Camera Tutorial for Android (using surfaceview)

Question

Here is my example code:

package newslab.video.server;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.hardware.Camera;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class VideoServer extends Activity implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
    TextView testView;

    Camera camera;
    SurfaceView surfaceView;
    SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;

    private final String tag = "VideoServer";

    Button start, stop;

    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        start = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_start);
        start.setOnClickListener(new Button.OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                start_camera();
            }
        });

        stop = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_stop);
        stop.setOnClickListener(new Button.OnClickListener() {
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                stop_camera();
            }
        });

        surfaceView = (SurfaceView)findViewById(R.id.surfaceView1);
        surfaceHolder = surfaceView.getHolder();
        surfaceHolder.addCallback(this);
        surfaceHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
    }

    private void start_camera() {
        try{
            camera = Camera.open();
        }catch(RuntimeException e){
            Log.e(tag, "init_camera: " + e);
            return;
        }
        Camera.Parameters param;
        param = camera.getParameters();
        //modify parameter
        param.setPreviewFrameRate(20);
        param.setPreviewSize(176, 144);
        camera.setParameters(param);
        try {
            camera.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder);
            camera.startPreview();
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e(tag, "init_camera: " + e);
            return;
        }
    }

    private void stop_camera() {
        camera.stopPreview();
        camera.release();
    }

    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder arg0, int arg1, int arg2, int arg3) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }
}

However, it just shows the preview and stop the camera.
Is there any other tutorial to teach further processing such as how to save the image or process the image with bitmap?

not using native camera means what? which camera you are using? — Narendra Pal
– Narendra Pal, Commented Sep 5, 2012 at 3:45

timrau · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-25 03:55:46Z

38

Ok. So here is the solution:

I am not adding any try catch. This is simply for the capturing the image and storing it into the sdcard.

public class VideoServer extends Activity implements SurfaceHolder.Callback {
    TextView testView;

    Camera camera;
    SurfaceView surfaceView;
    SurfaceHolder surfaceHolder;
    PictureCallback rawCallback;
    ShutterCallback shutterCallback;
    PictureCallback jpegCallback;
    private final String tag = "VideoServer";

    Button start, stop, capture;

    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        start = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_start);
        start.setOnClickListener(new Button.OnClickListener()
        {
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                start_camera();
            }
        });
        stop = (Button)findViewById(R.id.btn_stop);
        capture = (Button) findViewById(R.id.capture);
        stop.setOnClickListener(new Button.OnClickListener()
        {
            public void onClick(View arg0) {
                stop_camera();
            }
        });
        capture.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {

            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                captureImage();
            }
        });

        surfaceView = (SurfaceView)findViewById(R.id.surfaceView1);
        surfaceHolder = surfaceView.getHolder();
        surfaceHolder.addCallback(this);
        surfaceHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);
        rawCallback = new PictureCallback() {
            public void onPictureTaken(byte[] data, Camera camera) {
                Log.d("Log", "onPictureTaken - raw");
            }
        };

        /** Handles data for jpeg picture */
        shutterCallback = new ShutterCallback() {
            public void onShutter() {
                Log.i("Log", "onShutter'd");
            }
        };
        jpegCallback = new PictureCallback() {
            public void onPictureTaken(byte[] data, Camera camera) {
                FileOutputStream outStream = null;
                try {
                    outStream = new FileOutputStream(String.format(
                            "/sdcard/%d.jpg", System.currentTimeMillis()));
                    outStream.write(data);
                    outStream.close();
                    Log.d("Log", "onPictureTaken - wrote bytes: " + data.length);
                } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                } catch (IOException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                } finally {
                }
                Log.d("Log", "onPictureTaken - jpeg");
            }
        };
    }

    private void captureImage() {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        camera.takePicture(shutterCallback, rawCallback, jpegCallback);
    }

    private void start_camera()
    {
        try{
            camera = Camera.open();
        }catch(RuntimeException e){
            Log.e(tag, "init_camera: " + e);
            return;
        }
        Camera.Parameters param;
        param = camera.getParameters();
        //modify parameter
        param.setPreviewFrameRate(20);
        param.setPreviewSize(176, 144);
        camera.setParameters(param);
        try {
            camera.setPreviewDisplay(surfaceHolder);
            camera.startPreview();
            //camera.takePicture(shutter, raw, jpeg)
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Log.e(tag, "init_camera: " + e);
            return;
        }
    }

    private void stop_camera()
    {
        camera.stopPreview();
        camera.release();
    }

    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder arg0, int arg1, int arg2, int arg3) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    }

}

Don't press caputure button before the start,because I didn't checked it. I just wanted to show you that how to capture and store image into the sdcard.

edited Jun 25, 2014 at 3:55

timrau

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answered Sep 5, 2012 at 4:03

Narendra Pal

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7 Comments

Narendra Pal Over a year ago

for more info.visit this site marakana.com/forums/android/examples/39.html

jjLin Over a year ago

Your solution is perfect. But one more question, how can I get the captured image as bitmap to make further effect?

Narendra Pal Over a year ago

for that you have to take the captured image from the sdcard using this. Bitmap bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeFile("/path/images/imageName.jpg"); And you can do further operation onto the bitmap

mahdi Over a year ago

@NarendraPal when i tap on start button it`s show : java.lang.RuntimeException: Fail to connect to camera service on logcat

Narendra Pal Over a year ago

@mahdi please look into the complete example code which is mentioned by me in comments and let me know if that is not working.

|

Sahil Mahajan Mj · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-05 05:01:59Z

13

Dont forget to take the permission for using camera in Android Manifest file,

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

Also you have to take permission for storing images on SD Card,

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

answered Sep 5, 2012 at 5:01

Sahil Mahajan Mj

11.2k8 gold badges56 silver badges101 bronze badges

Comments

Satan Pandeya · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-20 10:52:23Z

3

Camera permission in manifiest file:

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

Permission for storing image from sdcard in manifiest file:

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

edited Mar 20, 2017 at 10:52

Satan Pandeya

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answered Mar 20, 2017 at 5:53

Kunal Dharaiya

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Comments

Michael Kohne · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-21 13:49:05Z

1

I was having issues with camera, figuring out how to implement and work with and came across this resources: Camera preview. At the bottom of the page you have examples of the most common scenarios as well as the one in your original question: Take and preview Photo

edited Jul 21, 2014 at 13:49

Michael Kohne

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answered Jul 20, 2014 at 17:43

ViksaaSkool

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Comments

Syed Rafaqat Hussain · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-28 12:31:39Z

0

If you are using android 10 or later don't forget to add this in your manifest file

android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"
android:grantUriPermissions="true"

answered Sep 28, 2020 at 12:31

Syed Rafaqat Hussain

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