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Allow maps on external SD [Android 5]

popescu shared this idea 9 years ago
Declined

In Android 5, it's possible again to store vector maps on the external SD. But Locus has to support it first.

Replies (8)

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You should already use vector maps on external card on all 4.4+ devices.


if you use Locus Pro, simply create a directory (should already exists) /.../your_card/Android/data/menion.android.locus.pro/files/mapsVector (or just menion.android.locus for Locus Free). Place all maps there and in Locus itself, in menu > settings > misc > directories, define this new directory as a place for vector maps.


Principle of this solution is, that mentioned directory is only allowed directory where Locus may read/write without any limits. You may also use this directory as main directory for a whole Locus! Only problem that is needed to keep in mind is, that if you uninstall Locus, it will also automatically delete this directory.


Oki?

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Just as an idea to workaround this nasty restriction:

Vector maps don't need to be downloaded every day.

Download vector map to internal SD's Locus folder and then move it with an app which has write access on external SD. In case of Samsung phones it is the app "My files" which has the rights to write on arbitrary locations on the external SD.

This is the way I did it until I rooted my phone and fixed the permission for external SD :-).

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I've made a mistake when I limited this topic to maps only. I know the workarounds and use them already. But it would be nice to have the whole home folder including POIs stored on the external SD, which is not possible now under KitKat.


On Android 5, it is possible to make things work as they did before KitKat. Everything on the external SD card. No workarounds except for the initial one-time giving permission. But it has to be implemented in Locus first.


Even without maps my Locus folder is quite big (height data, cached online maps I don't want to delete in order to be able to use them outdoors without wasting my FUP... you get the image). It would be amazing to be able to have this all on the external card.


The issue was discussed here:

http://help.locusmap.eu/topic/locus-pro-with-maps-on-external-sd-card-under-android-5


Menion said this feature isn't a top priority now (with which I agree, I know there are more important issues.) but that he would have a look at it later. I've just put it to vote since I think it would be nice and clean if Locus supported this and once Android 5 finally allows it, it would be a shame just to leave it like it is now :)


Menion, can you please change the topic to voting over the Locus home folder being completely on the SD card? It's not just about maps. Sorry for the mess-up.

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That would be great - I'm sure they bring it at least within the next 2 months ...

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Hi, I am just reading now your comments as i am facing the problem of moving the storage folder from internal phone . Tmemory to SD card. I have tried to create a new folder in external SD card but something must have gone wrong he App doesn-t read the map on the SD card. For me this is a big issue! Locus folder gets bigger and bigger as you use it. Thus, should I look for another App that allows me to save data on external SD card or is there any new development on saving Locus data on external sd card?

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Hi Marco,

I am keeping the misc. SETTING for mapsVector, maps and mapsOnline folders on the internal SD card.

But I move all static larger maps like vector maps and world maps to the external SD card, then announce them to Locus via the "+" function in the map manager.

In most cases I feed the external SD card via PC-USB connection.

When you download via web from your smartphone, you need to grant write access rights to your file manager of choice.

Then you can us thsi file manager to move maps from internal SD to external SD.

The sqlite maps in mapsOnline should not be moved, as Android does not permit the kind of database access Locus needs to extend these online maps.

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Except you are using those /Android/data/menion.android.locus... approach from Menion's reply. HOWEVER, this folder structure (and all files) will be deleted, in case you deinstall Locus ...

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Hello guys,


seems to be quite old topic, so let's close it. Currently, even with Android 7.0, there are no dramatical changed in Android filesystem and how developers/apps may access it. All was wrote many times, so:



Idea 'declined', because currently it's not possible to implement it. Thanks for understanding.

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As I am a long (and very happy) Locus user and suffered often about this issue since 4.4.2, I read the article Locus data on external SD card, and found two things to comment about it. I didnt find another way to tell, there is no contact form or address from its author "mstupka" so I put it here:

1. FAT32 formatting

This is of no help. Normally the big external sd-cards are exFAT formatted (files > 4 GB possible) anyway, which is about the same as FAT32 about user access restriction (none), but the restriction on Android's ext. sdcards has nothing to do with write access on file base. Its Android OS which doesnt allow. So in my opinion this is just wrong.


2. On rooted devices the solution with FolderMount is missing. This way which I tried after a long struggle with Android 6, is the far easiest and best way. There was a change again since Android 6, which made it worse than at Android 5, writing was again more restricted, which was easy to correct with SDFix under 4.4.2 and still 5, but on 6 this doesnt work well, I dont know exactly why but I had always big problems with 6 and sdcard. But with FolderMount it works without any problem. Foldermount links the external Folder from an external sdcard to the internal sd on boot. E.g. /storage/ABCD-EF01/Locus to /storage/emulated/0/Locus so that Locus thinks its folder is on the internal sd.


Maybe you can forward this to mstupka


Thank


By the way, is there an exact (technical) explanation somewhere, why Locus shouldn't be able to use a database on the external sd card as described at the following article?

Why is it not possible to use Android 5+ API in Locus for full SD card access?

OK, found it myself:

SD-card / external storage on Android 5.0+ Because of the way how to write, through the super slow Access via Document Provider

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Hi Franc,

thanks for the info. I updated the 'Rooted devices' section, however, I left the 'FAT32' part untouched. As a whole, the section is all composed from our users' tips that are not fully tested and this fact is clearly stated. The FAT32 method was defined by some user who claimed it worked on his phone so I added it as well as other methods in this section.

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