Tasker unable to write external SD card on Marshmallow ?

[Michael White]

Hello, 

I upgraded my S4 to CM 13.0 (Android 6.0) yesterday, and since the tasks that would write a file or an image to the external SD card are broken. They worked fine under Lollipop.

I have set my SD card as an external SD card (can't remember the exact terms, it asks you to chose the first time you use Marshmallow between using it like before as an SD card, or change it to an extension of the primary SD requiring a wipe).

I have of course changed the path of the files to write.

Shell actions run by tasker can write on the ext SD card, but the actual tasker tasks (write file etc.) can't. I get EACCESS permission denied. 

No problem with reading ext SD card though.

I tried to search google for an answer but to no avail. Maybe I am missing something obvious ?

If anyone has an idea, it will be very much appreciated.

Thanks !

Mike

[Rich D]

> I have of course changed the path of the files to write.
>

Marshmallow definitely changed  the naming of the file paths.   As a test you could make a list files action and use the mag glass to select the file on the external sd.  Then see what is listed for a file path. Make sure it is correct.

[Michael White]

Thank you for the reply.

That's the way I found the path, and I'm pretty sure it's correct as with this pas I'm able to read files on the ext sd and write files using scripts.

Mike

[gary scarborough]

Having same issue have you fixed it yet

[Michael White]

No, I'm now only using internal Sd card. I'm sure it's something to fix at Tasker level, as other apps have had to upgrade to make ext Sd writable on Marshmallow, such as Titanium Backup and Solid Explorer.

Mike

[gary scarborough]

Thank you for quick response

On Feb 10, 2016 16:27, "Michael White" <cho...@gmail.com> wrote:

No, I'm now only using internal Sd card. I'm sure it's something to fix at Tasker level, as other apps have had to upgrade to make ext Sd writable on Marshmallow, such as Titanium Backup and Solid Explorer.

Mike

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[Ger PG]

Any news on this? I also cannot write to SD card.

[Pent]

Here's a nice link explaining the situation:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/eyes-free/rspqjlmu_ss

As I understand it, if on lollipop or 'portable' mode on marshmallow are used, access is required via a special
API. I've looked at this API (DocumentFile) and it's going to require rewriting huge chunks of code
used for the file functions, plus some awkwardness with the user pre-accepting file operations
on external SD (and I don't know how long that preacceptance stays valid, potentially making it
useless for later automation)

Summary, I'm not going to be doing this in the near future, if more mainstream devices start to get
SD I may reconsider.

Pent

[Germán Piscitello]

Thanks for the explanation. No big deal, we'll just modify some lines in our tasks and everything will be fine.

;)

Germán Piscitello

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[Dustin]

Tested and working. I found a solution by creating a similar folder to the one described here.

http://www.titaniumtrack.com/kb/titanium-backup-kb/titanium-backup-troubleshooting.html#tb-hangs-while-making-backups

The very last entry describes how to create a folder that has write permissions for a specific app and should persist after a factory reset. Create the following folder in your external sd card.

android/data/net.dinglisch.android.taskerm

Copy any files from your old Tasker file on your external card to this file. When you attempt to do a backup in Tasker direct the backup to the following on your sd card and you should have a proper backup.

android/data/net.dinglisch.android.taskerm/configs/user

[René W.]

But then I still can't use a task to copy files to the external SD card.

[darren horner]

Hi, located this thread after a Google search.

Very disappointed that tasker won't be updated for this.

Myself and partner both purchased tasker and use it specifically for the following....

- one of us takes a photo, and moves it from the camera into our baby album.
- tasker sees that a file has been added to the 'baby' folder, triggering a task which syncs the pics to my Google drive using a 3rd party app (foldersync)
- tasker sends a text to the partner, which is then interpreted by her copy of tasker and knows to sync from my Google drive to her copy of 'baby' album.

All this means that we both have identical sets of photos on both our phones, and have these backed up online for family to see.

Since upgrading to marshmallow, tasker can't even tell when the folder has been changed.

Now it doesn't get used at all. Very disappointing.

[Rich D]

> Very disappointed that tasker won't be updated for this.

> Since upgrading to marshmallow,  tasker can't even tell when the folder has been changed.

>
> Now it doesn't get used at all. Very disappointing.

Why do you need to use the ext SD card?  Or are you saying Tasker can not detect changes to folders on the internal SD with marshmallow?  If so that sounds like a totally different issue. 

[darren horner]

Because as I said, tasker is (was) used to detect additions to an album. Quite clearly this album is stored on external sdcard, which has huge amounts of space as opposed to the precious internal.

[darren horner]

It's also worth noting that foldersync has recently been updated, specifically due to the changes in marshmallow.

If tasker does not follow suit, unfortunately we'll both have no reason to use it.

= (

[Rich D]

> Because as I said, tasker is (was)  used to detect additions to an album. Quite clearly this album is stored on external sdcard, 

"Quite clearly" to whom???  It would have been clear if this was included in the original post..

Anyway....   I can certainly think of a few different work a rounds for your situation.  Depending on how your device is set up.

First would be to just make a temp folder on the internal sd and move the baby pics to that and let folder sync move them to the external sd.

[darren horner]

Hi.

Not sure where or why the attitude is kicking in, but I don't appreciate it.

Fairly obvious that the huge, ever-growing album I was talking about would exist on the sdcard, as that's one of the main reasons that someone would actually use an sdcard in the first place. Surely. Hardly a jump, especially considering the context of the post.

Anyhoo.... I want to mirror an album. Which worked fine on older tech. Suggesting that I move my pics to a temp folder, then use another app (which has been updated to function correctly on marshmallow) to then copy them to the sdcard...... Well that's a little more involved / time consuming than it should be.

If tasker was updated, I wouldn't have a problem. But it seems that you don't have any interest in doing that. Never mind. At least you're being polite about it.

[Jay M]

There's no attitude there it just seems that way because that's how your reading it he asked a question and even mentioned some workarounds. It wasn't "quite clearly" stored on external storage to me either you said your running MM from what I know about it its possible to format a sdcard and use it to expand the internal storage and nowhere in any of your posts does it say you have or have not done this or that you have a device with expandable storage. Looking back I don't even see were you mentioned what device you have. Your just assuming that we know. Rich is probably the most helpfull person in the group he recently got asked if he was a part of the tasker dev team that's how helpfull he is. Anyways Pents said his keyboard times limited because of health reasons. Btw your probably picking up an attitude from the multiple ? in his post some people like to spam keys I do it myself it's a good way of getting a message across that you want an answer to without having to use capslock, like if I was to say Taskers sweet you would know I like it but if I was to spam the e key and say it's sweeeeeeeet which I do often it shows I really like it. Some people when asked multiple questions will only reply to 1 or 2 of them instead of all and its annoying the multiple ? let you know if your gunna answer any question it should be that 1. Well this turned into a giant essay lol.

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Jay M ︻芫══一

[Giovanni Stefani]

So let me shed a little light on the subject:

I just purchased a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (32G Internal, 64G External).  I use screenshots all the time for documentation and instructional videos.  Even though my photos are stored in the sdcard/DCIM, the screenshots are not.  I want to use Tasker to move files from the internal DCIM/Screenshots folder to the sdcard/DCIM/Screenshots folder. I've also tried the SD card volume name /storage/1157-549C/DCIM/Screenshots and nothing copies or moves. If this is a MM issue then it's up to the developer if they want to continue selling and supporting their app. I already have another workaround so I will be removing my paid-for Tasker.  The developer needs to put a disclaimer on Google Play Store that this app doesn't work with MM. At least not with external SD's.

[Pent]

> Some people when asked multiple questions will only reply to 1 or 2 of them instead of all

That one drives me crazy :-)

Pent

[darren horner]

- playstore doesn't mention this problem
- you're absolutely aware of it
- you have openly stated you don't plan to fix it

Please update the description, and also, please refund both myself and my partner's money for this as it's now an utter waste of space for us. Ta.

[gary scarborough]

Tasker is very useful I understand your frustration believe me XDA is more difficult than this forum. I can't get Tasker to write to file but if you just want to move pics can I suggest you use the move action. I use that to move a backup of my tasker xml to my external card and that works here is the profile I use
Profile: Tasker Backup (504)
Day: Fri
Time: 22:00
Enter: Tasker backup (503)
A1: [X] Wait [ MS:0 Seconds:0 Minutes:1 Hours:0 Days:0 ]
A2: List Files [ Dir:Tasker/configs/user Match:*.xml Include Hidden Files:On Use Root:On Variable:%Taskerback ]
A3: Say [ Text:Moving tasker backups Engine:Voice:com.google.android.tts:eng-usa Stream:3 Pitch:5 Speed:5 Respect Audio Focus:On Network:Off Continue Task Immediately:Off ]
A4: Flash [ Text:Moving files Long:Off ]
A5: For [ Variable:%Taskerback Items:%Taskerback() ]
A6: Copy File [ From:%Taskerback To:/storage/6533-6437/tasker backups Use Root:On ]
A7: End For
Let me if this helps. You can use Tasker for do much more and someone will get it worked out. Good luck

[gary scarborough]

Watch this video by Ryoen Deprouw showing how to do this
https://youtu.be/h86EZcdOlVk

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[Jay M]

Not being funny but there is a 2hr refund window on every app on Google Play and a 7 day full featured trial version of Tasker linked in the app description which you clearly read. Also devs don't have to update there apps to be compatable with each new Android version (they should) but it doesn't say anywhere they have to or that devs who refuse to do so must refund they're customers if the app stops working. Google are always breaking things and taking features away you can't expect a dev to support there app and deal with Googles crap forever.

You also said "since upgrading to Marshmallow" which means you have been using the app on a lower Android version so IMO it wouldn't be fair to refund you if he did that would mean you profited from his hard work for free so why should he have to go through the hassle of refunding you and your lass. You bought the app used it now you want a refund because of something Google did to the Android OS :/

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[darren horner]

moving files isn't an option, thanks though.

no refund?  cba to argue about it. a 2hr window certainly isn't enough time to check all the features you are USED TO USING just don't work anymore. 

I find it utterly deplorable that the author acknowledges that these things don't work, and has NO PLANS TO RECTIFY this, but can't be arsed to make a note/warning of this on the playstore description.

pathetic. obviously i've lost this one, and there are no workarounds that don't require lengthy file operations etc. 

if tasker was updated, in the same way that various other apps have been, then there'd be no issue.

add the warning, and move on. stop ripping people off who haven't got time to install an app and bug test it for hours on end before realising it doesn't do as advertised because the author cba to sort it out, but is still happy to take peoples' money. 

i'll just have to convey my disgust with a zero star review, and warn others of the broken features.

have fun.

[gary scarborough]

Darren are you using any of the Joas tasker plugins? autoremote or autoshare? you can accomplish what you want by moving files to google drive, you can still send text i just have to look into having the other phone react to text I know with autoremote its no problem its up to you if you want to work it out I dont mind helping and i'm sure the community wouldnt mind either. just need some positive energy flowing here

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Gary Scarborough

[Jay M]

I didn't say he wouldn't give you a refund its not up to me to decide that 2hrs might not be enough you need to complain to Google about that a weeks trial (which Pent has always offered) is definitely enough .I also said in my opinion your not entitled to one you used the app just like the rest of us then you (not Pent) decided to upgrade your phone to a newer Android version and the app still works but a certain thing doesn't because of changes made by Google (not Pent) Your attitudes shocking if you wanted a refund you could of asked in private? why diss the app what does that get you? btw zero star reviews are impossible and with over 500,000 downloads I'm sure Pents panicking about your review which he can reply to with a link to this thread which shows your attitude and solid evidence that Google is to blame for breaking the functionality of the app along with how your just trying to con money out of the dev for a product you have clearly used and enjoyed.

Anyways im out have a nice day 👍

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[darren horner]

Hi Gary.

I don't see how a plug in will help. It all comes down to tasker not being able to detect a change to the content of an album (folder) located on the external sdcard...

[darren horner]

One star review : done.

Have the decency to highlight the issue on the playstore summary,ffs.....

[Pent]

> One star review : done.

Hope the moment of power felt good.

 

Have the decency to highlight the issue on the playstore summary,ffs.....

 
a) can't describe every issue with every OS version in the Play Store description (or anywhere
else) because there are thousands of such 'issues' due to the huge scope of Tasker
b) people don't even notice that a free trial is mentioned (prominently) in the Play Store description

Pent

[Pent]

Think we'll stop this discussion here before it gets too heated BTW.

Pent