[android] How to add new contacts in android

I have written following code to add new contact in android phone book, it is working but when i open contact menu, i cannot see the new contact added. Can anyone help me to find out what's wrong here?

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;

import android.content.ContentResolver;
import android.content.ContentValues;
import android.provider.ContactsContract;

import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class AddContacts extends Activity {
    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
        try {
            ContentResolver cr = this.getContentResolver();
            ContentValues cv = new ContentValues();
            cv.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.DISPLAY_NAME, "New Name");
            cv.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER, "1234567890");
            cv.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_MOBILE);
            cr.insert(ContactsContract.RawContacts.CONTENT_URI, cv);

            Toast.makeText(this, "Contact added", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        } catch(Exception e) {
            TextView tv = new TextView(this);
            tv.setText(e.toString());
            setContentView(tv);
        }
    }
}

These examples are fine, I wanted to point out that you can achieve the same result using an Intent. The intent opens the Contacts app with the fields you provide already filled in.

It's up to the user to save the newly created contact.

You can read about it here: https://developer.android.com/training/contacts-provider/modify-data.html

Intent contactIntent = new Intent(ContactsContract.Intents.Insert.ACTION);
contactIntent.setType(ContactsContract.RawContacts.CONTENT_TYPE);

contactIntent
        .putExtra(ContactsContract.Intents.Insert.NAME, "Contact Name")
        .putExtra(ContactsContract.Intents.Insert.PHONE, "5555555555");

startActivityForResult(contactIntent, 1);

startActivityForResult() gives you the opportunity to see the result.

I've noticed the resultCode works on >5.0 devices,

but I have an older Samsung (<5) that always returns RESULT_CANCELLED (0).

Which I understand is the default return if an activity doesn't expect to return anything.

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

    if (requestCode == 1)
    {
        if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) {
            Toast.makeText(this, "Added Contact", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }
        if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_CANCELED) {
            Toast.makeText(this, "Cancelled Added Contact", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }
    }
}

It's not that above answers are incorrect, but I find this code extremely easy to understand and therefore I am sharing it here with everyone. And there is also the check for WRITE_CONTACTS permission.

Here is the complete code for how to add phone number, email, website etc to an existing contact.

public static void addNumberToContact(Context context, Long contactRawId, String number) throws RemoteException, OperationApplicationException {
    addInfoToAddressBookContact(
            context,
            contactRawId,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_OTHER,
            number
    );
}

public static void addEmailToContact(Context context, Long contactRawId, String email) throws RemoteException, OperationApplicationException {
    addInfoToAddressBookContact(
            context,
            contactRawId,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.ADDRESS,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.TYPE_OTHER,
            email
    );
}

public static void addURLToContact(Context context, Long contactRawId, String url) throws RemoteException, OperationApplicationException {
    addInfoToAddressBookContact(
            context,
            contactRawId,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Website.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Website.URL,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Website.TYPE,
            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Website.TYPE_OTHER,
            url
    );
}

private static void addInfoToAddressBookContact(Context context, Long contactRawId, String mimeType, String whatToAdd, String typeKey, int type, String data) throws RemoteException, OperationApplicationException {
    if(ActivityCompat.checkSelfPermission(context, Manifest.permission.WRITE_CONTACTS) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_DENIED) {
        return;
    }
    ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation> ops = new ArrayList<>();
    ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
            .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, contactRawId)
            .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE, mimeType)
            .withValue(whatToAdd, data)
            .withValue(typeKey, type)
            .build());
    getContentResolver().applyBatch(ContactsContract.AUTHORITY, ops);
}

This is working fine for me:

ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation> ops = new ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation>();
            int rawContactInsertIndex = ops.size();

            ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(RawContacts.CONTENT_URI)
                    .withValue(RawContacts.ACCOUNT_TYPE, null)
                    .withValue(RawContacts.ACCOUNT_NAME, null).build());
            ops.add(ContentProviderOperation
                    .newInsert(Data.CONTENT_URI)
                    .withValueBackReference(Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID,rawContactInsertIndex)
                    .withValue(Data.MIMETYPE, StructuredName.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
                    .withValue(StructuredName.DISPLAY_NAME, "Vikas Patidar") // Name of the person
                    .build());
            ops.add(ContentProviderOperation
                    .newInsert(Data.CONTENT_URI)
                    .withValueBackReference(
                            ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID,   rawContactInsertIndex)
                    .withValue(Data.MIMETYPE, Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
                    .withValue(Phone.NUMBER, "9999999999") // Number of the person
                    .withValue(Phone.TYPE, Phone.TYPE_MOBILE).build()); // Type of mobile number                    
            try
            {
                ContentProviderResult[] res = getContentResolver().applyBatch(ContactsContract.AUTHORITY, ops);
            }
            catch (RemoteException e)
            { 
                // error
            }
            catch (OperationApplicationException e) 
            {
                // error
            }       

 private void addContact(String name, String number){
    Uri addContactsUri = ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI;
    long rowContactId = getRawContactId();
    String displayName = name;
    insertContactDisplayName(addContactsUri, rowContactId, displayName);
    String phoneNumber = number;
    String phoneTypeStr = "Mobile";//work,home etc
    insertContactPhoneNumber(addContactsUri, rowContactId, phoneNumber, phoneTypeStr);
}

private void insertContactDisplayName(Uri addContactsUri, long rawContactId, String displayName)
{
    ContentValues contentValues = new ContentValues();

    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, rawContactId);
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE);

    // Put contact display name value.
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.GIVEN_NAME, displayName);

    activity.getContentResolver().insert(addContactsUri, contentValues);

}


private long getRawContactId()
{
    // Inser an empty contact.
    ContentValues contentValues = new ContentValues();
    Uri rawContactUri = activity.getContentResolver().insert(ContactsContract.RawContacts.CONTENT_URI, contentValues);
    // Get the newly created contact raw id.
    long ret = ContentUris.parseId(rawContactUri);
    return ret;
}

private void insertContactPhoneNumber(Uri addContactsUri, long rawContactId, String phoneNumber, String phoneTypeStr) {
    // Create a ContentValues object.
    ContentValues contentValues = new ContentValues();

    // Each contact must has an id to avoid java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: raw_contact_id is required error.
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, rawContactId);

    // Each contact must has an mime type to avoid java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: mimetype is required error.
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE);

    // Put phone number value.
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER, phoneNumber);

    // Calculate phone type by user selection.
    int phoneContactType = ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_HOME;

    if ("home".equalsIgnoreCase(phoneTypeStr)) {
        phoneContactType = ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_HOME;
    } else if ("mobile".equalsIgnoreCase(phoneTypeStr)) {
        phoneContactType = ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_MOBILE;
    } else if ("work".equalsIgnoreCase(phoneTypeStr)) {
        phoneContactType = ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_WORK;
    }
    // Put phone type value.
    contentValues.put(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE, phoneContactType);

    // Insert new contact data into phone contact list.
    activity.getContentResolver().insert(addContactsUri, contentValues);

}

There are several good articles on the subject on dev2qa.com site, about Contacts Provider API:

How To Add Contact In Android Programmatically

How To Update Delete Android Contacts Programmatically

How To Get Contact List In Android Programmatically

Contacts are stored in SQLite .db files in bunch of tables, the structure is discussed here: Android Contacts Database Structure

Official Google documentation on Contacts Provider here

Here I am posting a piece of code that i use to add a new contact. It works fine for me. I hope it will help you.

 String DisplayName = "XYZ";
 String MobileNumber = "123456";
 String HomeNumber = "1111";
 String WorkNumber = "2222";
 String emailID = "[email protected]";
 String company = "bad";
 String jobTitle = "abcd";

 ArrayList < ContentProviderOperation > ops = new ArrayList < ContentProviderOperation > ();

 ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(
 ContactsContract.RawContacts.CONTENT_URI)
     .withValue(ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_TYPE, null)
     .withValue(ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_NAME, null)
     .build());

 //------------------------------------------------------ Names
 if (DisplayName != null) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(
     ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.DISPLAY_NAME,
     DisplayName).build());
 }

 //------------------------------------------------------ Mobile Number                     
 if (MobileNumber != null) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.
     newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER, MobileNumber)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_MOBILE)
         .build());
 }

 //------------------------------------------------------ Home Numbers
 if (HomeNumber != null) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER, HomeNumber)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_HOME)
         .build());
 }

 //------------------------------------------------------ Work Numbers
 if (WorkNumber != null) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.NUMBER, WorkNumber)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Phone.TYPE_WORK)
         .build());
 }

 //------------------------------------------------------ Email
 if (emailID != null) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.DATA, emailID)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.TYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.TYPE_WORK)
         .build());
 }

 //------------------------------------------------------ Organization
 if (!company.equals("") && !jobTitle.equals("")) {
     ops.add(ContentProviderOperation.newInsert(ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI)
         .withValueBackReference(ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID, 0)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.Data.MIMETYPE,
     ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.COMPANY, company)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.TYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.TYPE_WORK)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.TITLE, jobTitle)
         .withValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.TYPE, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Organization.TYPE_WORK)
         .build());
 }

 // Asking the Contact provider to create a new contact                 
 try {
     getContentResolver().applyBatch(ContactsContract.AUTHORITY, ops);
 } catch (Exception e) {
     e.printStackTrace();
     Toast.makeText(myContext, "Exception: " + e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
 } 

Here is the code. Integrate it according to your need. I hope it will help.