Using Content Provider

[sonalm]

How can we use contentProvider with the package? when i m trying it, it says unable to get the MyContentProvider.

[developernotes]

Hello sonalm,

You can use custom ContentProviders, you only need to extend the android.content.ContentProvider will using the android-database-sqlcipher SQLiteDatabase in the implementation. We have a simple example of one that you can see here:

https://github.com/sqlcipher/sqlcipher-android-tests/blob/master/src/main/java/net/zetetic/ZeteticContentProvider.java

Can you take a look at this and compare with what you have? Can you share your stacktrace?

[n8fr8]

We are also reworking our NoteCipher sample to use a ContentProvider, based on the Android SDK's latest NotePad sample. The new version is here:

https://github.com/guardianproject/notepadbot/tree/v2

specifically: https://github.com/guardianproject/notepadbot/blob/v2/src/info/guardianproject/notecipher/NoteCipherProvider.java

still figuring out the best way to pass the key/passcode to the content provider however!

[developernotes]

Hi sonalm,

Were you able to use a ContentProvider with any of the above?

[huttneab]

@n8fr8

Once the DB has been opened, does it still need the password for each call to getReadable/writeable database? It looks like according to the implementation (https://github.com/sqlcipher/android-database-sqlcipher/blob/master/src/info/guardianproject/database/sqlcipher/SQLiteOpenHelper.java) it doesn't.

My question is why not just keep the singleton pattern when using a content provider and just pass null to each of the get read/write database methods? If it's open it'll work otherwise it will do the same thing it does now. This way you don't have to cache the password.

I may be missing something about how content providers work, but in the case of a password protected provider it can't be accessed by another app w/o the user opening the protected app and entering the password anyway. So, it's safe to assume the DB is open if we're granting access to another app (i.e. launching a view intent).

Also, I've read on Oracle's site that storing passwords as strings is bad form since they are immutable. They recommend char[] and using Arrays.fill(array, ' ' ) to zero them out. Apparently, string = null is not sufficient and system.gc cannot be relied on to move fast enough. They were general Java guide lines, maybe Android is different?