Mobile Application Development
Topic: Calling Built-In Applications Using Intents
1. Key Definitions of Concepts
• Intent:
An Intent is a messaging object in Android used to request an action from another app or
system component.
Example: Launching camera, opening the dialer, sending an email.
• Explicit Intent:
Specifies the exact app/activity to be launched (e.g., navigating from one activity to another
within the same app).
• Implicit Intent:
Declares an action to perform, and Android finds the best app that can handle it.
Example: Send an email → OS opens the installed email app.
• Built-In Applications:
Pre-installed apps like Camera, Phone Dialer, SMS, Email, Maps, Browser.
2. Step-by-Step Explanation with Code Examples
How to Call Built-In Apps with Intents
(a) Opening the Phone Dialer
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_DIAL);
intent.setData(Uri.parse("tel:123456789"));
startActivity(intent);
• ACTION_DIAL opens the dialer with the number pre-filled.
(b) Making a Direct Phone Call (Needs Permission)
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_CALL);
intent.setData(Uri.parse("tel:123456789"));
startActivity(intent);
• Requires permission in AndroidManifest.xml:
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CALL_PHONE"/>
(c) Sending an SMS
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setData(Uri.parse("sms:123456789"));
intent.putExtra("sms_body", "Hello, this is a test message.");
startActivity(intent);
• Opens default SMS app with the number and message body pre-filled.
• Suppose you have an EditText for number and message
EditText numberInput = findViewById(R.id.editTextNumber);
EditText messageInput = findViewById(R.id.editTextMessage);
String phoneNumber = numberInput.getText().toString();
String message = messageInput.getText().toString();
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setData(Uri.parse("sms:" + phoneNumber));
intent.putExtra("sms_body", message);
startActivity(intent);
(d) Sending an Email
Intent emailIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
emailIntent.setType("message/rfc822");
emailIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, new String[]{"
[email protected]"});
emailIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_SUBJECT, "Subject");
emailIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, "Email body text");
startActivity(Intent.createChooser(emailIntent, "Choose an Email app:"));
(e) Opening a Web Page
Intent browserIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW,
Uri.parse("https://www.google.com"));
startActivity(browserIntent);
(f) Launching Camera to Capture Photo
Intent cameraIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
startActivity(cameraIntent);
• Opens the camera app to capture an image.
(g) Displaying a Location in Maps
Uri location = Uri.parse("geo:0,0?q=Lahore+Pakistan");
Intent mapIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, location);
mapIntent.setPackage("com.google.android.apps.maps");
startActivity(mapIntent);
3. Real-Life Practical Scenarios
• Food Delivery Apps (e.g., Foodpanda): Use intents to open Google Maps for delivery tracking.
• Ride-Hailing Apps (e.g., Careem/Uber): Use intents to call drivers or open maps.
• E-Commerce Apps (e.g., Daraz): Open email app for sending feedback.
• Contact Apps: Use intents to directly open phone dialer or send SMS.
4. Best Practices, Advantages, and Pitfalls
Best Practices:
• Use Intent.createChooser() for implicit intents, so the user can select their preferred app.
• Always check if there’s an app available to handle the intent:
if (intent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {
startActivity(intent);
}
• Request runtime permissions for sensitive actions (e.g., CALL_PHONE, camera).
Advantages:
• Reuse built-in app functionality instead of reinventing features.
• Enhances user experience by integrating with familiar apps.
Common Pitfalls:
• Forgetting to declare necessary permissions in AndroidManifest.xml.
• Crashes if no app is available to handle the intent.
• Not handling runtime permission requests properly (for Android 6.0+).
5. Summary Table for Quick Revision
Action Intent Code Snippet
Open dialer ACTION_DIAL with tel: URI
Make call ACTION_CALL with permission
Send SMS ACTION_VIEW with sms: URI
Send Email ACTION_SEND with MIME type message/rfc822
Open browser ACTION_VIEW with URL
Capture photo MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE
Show location in Google Maps ACTION_VIEW with geo: URI
Conclusion
• Intents are a powerful way to interact with built-in apps and other apps on the device.
• Using implicit intents makes apps more flexible and user-friendly.
• Always handle permissions and availability checks to avoid crashes.
