Last updated on January 5th, 2020 at 07:13 pm

Update:- Please read this post for image upload in latest android version:- Upload a file to server using OKHTTP 3 with progress bar Android

Today most of the android applications allow you to click the image and upload it to the web. In this post, I explain to you how to create an application in android which access your mobile camera, click image and upload it to the server. This post is very helpful for those who are new to android and need to upload the image to the server.

Capture image and upload to server in android

Update: To upload original image to server please follow last section of this post.

Capture image from Application

Step 1. Create new android project in your Android Studio or Eclipse.

Step 2. Open your AndroidManifest.xml file where we add permission to access camera, write external storage, internet permission.

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

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA"></uses-permission>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"></uses-permission>

Step 3. Now open your mainactivity.xml file and add ImageView and add two button one for click image and second is to upload image o server.

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".MyActivity">

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/Imageprev"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="400dp" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/cpic"
        android:text="Click Image"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_below="@+id/Imageprev" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/up"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Upload Image"
        android:layout_below="@+id/cpic"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true" />

</RelativeLayout>

Step 4. Open your MainActivity.java  file inside your package. Now when we click on button to click image we need to open default camera app by passing intent. I create method inside my class to do this.

 private void clickpic() {
        // Check Camera
        if (getApplicationContext().getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(
                PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) {
            // Open default camera
            Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
            intent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, fileUri);

            // start the image capture Intent
            startActivityForResult(intent, 100);

        } else {
            Toast.makeText(getApplication(), "Camera not supported", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
    }

Step 5. When image is click we need to get the image and need to display in image view so i use onActivityResult method to do this

protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        if (requestCode == 100 && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {

            selectedImage = data.getData();
            photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");

            // Cursor to get image uri to display

            String[] filePathColumn = {MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA};
            Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query(selectedImage,
                    filePathColumn, null, null, null);
            cursor.moveToFirst();

            int columnIndex = cursor.getColumnIndex(filePathColumn[0]);
            picturePath = cursor.getString(columnIndex);
            cursor.close();

            Bitmap photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");
            ImageView imageView = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.Imageprev);
            imageView.setImageBitmap(photo);
        }
    }

 Step 6. Now when user click on upload button we start uploading our image to server. Before uploading image i convert  image to base 64 using base64 class and i also use httpclient-4.1-beta.jar to upload.

 Bitmap bm = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(picturePath);
        ByteArrayOutputStream bao = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
        bm.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 90, bao);
        byte[] ba = bao.toByteArray();
        ba1 = Base64.encodeBytes(ba);

Upload image to server:

Note: Bellow http methods are depreciate in android latest version 6, so please follow this link where i create a complete new async task class to send or receive data.

public class uploadToServer extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, String> {

        private ProgressDialog pd = new ProgressDialog(MyActivity.this);
        protected void onPreExecute() {
            super.onPreExecute();
            pd.setMessage("Wait image uploading!");
            pd.show();
        }

        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(Void... params) {

            ArrayList<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("base64", ba1));
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("ImageName", System.currentTimeMillis() + ".jpg"));
            try {
                HttpClient httpclient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                HttpPost httppost = new HttpPost(URL);
                httppost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));
                HttpResponse response = httpclient.execute(httppost);
                String st = EntityUtils.toString(response.getEntity());
                Log.v("log_tag", "In the try Loop" + st);

            } catch (Exception e) {
                Log.v("log_tag", "Error in http connection " + e.toString());
            }
            return "Success";

        }

        protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
            super.onPostExecute(result);
            pd.hide();
            pd.dismiss();
        }
    }

 Step 7. I am using PHP to handle upload image and also create image from base64 encoded data.

<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
if(isset($_POST['ImageName'])){
$imgname = $_POST['ImageName'];
$imsrc = str_replace(' ','+',$_POST['base64']);
$imsrc = base64_decode($imsrc);
$fp = fopen($imgname, 'w');
fwrite($fp, $imsrc);
if(fclose($fp)){
	echo "Image uploaded";
}else{
	echo "Error uploading image";
}
}
?>

Complete code:

package com.clickanduploadpic;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.ProgressDialog;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
import android.database.Cursor;
import android.graphics.Bitmap;
import android.graphics.BitmapFactory;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.AsyncTask;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.provider.MediaStore;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.Toast;

import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
import org.apache.http.NameValuePair;
import org.apache.http.client.HttpClient;
import org.apache.http.client.entity.UrlEncodedFormEntity;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpPost;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.DefaultHttpClient;
import org.apache.http.message.BasicNameValuePair;
import org.apache.http.util.EntityUtils;

import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
import java.util.ArrayList;


public class MyActivity extends Activity {

    Button btpic, btnup;
    private Uri fileUri;
    String picturePath;
    Uri selectedImage;
    Bitmap photo;
    String ba1;
    public static String URL = "Paste your URL here";
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_my);

        btpic = (Button) findViewById(R.id.cpic);
        btpic.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                clickpic();
            }
        });

        btnup = (Button) findViewById(R.id.up);
        btnup.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                upload();
            }
        });
    }

    private void upload() {
        // Image location URL
        Log.e("path", "----------------" + picturePath);

        // Image
        Bitmap bm = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(picturePath);
        ByteArrayOutputStream bao = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
        bm.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 90, bao);
        byte[] ba = bao.toByteArray();
        ba1 = Base64.encodeToString(ba, Base64.NO_WRAP);

        Log.e("base64", "-----" + ba1);

        // Upload image to server
        new uploadToServer().execute();

    }

    private void clickpic() {
        // Check Camera
        if (getApplicationContext().getPackageManager().hasSystemFeature(
                PackageManager.FEATURE_CAMERA)) {
            // Open default camera
            Intent intent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
            intent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT, fileUri);

            // start the image capture Intent
            startActivityForResult(intent, 100);

        } else {
            Toast.makeText(getApplication(), "Camera not supported", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
    }

    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        if (requestCode == 100 && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {

            selectedImage = data.getData();
            photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");

            // Cursor to get image uri to display

            String[] filePathColumn = {MediaStore.Images.Media.DATA};
            Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().query(selectedImage,
                    filePathColumn, null, null, null);
            cursor.moveToFirst();

            int columnIndex = cursor.getColumnIndex(filePathColumn[0]);
            picturePath = cursor.getString(columnIndex);
            cursor.close();

            Bitmap photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");
            ImageView imageView = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.Imageprev);
            imageView.setImageBitmap(photo);
        }
    }

    public class uploadToServer extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, String> {

        private ProgressDialog pd = new ProgressDialog(MyActivity.this);
        protected void onPreExecute() {
            super.onPreExecute();
            pd.setMessage("Wait image uploading!");
            pd.show();
        }

        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(Void... params) {

            ArrayList<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("base64", ba1));
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("ImageName", System.currentTimeMillis() + ".jpg"));
            try {
                HttpClient httpclient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                HttpPost httppost = new HttpPost(URL);
                httppost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));
                HttpResponse response = httpclient.execute(httppost);
                String st = EntityUtils.toString(response.getEntity());
                Log.v("log_tag", "In the try Loop" + st);

            } catch (Exception e) {
                Log.v("log_tag", "Error in http connection " + e.toString());
            }
            return "Success";

        }

        protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
            super.onPostExecute(result);
            pd.hide();
            pd.dismiss();
        }
    }
}

Upload full size image to server android

Above code have some issue in some version of android. In some of android version it just upload thumbnail of image to server not original image, if you want to upload original then use bellow code.

public class MainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {
 
    Button btpic, btnup;
    String ba1;
    public static String URL = "http://zapponomics.net/dev/trinityimage.php";
    String mCurrentPhotoPath;
    ImageView mImageView;
 
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
 
        btpic = (Button) findViewById(R.id.cpic);
        mImageView = (ImageView) findViewById(R.id.Imageprev);
        btpic.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                captureImage();
            }
        });
 
        btnup = (Button) findViewById(R.id.up);
        btnup.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                upload();
            }
        });
    }
 
    private void upload() {
        Bitmap bm = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(mCurrentPhotoPath);
        ByteArrayOutputStream bao = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
        bm.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 50, bao);
        byte[] ba = bao.toByteArray();
        ba1 = Base64.encodeBytes(ba);
 
        // Upload image to server
        new uploadToServer().execute();
 
    }
 
    private void captureImage() {
        Intent takePictureIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
        // Ensure that there's a camera activity to handle the intent
        if (takePictureIntent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {
            // Create the File where the photo should go
            File photoFile = null;
            try {
                photoFile = createImageFile();
            } catch (IOException ex) {
                // Error occurred while creating the File
                ex.printStackTrace();
            }
            // Continue only if the File was successfully created
            if (photoFile != null) {
                takePictureIntent.putExtra(MediaStore.EXTRA_OUTPUT,
                        Uri.fromFile(photoFile));
                startActivityForResult(takePictureIntent, 100);
            }
        }
    }
 
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        if (requestCode == 100 && resultCode == RESULT_OK) {
            setPic();
        }
    }
 
    public class uploadToServer extends AsyncTask<Void, Void, String> {
 
        private ProgressDialog pd = new ProgressDialog(MainActivity.this);
 
        protected void onPreExecute() {
            super.onPreExecute();
            pd.setMessage("Wait image uploading!");
            pd.show();
        }
 
        @Override
        protected String doInBackground(Void... params) {
 
            ArrayList<NameValuePair> nameValuePairs = new ArrayList<NameValuePair>();
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("base64", ba1));
            nameValuePairs.add(new BasicNameValuePair("ImageName", System.currentTimeMillis() + ".jpg"));
            try {
                HttpClient httpclient = new DefaultHttpClient();
                HttpPost httppost = new HttpPost(URL);
                httppost.setEntity(new UrlEncodedFormEntity(nameValuePairs));
                HttpResponse response = httpclient.execute(httppost);
                String st = EntityUtils.toString(response.getEntity());
                Log.v("log_tag", "In the try Loop" + st);
 
            } catch (Exception e) {
                Log.v("log_tag", "Error in http connection " + e.toString());
            }
            return "Success";
 
        }
 
        protected void onPostExecute(String result) {
            super.onPostExecute(result);
            pd.hide();
            pd.dismiss();
        }
    }
 
    private void setPic() {
        // Get the dimensions of the View
        int targetW = mImageView.getWidth();
        int targetH = mImageView.getHeight();
 
        // Get the dimensions of the bitmap
        BitmapFactory.Options bmOptions = new BitmapFactory.Options();
        bmOptions.inJustDecodeBounds = true;
        BitmapFactory.decodeFile(mCurrentPhotoPath, bmOptions);
        int photoW = bmOptions.outWidth;
        int photoH = bmOptions.outHeight;
 
        // Determine how much to scale down the image
        int scaleFactor = Math.min(photoW / targetW, photoH / targetH);
 
        // Decode the image file into a Bitmap sized to fill the View
        bmOptions.inJustDecodeBounds = false;
        bmOptions.inSampleSize = scaleFactor;
        bmOptions.inPurgeable = true;
 
        Bitmap bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeFile(mCurrentPhotoPath, bmOptions);
        mImageView.setImageBitmap(bitmap);
    }
 
    private File createImageFile() throws IOException {
        // Create an image file name
        String timeStamp = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyyMMdd_HHmmss").format(new Date());
        String imageFileName = "JPEG_" + timeStamp + "_";
        File storageDir = Environment.getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(
                Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES);
 
        File image = File.createTempFile(
                imageFileName,  /* prefix */
                ".jpg",         /* suffix */
                storageDir      /* directory */
        );
 
        // Save a file: path for use with ACTION_VIEW intents
        mCurrentPhotoPath = image.getAbsolutePath();
        Log.e("Getpath", "Cool" + mCurrentPhotoPath);
        return image;
    }
 
}

Above code give you full size image/original image, you also manage the quality of image by changing it quality eg. 90, 50, etc.

        bm.compress(Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 90, bao);

🙂