Move data to external SD card - unable to see existing files

[VK]

I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro (SM-T520) which supports multiple users,
running Android 4.4.2. I run as one user (not a guest account).

I want to move all of my data (downloaded charts, etc.) to a micro-SD card
I installed, and I thought it would be simple -- this has been covered
enough times.

When I go into Avare (7.2.1) prefs, I see 3 options under Storage and
Downloads -> Charts Storage Folder:

-- Try using SD card folder -> points to /sdcard/Android/data/com.ds.avare,
which is empty

-- Try using external folder -> points to
/storage/emulated/11/Android/data/com.ds.avare, which is empty

-- Use the default folder -> points to /data/user/11/com.ds.avare/files
(i.e. what's currently in use, and I can see many files such as weather.db,
main.db, geoplates.db and so on)


So I thought I could just move these files using the native File Manager or
ES File Manager, but I *cannot* see that folder anywhere ( /data/user/...
). I can *only* see that folder within Avare's preferences.

Searching for this online reveals this is a per-user directory on devices
that support restricted users, and that I may need to root the device and
use adb to chown the files. I even tried the main / default account that I
setup when I first got this tablet, and it can't see the files either, so
there's nothing special (I think) about that account's privileges.


Before I go too far down the wrong rabbit hole, does anyone know of a way I
can get at these files outside Avare without rooting the device?

I'll look into the adb shell ... need to revive an old install.

Yes, I could probably just delete and re-install Avare, but I'm worried
I'll have ~ 1 GB of data lying around that I won't be able to free up on
the internal SD.

Thanks
--
VK

[fly...@yahoo.com]

Hi VK.
There is no good way, that I know of, to download Data / Charts, in one directory and move to another. Here is something that should work for your device, and should be other messages in this Forum that should help. TV

Can I use External SD cards to store the Charts in devices that have that option?

Yes, here is a procedure that works / tested in Samsungs and LGs:
A procedure that I found to work for me in different versions ( tested in 4.1.0, 4.1.2 and 4.4.2) follows:

Use My Files” or “ES File Explorer” to create the Directory / Folder.
a-Create a folder in the Root of your External SD Card (external for the devices that allow it like Samsung) named Android/Data/com.ds.avare.
End result should look something look this:
/storage/external_SD/Android/data/com.ds.avare (Ver 4.4.2) or
/storage/extSDCard/Android/data/com.ds.avare (Ver 4.1.0)
Note: Samsung names their internal SD card as SDCard0, just to confuse the situation.
b-In Avare Options>Preferences> Chart Storage Folder> Navigate with the Up arrow to that folder you created and Select (OK) it.
Verify your work and be prepared to re download Databases and maybe the Charts. I was able to move and use the charts after the location change.

[VK]

Thanks for confirming; I was hoping for some simple answer I had
overlooked.

I did see that FAQ entry and older posts, but that will be my last step if
I can't figure this out. I'm pretty much at that point.

So far, note that I've also tried (whilst logged into the device with my
account):

- MTP from a PC - doesn't see any of these dirs

- adb shell - whatever is on the Android side runs as the user
'shell' it seems, so it can't access these files either

So, multi-user -- a feature I really like -- is fairly locked down, which
is both good and bad. In this case, I wish the developer mode USB adb shell
and MTP also ran as my account (with whatever privs are needed)

Most refs I can find online indicate root is needed so you can run adb
shell, su to root, and get at the files. For example:

https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/51467/transfer-data-from-one-user-to-another-in-4-3

I'm surprised that the native File Manager and ES File Explorer (which I
mistakenly refered to as ES File Manager in my original post) can't see
these files. I suspect there's some attribute needed that they're not
installed with.

--
VK

On Sun, 1 May 2016, flytv1 via Apps4Av Forum wrote:

> Hi VK.
> There is no good way, that I know of, to download Data / Charts, in one
> directory and move to another. Here is something that should work for your
> device, and should be other messages in this Forum that should help. TV
>

> *Can I use External SD cards to store the Charts in devices that have that
> option?*

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Apps4Av Forum" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to apps4av-foru...@googlegroups.com.
> To post to this group, send email to apps4a...@googlegroups.com.
> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/apps4av-forum.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>

[fly...@yahoo.com]

Hi VK.
Many files are Not accessible / view-able  in Android OS that are located in the Root. If you can create and install your Charts / Data in the External card, as described, you will be able to see, and access them. Many of the new Android devices are now locking the User out, stops them from using the external card for something other than pictures / non execuables. My guess is Google wants to take away the advantage that some manufactures have by having, and using, the External card? TV

> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to apps4av-forum+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

[VK]

I don't know about the future direction and motivation; in this case I
cannot see files on the internal storage ( /data/user/<user id>/ ) except
through Avare for data it has written, but I can see files on the external
SD.

I think this is all related to multi-user support and isolation of users
from each other, as well as isolation of multiple instances of apps. I
found some background in this 2012 article:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/07/30/multiple-user-accounts-are-coming-miles-of-code-is-already-in-aosp-and-some-of-it-is-quietly-working-on-devices-right-now/

>> an email to apps4av-foru...@googlegroups.com.

>>> To post to this group, send email to apps4a...@googlegroups.com.
>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/apps4av-forum.
>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>>>
>

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Apps4Av Forum" group.

> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to apps4av-foru...@googlegroups.com.

[VK]

So I tried the following:

- uninstalled Avare -- didn't seem to free up the space on the internal SD,
even though I thought I had about 1GB of data

- re-installed Avare -- /data/user/<user id> is empty (internal SD)

- tried creating /storage/extSdCard/Android/data/com.ds.avare/files using
various techniques:
-- the native File Manager
-- ES File Explorer
-- B1 File Manager to copy /data/user/<user id>/Android/data/coms.ds.avare
to the extSdCard (failed to create the destination dir)
-- an attached PC via USB
-- the external SD card removed and put into my PC to re-format exfat
and create the directory
-- external SD card with ext2 and ext3 created from my PC -- fails to mount

All of these attempts failed to allow Avare to write to the external SD
card.

This is extremely frustrating ... everything I've read says this was a
security tightening effort to prevent rogue apps from writing anywhere, but
this is craziness. There are also suggestions that if the app itself
creates the dir, it might work, but I don't know enough.

Any other ideas? I'm trying to avoid rooting, but I may have to go down
that path.

I also note that in Application Manager, "Move to SD Card" is greyed out
for Avare. I don't know what's needed for this to be active.

<sigh>

--
VK

>> > > > ) . I can *only* see that folder within Avare's preferences.

[fly...@yahoo.com]

Hi VK.
If you want I can try to help you, later today, by phone, send me a private Email.
It is important that you find the exact Path / Name of your Path to your External SD card, to have any chance to install to the External SdCard. On every device that I know of we were able to install to a location where you could get access to your Avare files. In some cases you can Only install to the Internal SdCard but you cn see / access the files, in most cases you can install to the External SdCard.
What you want to do is go into Avare>Options>Storage and Downloads>Charts Storage Folder and navigate with the Up arrow until you get to the /storage/extSdCard/.... and note the exact spelling, take a screen shot.
 In your file Manager go to that location and add, if it does not exist,  ../Android/data/Com.ds.avare. Go back to Avare and point to that location for storage of your Charts / Data. You may only be able to point to your Internal Card, in some cases, but it will give you access to your Data, not as good as External.
One of my devices is SM-T230 with 4.4.2 and I was able to intall it in the External SdCard. See pic below with final path. TV

>> >  an email to apps4av-forum+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

>> > >  To post to this group, send email to apps4a...@googlegroups.com.
>> > >  Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/apps4av-forum.
>> > >  For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>> > >
>>
>>  --
>>  You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>>  "Apps4Av Forum" group.
>>  To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an

>>  email to apps4av-forum+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

>>  To post to this group, send email to apps4a...@googlegroups.com.
>>  Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/apps4av-forum.
>>  For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Apps4Av Forum" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an

> email to apps4av-forum+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

[Dean Gibson ATP/CFI]

On my LG smartphone and tablets that updated to Android 6.0, I noted the
original path, and then up-navigated (as you describe) to /storage.
There I found a device-specific "xxxx-xxxx" directory (actually an
MS-DOS volume-ID) for the external SD card, selected that, and then
down-navigated to Android/data/com.ds.avare and selected that. Took all
of 30 seconds.

-- Dean ( http://airmen.mailpen.com/airman/dean/ )

On 2016-05-07 09:21, flytv1 via Apps4Av Forum wrote:
> Hi VK.

> ...

[VK]

Thanks, but unfortunately I don't see that on this device ( Samsung SM-T520
with KitKat / 4.4.2 ). I'm unable to upgrade this to a newer version of
Android -- no thanks to Samsung -- unless I root and use an unofficial
Lollipop build that I hear is available.

--
VK

[VK]

I gave up and used Heimdall on Linux to flash TWRP 3.0.2 onto the recovery
partition via a USB cable from my laptop, then used that to install Android
Lollipop / Cyanogen cm-12.1-20160508-NIGHTLY-picassowifi my SM-T520.

Now I'm able to point Avare at /external_sd/Android/data/com.ds.avare and
write to the micro-SD card. There are probably other paths to the same, but
this is what I tried first, and seemed to work. To verify, I checked space
usage of the external CD card in Android Settings before and after
downloading charts, and see that the available space decreased on the
external CD card, but not internal SD.

I had been wanting to get off Samsung's KitKat build for a while anyway, so
all the better. I have encountered other bugs + performance issues that I
think Lollipop will fix.

Note that I have multiple users on this device (other than the "Owner") and
this is working running Avare as a separate user (non-owner). I believe I
tried the "Owner" account as well under KitKit (in addition to a separate
user) but it didn't make a difference.

Thanks for everyone's help (and TV in particular who spent some time with
me on the phone a few weeks ago ).

For some background reading, here's something I dug up on file system
permissions that may be of interest:
https://developer.android.com/training/basics/data-storage/files.html

My interpretation is that external SD cards continue to be supported, but
with tightened security through APIs that are detailed above, to constrain
how and where you can do so, and additional choices of public vs private
storage.

This getExternalStoragePublicDirectory call
https://developer.android.com/reference/android/os/Environment.html#getExternalStoragePublicDirectory%28java.lang.String%29
with the "DIRECTORY_DOWNLOADS" is probably the way to discover a public
shared directory (i.e. accessible by multiple users ) on the external SD
card that is not subject to the constraints of the more secure/emulated
private directories / mount points. I'm not really a developer though ...


--
VK