How to manage startActivityForResult on Android

From your FirstActivity, call the SecondActivity using the startActivityForResult() method.

For example:

int LAUNCH_SECOND_ACTIVITY = 1
Intent i = new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);
startActivityForResult(i, LAUNCH_SECOND_ACTIVITY);

In your SecondActivity, set the data which you want to return back to FirstActivity. If you don't want to return back, don't set any.

For example: In SecondActivity if you want to send back data:

Intent returnIntent = new Intent();
returnIntent.putExtra("result",result);
setResult(Activity.RESULT_OK,returnIntent);
finish();

If you don't want to return data:

Intent returnIntent = new Intent();
setResult(Activity.RESULT_CANCELED, returnIntent);
finish();

Now in your FirstActivity class, write the following code for the onActivityResult() method.

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

    if (requestCode == LAUNCH_SECOND_ACTIVITY) {
        if(resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK){
            String result=data.getStringExtra("result");
        }
        if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_CANCELED) {
            // Write your code if there's no result
        }
    }
} //onActivityResult

To implement passing data between two activities in a much better way in Kotlin, please go through 'A better way to pass data between Activities'.

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How to check the result from the main activity?

You need to override Activity.onActivityResult() and then check its parameters:

requestCode identifies which app returned these results. This is defined by you when you call startActivityForResult().

resultCode informs you whether this app succeeded, failed, or something different

data holds any information returned by this app. This may be null.

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Example

To see the entire process in context, here is a supplemental answer. See my fuller answer for more explanation.

https://i.stack.imgur.com/Tyhf8.png

MainActivity.java

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    // Add a different request code for every activity you are starting from here
    private static final int SECOND_ACTIVITY_REQUEST_CODE = 0;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    }

    // "Go to Second Activity" button click
    public void onButtonClick(View view) {

        // Start the SecondActivity
        Intent intent = new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);
        startActivityForResult(intent, SECOND_ACTIVITY_REQUEST_CODE);
    }

    // This method is called when the second activity finishes
    @Override
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);

        // check that it is the SecondActivity with an OK result
        if (requestCode == SECOND_ACTIVITY_REQUEST_CODE) {
            if (resultCode == RESULT_OK) { // Activity.RESULT_OK

                // get String data from Intent
                String returnString = data.getStringExtra("keyName");

                // set text view with string
                TextView textView = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.textView);
                textView.setText(returnString);
            }
        }
    }
}

SecondActivity.java

public class SecondActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_second);
    }

    // "Send text back" button click
    public void onButtonClick(View view) {

        // get the text from the EditText
        EditText editText = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.editText);
        String stringToPassBack = editText.getText().toString();

        // put the String to pass back into an Intent and close this activity
        Intent intent = new Intent();
        intent.putExtra("keyName", stringToPassBack);
        setResult(RESULT_OK, intent);
        finish();
    }
}

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Complementing the answer from Nishant, the best way to return the activity result is:

Intent returnIntent = getIntent();
returnIntent.putExtra("result",result);
setResult(RESULT_OK,returnIntent);
finish();

I was having a problem with

new Intent();

Then I found out that the correct way is using

getIntent();

to get the current intent.

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startActivityForResult: Deprecated in Android X

For the new way we have registerForActivityResult.

In Java :

 // You need to create a launcher variable inside onAttach or onCreate or global, i.e, before the activity is displayed
 ActivityResultLauncher<Intent> launchSomeActivity = registerForActivityResult(
     new ActivityResultContracts.StartActivityForResult(),
     new ActivityResultCallback<ActivityResult>() {
              @Override
              public void onActivityResult(ActivityResult result) {
                   if (result.getResultCode() == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
                         Intent data = result.getData();
                         // your operation....
                    }
               }
      });

      public void openYourActivity() {
            Intent intent = new Intent(this, SomeActivity.class);
            launchSomeActivity.launch(intent);
      }

In Kotlin :

var resultLauncher = registerForActivityResult(StartActivityForResult()) { result ->
    if (result.resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
        val data: Intent? = result.data
        // your operation...
    }
}

fun openYourActivity() {
    val intent = Intent(this, SomeActivity::class.java)
    resultLauncher.launch(intent)
}

Advantage:

The new way is reduce complexity which we faced when we call the activity from a fragment or from another activity Easily ask for any permission and get callback

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For those who have problem with wrong requestCode in onActivityResult

If you are calling startActivityForResult() from your Fragment, the requestCode is changed by the Activity that owns the Fragment.

If you want to get the correct resultCode in your activity try this:

Change:

startActivityForResult(intent, 1); To:

getActivity().startActivityForResult(intent, 1);

---

The ActivityResultRegistry is the recommended approach

ComponentActivity now provides an ActivityResultRegistry that lets you handle the startActivityForResult()+onActivityResult() as well as requestPermissions()+onRequestPermissionsResult() flows without overriding methods in your Activity or Fragment, brings increased type safety via ActivityResultContract, and provides hooks for testing these flows.

It is strongly recommended to use the Activity Result APIs introduced in Android 10 Activity 1.2.0-alpha02 and Fragment 1.3.0-alpha02.

Add this to your build.gradle

def activity_version = "1.2.0-beta01"

// Java language implementation
implementation "androidx.activity:activity:$activity_version"
// Kotlin
implementation "androidx.activity:activity-ktx:$activity_version"

How to use the pre-built contract

This new API has the following pre-built functionalities

TakeVideo PickContact GetContent GetContents OpenDocument OpenDocuments OpenDocumentTree CreateDocument Dial TakePicture RequestPermission RequestPermissions

An example that uses the takePicture contract:

private val takePicture = prepareCall(ActivityResultContracts.TakePicture()) { bitmap: Bitmap? ->
    // Do something with the Bitmap, if present
}

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

    button.setOnClickListener { takePicture() }
}

So what’s going on here? Let’s break it down slightly. takePicture is just a callback which returns a nullable Bitmap - whether or not it’s null depends on whether or not the onActivityResult process was successful. prepareCall then registers this call into a new feature on ComponentActivity called the ActivityResultRegistry - we’ll come back to this later. ActivityResultContracts.TakePicture() is one of the built-in helpers which Google have created for us, and finally invoking takePicture actually triggers the Intent in the same way that you would previously with Activity.startActivityForResult(intent, REQUEST_CODE).

How to write a custom contract

A simple contract that takes an Int as an input and returns a string that the requested Activity returns in the result Intent.

class MyContract : ActivityResultContract<Int, String>() {

    companion object {
        const val ACTION = "com.myapp.action.MY_ACTION"
        const val INPUT_INT = "input_int"
        const val OUTPUT_STRING = "output_string"
    }

    override fun createIntent(input: Int): Intent {
        return Intent(ACTION)
            .apply { putExtra(INPUT_INT, input) }
    }

    override fun parseResult(resultCode: Int, intent: Intent?): String? {
        return when (resultCode) {
            Activity.RESULT_OK -> intent?.getStringExtra(OUTPUT_STRING)
            else -> null
        }
    }
}

class MyActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    private val myActionCall = prepareCall(MyContract()) { result ->
        Log.i("MyActivity", "Obtained result: $result")
    }

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        ...
        button.setOnClickListener {
            myActionCall(500)
        }
    }
}

Check this official documentation for more information.

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If you want to update the user interface with the activity result, you can't to use this.runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {}. Doing this, the UI won't refresh with the new value. Instead, you can do this:

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

    if (resultCode == RESULT_CANCELED) {
        return;
    }

    global_lat = data.getDoubleExtra("LATITUDE", 0);
    global_lng = data.getDoubleExtra("LONGITUDE", 0);
    new_latlng = true;
}

@Override
protected void onResume() {
    super.onResume();

    if(new_latlng)
    {
        PhysicalTagProperties.this.setLocation(global_lat, global_lng);
        new_latlng=false;
    }
}

This seems silly, but it works pretty well.

---

I will post the new "way" with Android X in a short answer (because in some case you does not need custom registry or contract). If you want more information, see: Getting a result from an activity

Important: there is actually a bug with the backward compatibility of Android X so you have to add fragment_version in your Gradle file. Otherwise you will get an exception "New result API error : Can only use lower 16 bits for requestCode".

dependencies {

    def activity_version = "1.2.0-beta01"
    // Java language implementation
    implementation "androidx.activity:activity:$activity_version"
    // Kotlin
    implementation "androidx.activity:activity-ktx:$activity_version"

    def fragment_version = "1.3.0-beta02"
    // Java language implementation
    implementation "androidx.fragment:fragment:$fragment_version"
    // Kotlin
    implementation "androidx.fragment:fragment-ktx:$fragment_version"
    // Testing Fragments in Isolation
    debugImplementation "androidx.fragment:fragment-testing:$fragment_version"
}

Now you just have to add this member variable of your activity. This use a predefined registry and generic contract.

public class MyActivity extends AppCompatActivity{

   ...

    /**
     * Activity callback API.
     */
    // https://developer.android.com/training/basics/intents/result
    private ActivityResultLauncher<Intent> mStartForResult = registerForActivityResult(new ActivityResultContracts.StartActivityForResult(),

            new ActivityResultCallback<ActivityResult>() {

                @Override
                public void onActivityResult(ActivityResult result) {
                    switch (result.getResultCode()) {
                        case Activity.RESULT_OK:
                            Intent intent = result.getData();
                            // Handle the Intent
                            Toast.makeText(MyActivity.this, "Activity returned ok", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                            break;
                        case Activity.RESULT_CANCELED:
                            Toast.makeText(MyActivity.this, "Activity canceled", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                            break;
                    }
                }
            });

Before new API you had :

btn.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                Intent intent = new Intent(MyActivity .this, EditActivity.class);
                startActivityForResult(intent, Constants.INTENT_EDIT_REQUEST_CODE);
            }
        });

You may notice that the request code is now generated (and hold) by the Google framework. Your code becomes:

 btn.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {

                @Override
                public void onClick(View v) {
                    Intent intent = new Intent(MyActivity .this, EditActivity.class);
                    mStartForResult.launch(intent);
                }
            });

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First you use startActivityForResult() with parameters in the first Activity and if you want to send data from the second Activity to first Activity then pass the value using Intent with the setResult() method and get that data inside the onActivityResult() method in the first Activity.

---

It is a very common problem on Android

It can be broken down into three pieces

Start Activity B (happens in Activity A) Set requested data (happens in activity B) Receive requested data (happens in activity A)

startActivity B

Intent i = new Intent(A.this, B.class);
startActivity(i);

Set requested data

In this part, you decide whether you want to send data back or not when a particular event occurs.

E.g.: In activity B there is an EditText and two buttons b1, b2. Clicking on Button b1 sends data back to activity A. Clicking on Button b2 does not send any data.

Sending data

b1......clickListener
{
    Intent resultIntent = new Intent();
    resultIntent.putExtra("Your_key", "Your_value");
    setResult(RES_CODE_A, resultIntent);
    finish();
}

Not sending data

b2......clickListener
{
   setResult(RES_CODE_B, new Intent());
   finish();
}

The user clicks the back button

By default, the result is set with Activity.RESULT_CANCEL response code

Retrieve result

For that override onActivityResult method

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

    if (resultCode == RES_CODE_A) {

       // b1 was clicked
       String x = data.getStringExtra("RES_CODE_A");

    }
    else if(resultCode == RES_CODE_B){

       // b2 was clicked
    }
    else{
       // The back button was clicked
    }
}

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In Kotlin

Suppose A & B are activities the navigation is from A -> B We need the result back from A <- B

in A

    // calling the Activity B
    resultLauncher.launch(Intent(requireContext(), B::class.java))

    // we get data in here from B
    private var resultLauncher =
    registerForActivityResult(ActivityResultContracts.StartActivityForResult()) { result ->
        when (result.resultCode) {
            Activity.RESULT_OK -> {
                result.data?.getStringExtra("VALUE")?.let {
                    // data received here
                }
            }
            Activity.RESULT_CANCELED -> {
                // cancel or failure
            }
        }
    }

In B

    // Sending result value back to A
    if (success) {
       setResult(RESULT_OK, Intent().putExtra("VALUE", value))
    } else {
       setResult(RESULT_CANCELED)
    }

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In your Main Activity

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    findViewById(R.id.takeCam).setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View view) {
            Intent intent=new Intent(getApplicationContext(),TakePhotoActivity.class);
            intent.putExtra("Mode","Take");
            startActivity(intent);
        }
    });
    findViewById(R.id.selectGal).setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View view) {
            Intent intent=new Intent(getApplicationContext(),TakePhotoActivity.class);
            intent.putExtra("Mode","Gallery");
            startActivity(intent);
        }
    });
}

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

}

In Second Activity to Display

private static final int CAMERA_REQUEST = 1888;
private ImageView imageView;
private static final int MY_CAMERA_PERMISSION_CODE = 100;
private static final int PICK_PHOTO_FOR_AVATAR = 0;
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_take_photo);

    imageView=findViewById(R.id.imageView);

    if(getIntent().getStringExtra("Mode").equals("Gallery"))
    {
        pickImage();
    }
    else {
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
            if (checkSelfPermission(Manifest.permission.CAMERA) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
                requestPermissions(new String[]{Manifest.permission.CAMERA}, MY_CAMERA_PERMISSION_CODE);
            } else {
                Intent cameraIntent = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
                startActivityForResult(cameraIntent, CAMERA_REQUEST);
            }
        }
    }
}
public void pickImage() {
    Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
    intent.setType("image/*");
    startActivityForResult(intent, PICK_PHOTO_FOR_AVATAR);
}
@Override
public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, @NonNull String[] permissions, @NonNull int[] grantResults)
{
    super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
    if (requestCode == MY_CAMERA_PERMISSION_CODE)
    {
        if (grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED)
        {
            Intent cameraIntent = new Intent(android.provider.MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
            startActivityForResult(cameraIntent, CAMERA_REQUEST);
        }
        else
        {
            Toast.makeText(this, "Camera Permission Denied..", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
    }
}

@Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
    if (requestCode == CAMERA_REQUEST && resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
        Bitmap photo = (Bitmap) data.getExtras().get("data");
        imageView.setImageBitmap(photo);
    }
        if (requestCode == PICK_PHOTO_FOR_AVATAR && resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
            if (data == null) {
                Log.d("ABC","No Such Image Selected");
                return;
            }
            try {
                Uri selectedData=data.getData();
                Log.d("ABC","Image Pick-Up");
                imageView.setImageURI(selectedData);
                InputStream inputStream = getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().openInputStream(selectedData);
                Bitmap bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeStream(inputStream);
                Bitmap bmp=MediaStore.Images.Media.getBitmap(getContentResolver(),selectedData);
            } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                e.printStackTrace();
            } catch(IOException e){

            }
    }
}

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You need to override Activity.onActivityResult():

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

    if (resultCode == RESULT_CODE_ONE) {

       String a = data.getStringExtra("RESULT_CODE_ONE");

    }
    else if(resultCode == RESULT_CODE_TWO){

       // b was clicked
    }
    else{

    }
}

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