Cannot make a static reference to the non-static method getPackageManager()

Question

I am trying to retrieve the list of installed apps in android. I have written the following code:

final Intent myIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_MAIN, null);
myIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_LAUNCHER);
final List AppsList = Context.getPackageManager().queryIntentActivities(myIntent, 0);

I am getting this error:

Cannot make a static reference to the non-static method getPackageManager() from the type Context

Knowing that both Context and PackageManager are abstract classes, cannot resolve the error. Kindly help.

Answer 1

Try:

final List AppsList = getApplicationContext().getPackageManager().queryIntentActivities(myIntent, 0);

Answer 2

You need to use an instance of context to call this method. Generally when you are in an activity or a service, the context is thisor getContext(). You should use this technique to :

• open new sceens
• access ressources inside an activity.
• everything else that is "local" to the current activity

If you want a more global context, you can use getApplicationContext(), this is useful if you want for instance, access an embedded database.

Answer 3

Knowing that both Context and PackageManager are abstract classes

Use an instance of a concrete subclass of Context, such as Activity.

Since your code probably is already in a method on a subclass of Context, change the problematic line to:

final List AppsList = getPackageManager().queryIntentActivities(myIntent, 0);

If, for some reason, your code shown above is not in a method on a subclass of Context, you will need to pass in some Context instance to wherever this code resides, and call getPackageManager() on it.