android - Why can i not make a directory inside Environment.DIRECTORY_PICTURES? -

this code

file selfielocation = new file(getexternalfilesdir(environment.directory_pictures),                "daily selfies"); boolean isdirectory = false; if(!selfielocation.isdirectory()) {         //creates directory named file         selfielocation.mkdir();         isdirectory = selfielocation.isdirectory();  }  //array of strings   for(string selfiepath: selfielocation.list()) {         selfies.add(selfiepath);  } 

basically trying create own customizable directory inside of standard directory in place pictures available user.

i looked @ related threads , saw one, android: unable create directory in default pictures folder. made sure had call getexternal...., , not have environment.directory_pictures parameter. looked on here http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/data-storage.html#filesexternal , saw had right method call/format create customizable folder in external memory. docs example

file file = new file(environment.getexternalstoragepublicdirectory(         environment.directory_pictures), albumname); if (!file.mkdirs()) {     log.e(log_tag, "directory not created"); } 

i stepped through code , saw local variable isdirectory stayed @ false after call selfielocation.mkdir(). know why directory cannot created?

try create directory file#mkdirs(), not file#mkdir(). latter assumes parent directories in place, won't create directory if of parents don't exist.
also, take @ permissions in androidmanifest.xml. need following permissions in order read/write content on external storage:

<manifest ...>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.write_external_storage" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.read_external_storage" />     ... </manifest> 

android.permission.read_external_storage isn't required now, it be in future releases of android.