream;

{

outputStream = new DataOutputStream(connection.getOutputStream());

outputStream.writeBytes(twoHyphens + boundary + lineEnd);

String filename = args[0];

outputStream.writeBytes("Content-Disposition: form-data; name=\"file\";filename=\"" + filename + "\"" + lineEnd);

outputStream.writeBytes(lineEnd);

Log.d(ApplicationConstant.TAG, "filename " + filename);

fileInputStream = new FileInputStream(filename);

bytesAvailable = fileInputStream.available();

bufferSize = Math.min(bytesAvailable, maxBufferSize);

buffer = new byte[bufferSize];

// Read file

bytesRead = fileInputStream.read(buffer, 0, bufferSize);

while (bytesRead > 0) {

outputStream.write(buffer, 0, bufferSize);

bytesAvailable = fileInputStream.available();

bufferSize = Math.min(bytesAvailable, maxBufferSize);

bytesRead = fileInputStream.read(buffer, 0, bufferSize);

}

outputStream.writeBytes(lineEnd);

outputStream.writeBytes(twoHyphens + boundary + twoHyphens + lineEnd);

}

int serverResponseCode = connection.getResponseCode();

String serverResponseMessage = connection.getResponseMessage();

Log.d("serverResponseCode", "" + serverResponseCode);

Log.d("serverResponseMessage", "" + serverResponseMessage);

fileInputStream.close();

outputStream.flush();

outputStream.close();

if (serverResponseCode == 200) {

return "true";

}

} catch (Exception e) {

e.printStackTrace();

}

return "false";

}

@Override

protected void onPostExecute(Object result) {

}

For Further Reading:

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/Camera.html

Shubham Agarwal

24 Sep, 2023
Updated by - anchit
12 Jul, 2016
Updated by - Shubham Agarwal

. . .

8 comments

Diego R FG 8 years ago

source code please

DC 8 years ago

Can you make an example where:
1) You start the camera
2) Take a picture
3) The picture is saved to the gallery
4) The image is uploaded to the server

Shubham Agarwal 8 years ago

@Rahul @Diego Please checkout the give link. https://github.com/mwshubham/ImageUploadExample/blob/master/app/src/main/java/com/example/shubhamagarwal/imageuploadexample/MainActivity.java
It consist of calling CAMERA and uploading picture via Multi part request.
Hope this help

Marco Antonio Siqueiros Macias 7 years ago

and server.php? where is the code in server side?

Wilmer 7 years ago

Hi Shubham..thanks for this great article. I am trying to implement it using a surfaceView preview to capture the image without starting intent to open the camera app…can you help me with it..thanks.

davin Butler 7 years ago

Any chance you post the php code you are uploading to?

cho leung kwong 7 years ago

I plan to help blinds by converting photo to text and using screen reader to speak out the text.
1. CaptionBot works well ,but it has an upload picture button , and how to solve it for Android phone automatic uploading captured photo.
2. A great deal is for your helping to the blind.
3. Thanks, Jesus’ s love.

Joshua 6 years ago

good code but little explanation, Please provide the source code

Android: getting image from Camera and uploading to web server multipart connection type

Step 1: Request Camera Permission

Step2 : Take a Photo with the Camera App

Step3: Getting result back in activity and displaying an image taken by the camera.

Step4: Uploading File to Php server

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

8 comments

Message Sent!