Tracks: missing access right for box.com folders

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Oct 13, 2019, 7:23:31 AM10/13/19

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Hi OsmAnd team,

First: thank you for your gorgeous app!

I was tired of juggling with .gpx tracks between PC and Android mobile. Instead of emailing tracks to myself as many recommend or using MyPhoneExplorer to copy files to the OsmAnd Tracks folder, I thought I rather sync them through box.com as I saw Box being offered at

Hamburger menu > Configure map > GPX files... > ADD MORE... > Hamburger menu >

where I can choose from: Downloads, my device's name for its file system, Box, Bug reports, Drive.

When I choose Box, navigate to the Box folder, pick a single gpx file (picking multiple is not possible) > OPEN

I get

"OsmAnd cannot import the file. Please check if OsmAnd has permission to read file from its location."

I feel OsmAnd has the folder permissions to its own folders, but probably not to the folders of the box.com app. Can I change that? Help/documentation/how-to videos on YouTube are not very talkative here.

I could even grant super user permission to the OsmAnd application user, but the OsmAnd code would need to make actively use of su and I my guess is it does not as I don't find an OsmAnd request to grant su documented.

My Box installation on Android is for individual Box account holder, not for an enterprise user, i.e. there is no Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) controlling my device and at https://app.box.com/account I have no access to the "Admin Console" where I could grant a permission for OsmAnd (see: "Content can be opened in external applications: Enables you to control people's ability to open content from Box in other applications using the same operating system" at https://community.box.com/t5/How-To-Guides-for-Mobile/Understanding-Mobile-Security-Settings/ta-p/267).

Most OsmAnd users who also use Box probably use the free-of-charge base plan for individual Box account holder and I guees they all bump into the same issue. The few who use an account under an enterprise plan in most cases probably have their Box being managed by their employer who pays for the plan. The employer's admins will grant access to Microsoft Office apps und other apps they need, but likely not for OsmAnd. So, if I am not mistaken, for almost everybody Box cannot be used with OsmAnd. If true, you should rather remove Box from the offered gpx file sources.

With which free-of-charge sync tools does it work instead? Dropbox? Google Drive? Other?