MediaPlayer setDataSource failed with status=0x80000000 for Ringtone set by filepath on 2.3.4

Answer by Lorne below was most helpful when dealing with this problem.

For anyone else struggling with it, here is the code that I have been using for over 6 months now with errors almost not reported anymore.

fileinfo can be both of below (examples):

/system/media/audio/alarms/Walk_in_the_forest.ogg

content://media/internal/audio/media/20

public static void setMediaPlayerDataSource(Context context,
        MediaPlayer mp, String fileInfo) throws Exception {

    if (fileInfo.startsWith("content://")) {
        try {
            Uri uri = Uri.parse(fileInfo);
            fileInfo = getRingtonePathFromContentUri(context, uri);
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
    }

    try {
        if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB)
            try {
                setMediaPlayerDataSourcePreHoneyComb(context, mp, fileInfo);
            } catch (Exception e) {
                setMediaPlayerDataSourcePostHoneyComb(context, mp, fileInfo);
            }
        else
            setMediaPlayerDataSourcePostHoneyComb(context, mp, fileInfo);

    } catch (Exception e) {
        try {
            setMediaPlayerDataSourceUsingFileDescriptor(context, mp,
                    fileInfo);
        } catch (Exception ee) {
            String uri = getRingtoneUriFromPath(context, fileInfo);
            mp.reset();
            mp.setDataSource(uri);
        }
    }
}

private static void setMediaPlayerDataSourcePreHoneyComb(Context context,
        MediaPlayer mp, String fileInfo) throws Exception {
    mp.reset();
    mp.setDataSource(fileInfo);
}

private static void setMediaPlayerDataSourcePostHoneyComb(Context context,
        MediaPlayer mp, String fileInfo) throws Exception {
    mp.reset();
    mp.setDataSource(context, Uri.parse(Uri.encode(fileInfo)));
}

private static void setMediaPlayerDataSourceUsingFileDescriptor(
        Context context, MediaPlayer mp, String fileInfo) throws Exception {
    File file = new File(fileInfo);
    FileInputStream inputStream = new FileInputStream(file);
    mp.reset();
    mp.setDataSource(inputStream.getFD());
    inputStream.close();
}

private static String getRingtoneUriFromPath(Context context, String path) {
    Uri ringtonesUri = MediaStore.Audio.Media.getContentUriForPath(path);
    Cursor ringtoneCursor = context.getContentResolver().query(
            ringtonesUri, null,
            MediaStore.Audio.Media.DATA + "='" + path + "'", null, null);
    ringtoneCursor.moveToFirst();

    long id = ringtoneCursor.getLong(ringtoneCursor
            .getColumnIndex(MediaStore.Audio.Media._ID));
    ringtoneCursor.close();

    if (!ringtonesUri.toString().endsWith(String.valueOf(id))) {
        return ringtonesUri + "/" + id;
    }
    return ringtonesUri.toString();
}

public static String getRingtonePathFromContentUri(Context context,
        Uri contentUri) {
    String[] proj = { MediaStore.Audio.Media.DATA };
    Cursor ringtoneCursor = context.getContentResolver().query(contentUri,
            proj, null, null, null);
    ringtoneCursor.moveToFirst();

    String path = ringtoneCursor.getString(ringtoneCursor
            .getColumnIndexOrThrow(MediaStore.Audio.Media.DATA));

    ringtoneCursor.close();
    return path;
}

There was a change in the behaviour of setDataSource(String path) due to a bug fix in Android 4.1.1. In 4.1.1 or later you need to use a local path (without protocol). However, on 4.0.4 and earlier you needed to use a URI (e.g. with file:// protocol).

Here is an incomplete code snippet that should illustrate the workaround:

// as of 4.1.1 (JELLY_BEAN) we need to use a local path (without protocol)
// on 4.0.4 and earlier we needed a URI (with file:// protocol)
final String cachedFile = android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 16 // android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.JELLY_BEAN
                        ? getCacheFilePath(file)
                        : getCacheFileUri(file);


// for the purpose of this example 
// assume cacheFolder is a String and getCacheFile returns a String

public String getCacheFilePath(String file) {
    return cacheFolder + getCacheFile(file);
}

public String getCacheFileUri(String file) {
    return "file://" + cacheFolder + getCacheFile(file);
}

You have to explicit set the length of your file. Use the overloaded method:
AssetFileDescriptor afd = ctx.getAssets().openFd([your asset name]); mediaPlayer.setDataSource(afd.getFileDescriptor(), afd.getStartOffset(), afd.getLength());