Inaccessible project files

[Raphael Awoseyin]

I am increasingly frustrated by lack of direct access to my project files due to the Android 13 restriction on accessing files in the /Android/data folder. I created a .aab file but I can't even access it to upload to the play store!

This may sound silly, but I really wonder if it's not time to review the architecture of DS to allow user-definable folder for project files. Let the user define where he wants his project files to reside. He can create the folder and do what he likes with it without tampering with the /Android/data folder.

By the way, even the File Manager in the latest DS cannot access my project folder! I find that ridiculous.

[Cemal]

Some people use the X-Plore file manager from the Play Store to access the project folder. You can try it. If you write down the problem you encountered with the File Manager extension, it may help to fix it in the next version. I hope a more satisfactory solution will come soon.

[Dave]

If you are using the latest beta version, then their should be no reason the FileManager can't access your project files.

http://androidscript.org/beta/DroidScript_269b2/

Please try enable Auto-wifi and disabling your password in the DS settings and restart DS to see if that fixes your issues.

[Dave]

Also, please enable wifi on your phone, even if you have no wifi available

[Raphael Awoseyin]

I've tried all of these and none works even on my Samsung Tab A7 Lite.

It seems to me that Google's current philosophy with Android is that no app run-time user-created stuff should reside in the /Android/data folder. Frankly, that doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I think all apps should create files outside the app folder. On a PC, we would typically not create a Word document in the Office folder, but in perhaps a Document folder. The idea is to give no room for corruption of the app.

[Dave]

I did some experiments on my Wife's Samsung Android 14 yesterday and found some strange behaviour in the release build that I cannot explain.  Basically in release builds, I cannot stop and restart the internal Jetty webserver, only start it.  I've done a work-around for this by blocking/unblocking external connections instead of stopping the server in the latest V3 alpha.

http://androidscript.org/alpha/DroidScript_v300_a2.apk

Please backup your projects and try this version and let me know if it solves your problem, then I can back-port the solution to the latest beta.

Note: You will still need to turn off the password option (it's not really needed unless you are on a public wifi with other DS users nearby)

[Raphael Awoseyin]

It seems the link you gave for  V3 alpha is broken.

[Dave]

The link works for me on a number if devices, I think Chrome or your phone is probably blocking it for security reasons...  Try copying the link directly into the address bar or browse to the folder above - http://androidscript.org/alpha/

[Raphael Awoseyin]

Okay, I downloaded and installed the file on my Samsung Tab7 Lite running Android 14. Following all your instructions, when I tap on the File Manager icon, it keeps trying to open the folder, showing message "Opening special folders.. will try again in 5s... Access denied". 

[Raphael Awoseyin]

X-plorer doesn't work for me on my Samsung Tab A7 with Android 14. I tried most file managers in the Play Store, none worked. 

As I suggested earlier, there may be need for a change in DS architecture : Stop saving user projects in the /Android/Data folder. Google doesn't like it and will eventually frustrate whatever work-around you develop to circumcent the access protection if that folder. 

On Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 10:49:29 AM UTC+1 Cemal wrote:

[Dave]

It works ok on my wife's Samsung Android 14.... are you sure you remembered to disable the wifi password in the DS settings and restart DS?

[Raphael Awoseyin]

Apologies. I did not disable the WiFi. When I disabled it. I was able to access the folders. 

[Alan Hendry]

HI,

The latest Beta version has a File Browser (not yet working for me).

Even then it would be an extra step in many procedures 

(including putting AABs on Google Play Console).

Perhaps we need to have settings on where projects etc are held.

Regards, ah

[Raphael Awoseyin]

Exactly the point I have made. The file manager in the latest beta works, but I can't do much with it.
 I don't really think that file manager would do a lot for a developer. DS needs to adapt to Google's paradigm for Android. Currently, that paradigm suggests NOT keeping project files in /Android/data folder.

[Raphael Awoseyin]

By the way, I am reviving my Samsung Tab S4 running Android 10 for the sole purpose of being able to use DS effectively. Too much hassle using DS on newer Android versions. 

[Alan Hendry]

HI,

Not sure what paradigm you're referring to.

All apps that I've seen store their files where we can't see them

(scoped storage)

(presumably under Android/data in the folder specific to their app).

Currently it's hard to get APKs and AABs out.

Also Plugins (and license keys) have to be copied into the DS folder

(which can be done by writing a little DS app).

Regards, ah

[Raphael Awoseyin]

An app should of course store its files, including license files in a protected area like the /Android/data folder. But files created by the user of that app are a different issue. All Office apps I have used allow you to save files you create wherever you want - even on an external drive. They don't force you to store your documents in the app's directory.  What DS currently does is akin to a Windows application forcing you to store your documents in the /Program Files directory in Windows. I don't think many of us do that.

[Raphael Awoseyin]

On the paradigm, I see Google working at making Android a real competitor to Windows. Both Windows and Linux by default create and save user-created files in a default directory that is freely accessible - perhaps the /Documents folder. Today, we struggle to get APK and AAB out of DS, Why should those files be created in /Android/data folders in the first place? Why should my .js files be stored there and not where I can access with any application I choose?

[Jonathan Kent]

Hi 

I also agree to this,  if we could manage to save files outside of the 'data' files, like we can do in Kotlin style,  things would be a lot easier. 

Regards

[Jonathan Kent]

Hi,

Just to confirm I program using droidscript which I love entirely,  also,  Kotlin,  this is the example once I have created my application I can view it within the internal directories. I wish droidscript in future updates will implement this to make it easier for us all,  I believe further updates with Android will make it worse. 

[Dave]

Scoped storage is certain a pain the a**

However, I don't personally have many issues with it as I almost always work from a laptop and connect via the WiFi IDE which includes a good remote file browser.  This file browser allows me to download and upload folders and SPKs and also you can right click on SPKs to install them remotely (and maybe even APKs, can't quite remember).

I guess you guys are working directly on device then?

The new on-device file browser has a 'Import/Download' option that allows you to move APKs in and out of scoped storage...is this not working for you?  

Note: There is a bug in the latest beta release which means that you have to disable password and enable auto-wifi and not touch the wifi button to make things work.

When scoped storage first 'hit us' we pondered the idea of storing the DS project folder in the root of the internal sdcard (by asking user permission or registering DS as a file manager), but thought that this would mask the concept of scoped storage from our users and they would get into no-end of trouble when trying to publish their APKs since they would not anticipate/learn the effects of scoped storage and expect to have freedom to read and write to top level folders (like in the good ol days).

[Jonathan Kent]

Hello Dave, 

Thanks for your update it's highly appreciated.

Currently I am using V3 and I always use my phone to code. 

Some files I can pull through via the file browser that has been provided with this,  but other files I can't obtain. 

I am more than happy to go to the other version that you're referring to, to see how this offers,  but I don't want to have trouble with my droidscript forever package that I had purchased.

Do you know any timescale that V3 will be completely raised out or do you think it's better to go to your other version.  I'm not also sure if I have the crazy updates that you have worked hard for within V3.

Forever greatful with your application as you can make wonderful apps. 

[Raphael Awoseyin]

Thanks Dave for the work you are doing on DS. 

But it seems there is a misalignment between the way you expect users to use DS and what users view would give them a better experience. 

Like Jonathan, I want to be able to do all my development on my phone/tablet device. It would be great if I don't have to link to a laptop to be able to use a good code editor. The only reason I wifi-link to my laptop is to have a better code editing experience. So, if the code editor can be improved, giving standard features like line numbers, search/replace and auto-indent, I would not bother with the wifi link and could get by with the built-in file manager. 

[Dave]

If you have tried V3, then you will know that we are still trying hard to improve the on-device coding experience as we have swapped out the editor for one based on CodeMirror which has more sophisticated features than the Java based editor that we currently use.  It's also more extendable and can be used on both mobile and PC, for a more consistent experience.

I'm very happy for people to use the alpha version V3 for there everyday dev work as this will help us find issues faster.  However if you find that it has a particular issue that you cannot live with, then you can easily swap to the latest 2.69 beta patch as I've kept the manifest versions the same between 2.69 and V3 for now so that people don't get stuck on V3 (because Android won't let you downgrade apps without uninstalling them).

BTW. Which files can people not obtain?  If it's files from scoped storage of other apps, then you won't be able to do that on recent versions of Android without rooting your phone.

[Raphael Awoseyin]

Just found that I have been using the V3 alpha2 but the "About" shows it as v2.69.9

[Dave]

Yep, as I explained the manifest version numbers are kept the same so that people can downgrade to the beta without having to uninstall.  

I'll hack the About box in the next release to reduce confusion.

[Jonathan Kent]

Hello Dave,

Can we have the link for 2.69 one?

Thanks

[Steve Garman]

http://androidscript.org/alpha/DroidScript_v300_a2.apk

[Jonathan Kent]

Thanks Steve, 

Do you think I should copy all my apps before doing this?

Will it muck up my lifetime subscription. 

Kind Regards

[Alan Hendry]

HI,

It's probably worth taking backups just in case.

You can install equal or higher versions without uninstalling.

If you do uninstall then you should get an option to keep your files.

I would advise using the same account on Google Play

(and keeping a copy of your licence.txt if you were given one).

Regards, ah