OsmAnd+ 4.1 and SD card

[Tim Passingham]

My OsmAnd+ updated today.  I was using a separate folder on SD card for my maps, but it seems that doesn't work any more.  I tried to migrate but cannot persuade OsmAnd+ to accept folders on main storage.  It mentions being unable to use shared folders.  I am not clear which set of folders this is.  Is it all on main storage, or those under Android, or what?

If I start OsmAnd+ and skip migration, download a couple of files, where are they?

So I am rather stuck.  I can start to download the many maps, wikis, contours, etc if I really have to, but whenever I start OsmAnd+ it says I need to migrate but I can't find a way that works. The worst thing is that I cannot find a way to copy my many dozens of favourites to wherever OsmAnd+ is now storing files.

I will also have many less maps available, which is a pain.

I appreciate that it's google that has changed the rules, but I need a simple explanation of what I can and can't do now. 

[anyso...@gmail.com]

Same for me.. 

I have tried anything that came to my mind but with no result

(if you need to know the details of the methods I unsuccessfully tried,  please ask me and I will try to write a full long description)

A strange thing is that the app does not show the soekarno maps, but it does show the notes stored locally (so the app can actually read the shared directory where the data and the maps are)

The only idea left is to unusual the app,  reinstall it, and than

 try to find a way to manukau migrate date. 

I am rather upset for a lot of problems that Google posed on us with this changes to Android.  Even worse these changes and the tarls reason beyond them have not been retorted to the general public.   I put a complain (bug( but it has been closed by Google because I am not a developer (and my Google account suspended)

If the conditions are the same in the future,  we shall expect a rather poor future. 

AnyFile

[Tom Crocker]

Here's where I've got up to.

I have asked osmand to create an accessible folder within the 'download' folder (following the approach taken by Vespucci) on my internal storage. I can then import the map files and favourites there using 'open with' from File Commander. If I make the folder myself or paste the files in it they don't work. 

I don't know if you can do that with the download folder on the SD card and I haven't tried importing av notes or tracks yet (and whether I can paste those). I can create new av notes and use trip recorder and then access the files from outside osmand.

In case it makes a difference I'm on a Samsung s10e.

Hope that helps someone a bit and would be glad to learn more from others.

Tom

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[Stefan Monnier]

> Here's where I've got up to.

I'm interested but couldn't understand your description:

> I have asked osmand to create an accessible folder within the 'download'
> folder (following the approach taken by Vespucci) on my internal storage.

Where's "the 'download' folder"?
By internal storage do you mean the soldered flash storage or the
removable SD card?

> I can then import the map files and favourites there using 'open with' from
> File Commander.

Import from where?
What's "File Commander"?

> If I make the folder myself or paste the files in it they don't work.

I wouldn't know how to "paste" files, so I'm glad it doesn't work: one
less thing to try and understand.

> I don't know if you can do that with the download folder on the SD card and
> I haven't tried importing av notes or tracks yet (and whether I can paste
> those). I can create new av notes and use trip recorder and then access the
> files from outside osmand.

So, this suggests "internal storage" is the soldered flash storage
rather than the SD.


Stefan

[Tom Crocker]

On Wed, 1 Dec 2021, 22:14 Stefan Monnier, <mon...@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:

> Here's where I've got up to.

I'm interested but couldn't understand your description:

> I have asked osmand to create an accessible folder within the 'download'
> folder (following the approach taken by Vespucci) on my internal storage.

Where's "the 'download' folder"?
By internal storage do you mean the soldered flash storage or the
removable SD card?

Download is one of the default folders in the internal storage ('storage/emulated/0') which is the soldered flash storage AFAIK. It's the same place you'll find DCIM, Android, Music and other such folders.

> I can then import the map files and favourites there using 'open with' from
> File Commander.

Import from where?
What's "File Commander"?

Import from wherever you had the maps already (I had an 'osmand' folder in internal storage before).

File Commander is a file explorer type app for Android. There's a free version with intrusive ads. I only mention it because I couldn't successfully 'open with' from Samsung's file manager. Presumably other apps would work though.

> If I make the folder myself or paste the files in it they don't work.

I wouldn't know how to "paste" files, so I'm glad it doesn't work: one
less thing to try and understand.

> I don't know if you can do that with the download folder on the SD card and
> I haven't tried importing av notes or tracks yet (and whether I can paste
> those). I can create new av notes and use trip recorder and then access the
> files from outside osmand.

So, this suggests "internal storage" is the soldered flash storage
rather than the SD.

Yes.

Hope that helps.

[Tim Passingham]

I had to start afresh, which took quite a long time.  It's all a bit obscure.  On my Samsung A41 it turns out that it is possible to put the folder on the SD card in 'External Storage 2' (/storage/2614-1710/Android/data/net.osmand.plus), so after a lot of experimentation I selected this as my data storage folder.  The data within this can't be accessed from file managers on the mobile, nor by USB connected to my PC, which is a nuisance.  I can see the files in the folder via USB on my PC, but cannot copy them.  However, being on SD it does mean I have more space to download maps, contours, wikis and the rest.

As tomroc said, it is then also possible to import maps from a shared folder, such as Downloads, using a file manager to 'open with' to osmand+.  Favourites can also be imported via 'My Places', so I haven't lost them all, which is a relief. Routes can be imported from 

The next problem is exporting data.  I have, as yet, found no way to do that.   The main thing I regularly export is routes I have taken and recorded.  Is there any way to get at the 'rec' folder from outside OsmAnd+, or a command in OsmAnd+ to do so?  If not, I would ask for this to be considered as a feature in the next version of OsmAnd+.  The main reason I export such routes is that I can analyze them with gpx tools, see my average speed overall or part of a route, and so on.

Why these restrictions are imposed is a mystery to me.  Privacy?  That can't be right.  I can take photos, store them on shared and accessible SD, and export them, so why not maps, routes and so on?

[Tim Passingham]

I should have completed the sentence "Routes can be imported from..." to say they can be "...imported from Downloads via 'Configure map, 'Tracks', 'Add more'...' "

[Tom Crocker]

Hi Tim

In Osmand settings, Data Storage folder, try choosing Manual and entering /storage/emulated/2614-1710/download/net.osmand.plus

For me, the equivalent in the internal storage works and allows me to access the files.

Hope that helps

Tom

[Julian Gibson]

Hi all,

I too have the same problem on my Samsung Active3 tablet running Android 11.  On the installed 1TB microSD card I have a folder /storage/6561-3832/GIS/OSMAND which contains all my .OBF map files and the tiles and srtm directories for hillshades and contours.  Until the most recent OSMAND+ update to v4.1.9 these files worked perfectly through setting the Data Storage Folder to Manually Specified.  After the update I get the message "Due to changes in Android storage access, Osmand can no longer use shared storage".  I thought the point of manually specifying an external directory (outside of the /storage/6561-3832/Android tree) was so that we could store data there without falling foul of Android 11's permissions restrictions.  It appears I have misunderstood the point of this.  When I follow the instructions for Shared Storage Migration and select SD card > GIS > OSMAND then Use this folder (the one containing my OBFs etc) > Allow I get the message "We can't find OSMAND data in the selected folder.  Please try again."

Is there a way to continue to use the previous manually specified folder?  Do the OSMAND+ developers monitor this forum, or is there another route to submit a change request to restore this functionality?

My main navigation device is my Samsung Note8 running Android10 onto which I download the required .OBF monthly updates then copy them (via a NAS) to the Active3 tab to save downloading the files more than once.  I can't risk losing navigation functionality on this device so I cannot risk an upgrade until there's a solution to this issue.

Thanks in anticipation
Julian

[Tim Passingham]

Thanks Tom - I will try that when I don't need to use it for a few days!

Tim

On Thursday, 2 December 2021 at 22:52:24 UTC tomcroc...@gmail.com wrote:

[Tim Passingham]

Hi rjmg

That's exactly what happened to me.  Starting again seemed to be my only option.  Luckily I was able to use the methods I suggested above to import my old data to the new directory I mentioned - tedious, but it worked for imports.  Whether Tom's idea will work I don't yet know.

[A Thompson]

File Commander is a file explorer type app for Android. There's a free version with intrusive ads. I only mention it because I couldn't successfully 'open with' from Samsung's file manager. Presumably other apps would work though.

I'm not familiar with File Commander, but I notice that on Google Play it says "Fully optimized for Android P" (9). But AFAIK the storage access framework (SAF) was only introduced in Android 10 before being strictly enforced in 11.

I can't contribute to your experiments because I decided to stay with Android 10 when people started discussing the problems on the OsmAnd GitHub issues page (and BTW it seems that the devs are earnestly trying to find the best solutions in this difficult situation).

However, if people are still experimenting can I suggest trying the "Ghost Commander" file manager (Google Play or F-Droid) and reporting back if it makes any difference? It's free. open-source, no Ads, and very powerful. It can work both with direct access and SAF. In Android 10 the SAF mode allows me to do things in OsmAnd's default folder on removable-SD that I am otherwise denied.

I have no idea if this might help, and I have no connection to Ghost Commander!

[Tom Crocker]

On Sat, 4 Dec 2021, 00:44 A Thompson, <thomp...@gmail.com> wrote:

File Commander is a file explorer type app for Android. There's a free version with intrusive ads. I only mention it because I couldn't successfully 'open with' from Samsung's file manager. Presumably other apps would work though.

<snip>

However, if people are still experimenting can I suggest trying the "Ghost Commander" file manager (Google Play or F-Droid) and reporting back if it makes any difference?

Thanks for pointing it out. Nice and ad-free.

It works as well as File Commander from my brief test. I can 'open with' osmand from it, which successfully imports. You can copy map files to a download/osmand folder but they don't appear in the app. Using storage access framework didn't seem to make a difference but I might not have been doing the right thing.

Julian wrote:

Do the OSMAND+ developers monitor this forum, or is there another route to submit a change request to restore this functionality?

Sometimes a developer will check in but the list is mainly for users. sup...@osmand.net or their GitHub pages are the place to contact them. However, AFAIK this is an Android system/policy enforced change and they can't just restore previous functionality.

[anyso...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 8:35:53 AM UTC+1 tomcr**il.com wrote:

On Sat, 4 Dec 2021, 00:44 A Thompson, thom**ail.com wrote:

File Commander is a file explorer type app for Android. There's a free version with intrusive ads. I only mention it because I couldn't successfully 'open with' from Samsung's file manager. Presumably other apps would work though.

As far as I know  using File Commander makes no difference and I have not tried Ghost Commander (but I do not have any expectations)

I am definitively disappointed for this problem and obviously, for the reasons I have already mentioned, I put the blame completely on Google/Android leaders.

One point I have note, it that if I go under the Android setting of Osmand app and select to show/change the Permissions and than select "Files and Media"

I have offered two only options:

*Allow access to media only

*Deny

If I look at other apps, in most of the cases I got the same two options,

however for a small number of apps (like Acrobat Reader and Excel) I got a third option

*Allow management of all files.

If we were able to use this option, I suppose the problems would be solved.

In my opinion this is a problem not just for OsmAnd but for any apps that need to access files (but for app that just need to access media).

By the way I can not see much differences between media files and other files. In my humble opinion both of them  are just binary files (or text file in same cases)

Do you know what happens if I choose to migrate to a subdirectory **/Android/media or I choose to use a custom directory down there?

(now I have already uninstalled and reinstalled the app so I can no longer see the migration request)

Thank a lot and sorry for the long post (and for the rant)

AnyFile

[Tim Passingham]

Hi all,

Many of your responses are going to my spam folder.  I don't know why.  Today I even got one from lodrogyamtso, dated Dec 1, but that post seems to have been deleted from this group.  Suffice to say I got it too late to try his/her recommendations, having started again from scratch, and I don't think they would have worked using my SD card (which I needed to do for space reasons).

I know a fair bit about computers, having spent most of my life working with them, but the complexities being introduced these days are sometimes a bit beyond me.

I have tried Ghost Commander, and other file managers, none can access the full data of files in folders within 'external storage 2' at /storage/2614-1710/Android/data .  As I noted above, I have started again, and found ways to import maps, routes, favourites and so on.  I then got stuck with exporting routes I have recorded.  I have now found that under Navigation, selecting the route, selecting Details, one can 'share' the route to another file, or send an email with it in.  

The last bit of functionality I cannot find is how to delete routes.  I need to be able to, because I record several a week sometimes.  Does anyone know how to do this?

Having got this far I'm not inclined to experiment with different folders and migration strategies, since I don't want to break anything and find I have to start again.  So apologies to those who have made more suggestions.

I have exchanged messages with osmand support, but they haven't been very helpful.  They don't seem to really understand the issues this change has created for at least some of their regular users.  The issues aren't their fault of course, and have no doubt created a load of headaches for them, but I hope they manage to create some release notes with helpful notes about how to proceed.

If anyone wants a summary of the ways I have found to get round problems to do with access to the osmand files, I'll post a summary of all the methods I've found so far.

[Tim Passingham]

If you find you cannot get migration to work, and want, or need, to start afresh, these are the methods I have found to import the data from where it used to be.  These can also be used to do things you may have been doing with a file manager, or PC USB connection, in the past, that no longer work with files on an SD card.

To import favourites, put a favourites.gpx in a shared folder such as Downloads, or your original and still accessible osmand folder, go to My Places, and you should be able to import the file
To Import maps, put a map in a shared folder such as Downloads, or your original, use a file manager to 'open with' and select OsmAnd+
To Import routes, put a route in a shared folder such as Downloads, go to Configure Map, Tracks, Add More..., and select the route file
To Export routes, go to Navigation, select a route, select Details, and share the file using the 'share' icon at the top - I used email
To Delete routes, go to My Places, Tracks, 3 dots to the right of a route, and delete
To Delete maps, go to Download maps, local, 3 dots to the right of a route, and delete

I have not tried using Backup/Restore to manage things, but I'm not sure they will help with migration on Android 11 unless you already have a backup taken with an older version.

[Tom Crocker]

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021, 11:16 'Tim Passingham' via OsmAnd, <osm...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

<snip>

The last bit of functionality I cannot find is how to delete routes.  I need to be able to, because I record several a week sometimes.  Does anyone know how to do this?

If I understand what you're wanting, menu ('burger' lines) > My places > Tracks tab; find the route in its folder below, 3 dots, delete. 'plan a route' stores in tracks, trip recorder in rec.

[Tim Passingham]

Thanks Tom. 

I've never heard of 'burger' lines, but I worked out what you meant.  I had just found that out for myself as well.  Previosuly I just didn't know tracks were both in the 'Configure map' ,menu, but without the ability to delete, as well as in 'My Places'.

[Xavier]

On Sun, Dec 05, 2021 at 08:05:07AM -0800, 'Tim Passingham' via OsmAnd wrote:
>Thanks Tom.
>
>I've never heard of 'burger' lines, but I worked out what you meant.

That term derives from "hamburger button" which is the name given the
three stacked horizontal lines button that has become often used for an
icon denoting "a menu is available by activating this button":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_menu

The three vertical dots menu button used by OsmAnd is just a "narrow"
hamburger button icon from one viewpoint.

[Tom Crocker]

On Sun, 5 Dec 2021, 16:05 'Tim Passingham' via OsmAnd, <osm...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Thanks Tom. 

I've never heard of 'burger' lines, but I worked out what you meant.  I had just found that out for myself as well.  Previosuly I just didn't know tracks were both in the 'Configure map' ,menu, but without the ability to delete, as well as in 'My Places'.

Glad you've found it. I've never found 'my places' intuitive for tracks, but I don't have a better suggestion.

[Akkana Peck]

A Thompson writes:
> I'm not familiar with File Commander, but I notice that on Google Play it
> says "Fully optimized for Android P" (9). But AFAIK the storage access
> framework (SAF) was only introduced in Android 10 before being strictly
> enforced in 11.

[ ... ]

> However, if people are still experimenting can I suggest trying the "Ghost
> Commander" file manager (Google Play or F-Droid) and reporting back if it
> makes any difference? It's free. open-source, no Ads, and very powerful. It
> can work both with direct access and SAF. In Android 10 the SAF mode allows
> me to do things in OsmAnd's default folder on removable-SD that I am
> otherwise denied.

I'm on Android 11, and I've never been able to access folders of
apps from file managers. Just tried Ghost Commander and it can't do
it either, even if I give it permission to access all files: I can
go to /storage/emulated/0/Android but not to Android/data/anything.

Is your phone rooted, maybe?

The only way I've found to access OsmAnd files outside of OsmAnd is to
plug in the USB cable and use a computer. On Linux I find that adb works
best. So i have a bunch of aliases that do things like
adb pull /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files/tracks/rec/. .
and
adb shell rm $androidSD/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files/tracks/rec/$filename

It's Android's fault for making this so difficult, not OsmAnd's.

...Akkana

[Michael Bechtold]

Total Commander, x-plore, Solid Explorer can do it. Fully on INT SD, reading on EXT SD private folders of any app.

Why? They applied for permission MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. Seems yours did not.

The makers of OSMand did not even try to apply for this permission and go into the discussion with Google why this is needed for geo apps, too. I do not claim that would be easy, but they could have started this process early. 

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[Tim Passingham]

I tried Solid Explorer on /storage/2614-1710/Android/data/net.osmand.plus, but it doesn't work on my Samsung A41 running Android 11.  

adb pull does work to pull files, which is good, but push commands were rejected as being 'not allowed'.  I'll look into shell commands later. I now have methods of importing files using osmand+ itself,  so I can live with the situation.

[Greg Troxel]

Akkana Peck <akk...@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm on Android 11, and I've never been able to access folders of
> apps from file managers. Just tried Ghost Commander and it can't do
> it either, even if I give it permission to access all files: I can
> go to /storage/emulated/0/Android but not to Android/data/anything.

I am also on 11 (CalyxOS), but I long long ago set osmand to use
/storage/emulated/0/osmand as the data folder. That I can access with
Ghost Commander, using either legacy or SAF.

My impression is that people who have set a data folder in shared
storage are losing the ability to have osmand access it, under 12.

I also use Vespucci, and it used to use /storage/emulated/0/Vespucci,
but because of Android 12 changed to
/storage/emulated/0/Download/Vespucci
where the app can access it and the user can too. (I sync tracks back
to a compuer with syncthing for use with qgis/josm.)

> It's Android's fault for making this so difficult, not OsmAnd's.

Indeed.

[Tim Passingham]

It would help me greatly if someone would explain some of these terms to me.  I have searched the web but cannot find a really practical definition.  I can find develeoper guides, but they don't seem to explain what's actually going on in terms I can understand.

I need to use my SD card for OsmAnd+ because I need the space.  What is 'shared storage' and what isn't?  There's External storage 1, which seems to be on the mobile not the SD (judging by the space available), and External storage 2 on the SD,  Multiuser storage 1 and 2 similarly (what is this?),  and then files not under 'Android' seem to be treated differently.  I was running Android 11 with files on the DSD but in a directory at the same level as Android, but that no longer works.  I don't understand any of this frankly.  If I look using a file manager I just see the SD card and Internal (or Main) storage.  Where does 'External' or 'Multiuser' or 'Shared' fit into this?  As for what SAF is, I have little idea.

I'm not a total IT ignoramus (a working life spent in the technical side of the business, but not Android), but I can't find any definitions in plain English.

[Michael Bechtold]

If there are many maps on ext. SD, you cannot always migrate to internal private folder. Trivial maths ...

lodrog...@gmail.com <lodrog...@gmail.com> schrieb am Sa., 4. Dez. 2021, 15:50:

Hi,
i don't know what is your experience with computers. I will suggest a logical procedure to help you.

- run the osmand and try to backup your settings, tracks, history, etc. then exit
- run a file manager into your smartphone device and locate the osmand app working folder with the maps files. Then 1. rename the root folder of osmand app with a strange name like "christmas" or 2. move (not copy) the folder into another safe place
- visit android settings - apps , found the osmand and make .... stop the app, clear data, clear cache, uninstall the app. reboot the device
- visit google store and install again the app
- run again the fresh install and restore your settings. exit the app
don't use the default option of hidden folder on first run, change this option
i will suggest to install the new fresh osmand into this folder
/storage/emulated/0/android/data/

- run again the file manager and manually move one by one all the maps files from old install, into the new fresh folder at the same locations

On Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at 6:14:33 PM UTC+2 tim.pas...@googlemail.com wrote:

My OsmAnd+ updated today.  I was using a separate folder on SD card for my maps, but it seems that doesn't work any more.  I tried to migrate but cannot persuade OsmAnd+ to accept folders on main storage.  It mentions being unable to use shared folders.  I am not clear which set of folders this is.  Is it all on main storage, or those under Android, or what?

If I start OsmAnd+ and skip migration, download a couple of files, where are they?

So I am rather stuck.  I can start to download the many maps, wikis, contours, etc if I really have to, but whenever I start OsmAnd+ it says I need to migrate but I can't find a way that works. The worst thing is that I cannot find a way to copy my many dozens of favourites to wherever OsmAnd+ is now storing files.

I will also have many less maps available, which is a pain.

I appreciate that it's google that has changed the rules, but I need a simple explanation of what I can and can't do now. 

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[Michael Bechtold]

Basically all folders at the level of Android are unusable for maps with Android 11, API level 30. Because maps and databases need random access to content (not sequential like with photos, texts, videoas and alike). Which this SAF (Storage Access Framework from Google) does not allow.

Only places left for this type of access: the private folders under /Android/data/.../... Seems they call it External Storage 1 and 2? And maybe subfolders of /Download

Some file managers can write to those /Android structures on Internal SD, but not on External SD (another Google error I suppose).

Each app tries other means to survice this Google mess. Unless they gain the privilege to MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission, which OsmAnd (and others) did not even try.

For the semantics of the OsmAnd terminology someone else needs to comment.

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[anyso...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 8:58:03 AM UTC+1 micha***il.com wrote:

Total Commander, x-plore, Solid Explorer can do it. Fully on INT SD, reading on EXT SD private folders of any app.

Why? They applied for permission MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. Seems yours did not.

The makers of OSMand did not even try to apply for this permission and go into the discussion with Google why this is needed for geo apps, too. I do not claim that would be easy, but they could have started this process early. 

My Total Commander app can not access the "special" directories even if I granted it all possible permissions.

If I go on SD Cards, I can not see anything under /Android/data but for the folder of Total Commander itself.

If I go to the Internal memory what I can see under /android /data is the folder of Total Commander and a special one which appears under the name of  "-> Installed up" (starting with two characters forming an arrow)

If the last one is selected a pop up screen comes up with instructions, but even if I follow them or if I try all possible things, I can get no way to write or even read in any subdirectories

It should be better if such a discussion would be also copied/moved to the Android support forum (where I can not write at the moment because some moderators choose to block me because I politely point out that this new system would have risen a lot of problems).

In another message it was written
>> They applied for permission MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Is it a thing that a developer just select or it a thing that Google has to grant to just the developers the choose to?

P.S. I fond some information on this page

https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/manage-all-files
However I can read
Write access to all internal storage directories⁠, except for /Android/data/, /sdcard/Android, and most subdirectories of /sdcard/Android. This write access includes direct file path access.

So even with this permission the app would not be able to access directories under /Android/data (but it could access the directories in other part of the SD card)

AnyFile

[A Thompson]

General note to readers: this discussion seems to have migrated and merged into:

https://github.com/osmandapp/OsmAnd/issues/13254

with some useful recent information from developer @sonora who has been warning about these problems and trying to alleviate them for a long time.

[danilo baggini]

Others geoapp LocusMaps OruxMaps Vespucci.... put data out of Android directory with no problems.

Why Osmand puts data inside Android dir?

Danilo

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[A Thompson]

Perhaps someone who knows what they're talking about can comment, but from browsing OsmAnd Github and some googling,  it seems that app updates on Google Play after November must target Android 11 (API 30) and this is when all of the new restrictions are unavoidable. Maybe many other apps will run into trouble the next time they want to update?

[Greg Troxel]

I think you are correct. Vespucci ran into the same issues and solved
it by putting the Vespucci data directory in Downloads/Vespucci, which
is someplace I can sync to/from with syncthing.

[Tom Crocker]

Hi all

Just to say the workaround I suggested of using a subfolder of download seems to have broken when osmand has updated to 4.1.10

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[Max1234Ita]

I received  the v. 4.1.11 just today, I know they have fixed a number of issues. Can you verify also with the new version?

Anyway, I see you opened a ticket yesterday; In a way or another, I guess they'll come up to a solution for this. :-)

KInd regards,

Max

[Tom Crocker]

On Thu, 16 Dec 2021, 22:19 Tom Crocker, <tomcroc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all

Just to say the workaround I suggested of using a subfolder of download seems to have broken when osmand has updated to 4.1.10

And has started working again in 4.1.11. Don't ask me why.

[Peter B - pebogufi]

so, now which directory is currently  the recommended one ?

osmand in root or as subfolder of download ?

[Tim Passingham]

Mine was running OK (using /storage/2614-1710/Android/data/net.osmand.plus), but I then recently found 'shared' route gpxs were being truncated when sent by email or attempting to copy to shareable storage (this was working up and until only a few days ago).   So I tried  /storage/2614-1710/Download/Osmand, and in 4.1.11 it now works as it used to, all files accessible externally.  Good!

[Massimo Mula]

They fixed a number of issues in v. 4.1.11, most likely that was one.

Happy 2022 to everyone!

Max

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[Tim Passingham]

There is still a problem. I can use USB or a file manager to put files in the tracks folder, but OsmAnd+ cannot see them. However. I can add gpx files to the SD Card Download directory and import tracks from there (from Configure Map, Tracks, Add,,,).  I can add maps by putting them in the Download Directory and 'open with' with a file manager.

[Greg Troxel]

Berthold Pasch <berthol...@gmail.com> writes:

Thank you for posting this explanation. Before this mess I had my data
folder set to /storage/emulated/0/osmand, which is where I want it,
because I sync the entire storage with syncthing. So Multiuser Storage
1 should work for me.

> f) Manually specified: I tried it but was not successful. osmand complained
> that it was not able to transfer its files there, no matter where I tried
> to place the data.

I had this same problem. I tried to to in /storage/emulated/0/osmand
and got an error, however there was one file or directory created. So I
think this is a bug in osmand, or rather in osmand's attempt to work
around android's buggy rules.

> I hope this explanation has clarified all the confusion and shows you a way
> how to access your precious data.

I really appreciate it. I had saved a bunch of the previous messages
but this was a great summmary.

[Tim Passingham]

Has the explanation from Greg Troxel been deleted?

[lodrog...@gmail.com]

i will suggest to users with android 11 or higher to try to use / move / install the osmand 4.1 and later at location "multiuser storage 1 (..../ android/odd) " . There is option for this inside the app settings.

i am using android 10. With this version there no issue like you have. But i have test the location " ..../ android/odd" for the data of maps, dem, gpx, etc as a common folder for the apps of locus maps and orux map simultaneously .

[Massimo Mula]

Hi there,

when you select "manually specified" as the directory for data storage, you are likely going to mess with issues wit Access Permissions.

In all Unix/Linux-like file systems (and Android is in effect a variant of Linux), when a directory is created, access to it is granted only for the user who created it (the "owner"); Separate permissions are used for reading, writing and executing programs from it; also, the same permissions can be extended to the users belonging to the same "group" as the owner, or to "other users" (for more info, you can just check some basic tutorial like this: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/permissions-in-linux/ : there are plenty around the internet)

Basically, the error shown by OsmAnd when you select such a directory is happening because permissions to access that particular directory have not been set properly.

In order to solve it, you would need to edit the permissions with an advanced file manager, i.e. Total Commander, or with the chmod command through a textual Console session, if you are brave enough, by setting them to "rwx rwx rwx" (aka "777").

Problem is that also an advanced file manager or Console might have limited access to the directory, if you're not accessing as a root/super-user, hence the limitations experienced by many people.

My personal choice for OsmAnd would be setting the storage to "external 1" (storage partition integrated into the device's memory support), of it's bug enough (i.e.128GB) or "external 2" (partition on expansion Micro-SD card), if available. In that case, OsmAnd itself should ask for access permission (just grant it), but more limitations may be present due to vendor-imposed "security" choices.

Hope this helps,

Max 

Il Mar 22 Feb 2022, 20:22 lodrog...@gmail.com <lodrog...@gmail.com> ha scritto:

i will suggest to users with android 11 or higher to try to use / move / install the osmand 4.1 and later at location "multiuser storage 1 (..../ android/odd) " . There is option for this inside the app settings.

i am using android 10. With this version there no issue like you have. But i have test the location " ..../ android/odd" for the data of maps, dem, gpx, etc as a common folder for the apps of locus maps and orux map simultaneously .

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[Berthold Pasch]

I don't know why my previous post of Feb. 18 has been deleted. Did I offend the "contents moderator" ?

Anyway, here it is again for the benefit of those who seek a way for having access to their precious osmand data. I have added my experience with "Multuser Storage 2".

Here are my findings regarding the storage question of osmand+:

a) Internal App Storage is a storage area inside the app which is not part of the file system and cannot be accessed by any other app, maybe, not even by the system or when your device is rooted.

b) External Storage 1 is located on the internal SD card (i.e. storage chip on the processor board) and is in the file system at location: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files.

This storage is not accessible by any app except osmand itself. It is also not accessible via a USB connection from a file manager on the PC. The Windows Exploerer simply does not see files or subdirectories inside this osmand folder.

c) External Storage 2 is located on the external SD card in folder /storage/[sd-card-id]/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files. This storage too is not accessible by any other than osmand itself.

d) Multiuser Storage 1 is located on the internal SD card at /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/net.osmand.plus.

Note the difference in the path name: "obb" here and "data" in the previous examples. Also the subfolder "files" is not used.

With this storage it is possible to access the osmand folder tree with all its files from file manager apps as well as from Windows via the USB-connection. Windows is a little peculiar in that only the Windows Explorer can read and write files via this connection. Another application in Windows (even non MS file managers) have at least problems with writing.

e) Multiuser Storage 2 is located on the external SD card in folder  /storage/[sd-card-id]/Android/obb/net.osmand.plus. Note that here too the folder "obb" is used and no subfolder "files".

I expect it should behave like Multiuser Storage 1, but I did not make experiments with this folder anymore because I got tired with trying and was happy with Multiuser Storage1.

f) Manually specified: I tried it but was not successful. osmand complained that it was not able to transfer its files there, no matter where I tried to place the data.

I hope this explanation has clarified all the confusion and shows you a way how to access your precious data.

Bert

Addendum: With the data on "Multuser Storage 2" osmand becomes very slow. I assume that Android hampers access to data on the external SD card, I don't know whether on purpose or accidentally. With all the data on "Multuser Storage 1" (internal SD-card on the board) there is no problem with lack of speed.