Android: Get google's unique contact ID from ContactProvider database

Question

I am working on a requirement, where I need to identify all Google's contact saved/synced with Android device's phonebook. Then I have to fetch unique contact Id (Google's unique contact id)of each contact which will be same on other devices and other platform.

I have read Android developer's documentation regarding RAW_CONTACT_ID. Also, tried to get raw contact id, but I am getting different value of raw contact id on other devices.

If anyone can put me on right direction, it will really helpful.

If require more information, please ask.

Answer 1

Try using ContactsContract.PhoneLookup

A table that represents the result of looking up a phone number, for example for caller ID. To perform a lookup you must append the number you want to find to CONTENT_FILTER_URI. This query is highly optimized.

Uri uri = Uri.withAppendedPath(PhoneLookup.CONTENT_FILTER_URI, Uri.encode(phoneNumber));
 resolver.query(uri, new String[]{PhoneLookup.DISPLAY_NAME,...

where

 PhoneLookup._ID

is what you're looking for.

You may also try the solution provided in this post:

 public static int getContactIDFromNumber(String contactNumber,Context context)
{
    contactNumber = Uri.encode(contactNumber);
    int phoneContactID = new Random().nextInt();
    Cursor contactLookupCursor = context.getContentResolver().query(Uri.withAppendedPath(PhoneLookup.CONTENT_FILTER_URI,contactNumber),new String[] {PhoneLookup.DISPLAY_NAME, PhoneLookup._ID}, null, null, null);
        while(contactLookupCursor.moveToNext()){
            phoneContactID = contactLookupCursor.getInt(contactLookupCursor.getColumnIndexOrThrow(PhoneLookup._ID));
            }
        contactLookupCursor.close();

    return phoneContactID;
}

Answer 2

All _ID values in Android's Contacts are local, they are usually incremental, and are not synced between devices.

The values that might get synced by the app's SyncAdapter (in this case Google's SyncAdapter) are SYNC1, SYNC2, SYNC3, SYNC4.

However, note that these fields are not guaranteed to do anything, and the SyncAdapter may use them for whatever purpose it needs, usually, one of them is used as a "server identifier" you just need to print them, and check manually which one.