Main directory was mysteriously set to "/Android/media"

Tomas Hnyk shared this question ago

Answered

I was not using Locus for several days and when I turned it on today, all my offline maps and tracks and points were gone! I panicked and then found a backup on the device, so stopped panicking, and then found this: https://docs.locusmap.app/doku.php?id=manual:faq:disappearing_data#system-forced_change_of_default_app_s_working_directory

It turns out that somehow, the main directory set itself to "/Android/media". All my data was in "/Android/data". So when I changed the location, all was well. This is on the internal memory, not SD card. I am on Android 12 (Samsung M51). In the end it was not a big deal, but it is a mystery to me why this was reset. I was changing simcard, so I ejected my SD card, but this is on internal memory so it should not affect it. Also my phone ran out of battery a few days ago but again, why would be this the cause? I am awfully certain I did not change anything. So I guess you can consider this a data point that this can happen, unless it is something known? (I am on 4.28.3)

The same question

Replies (3)

Michael Bechtold ●

I have zero idea how your "mystery" happened.

But I definitely advise to use /Android/media instead of /Android/data !

Why?

- Android/data is removed with all its content once to uninstall an app

- Android/data is not accessible, except for rooted devices and users of Shizuku (a geek thing, though powerful and helpful)

- Android/media can be accessed read/write with any decent file manager, up to and incl. Android 15

We have to hope that the restriction amok and insanity of Google will not extent that structure in the future ...

Reply URL

Tomas Hnyk ●

Oh, Shizuku sounds like a perfect think for when ever I need a new phone, that i just cannot copy my old phone's content on the new one is superfrustrating (and keeping me from upgrading besides environmental concerns, those corporations are against themselves :-D).

So it is a official reccomentation to have it under android/media/? I did not get that from the page I linked above at all :-).

URL

Michael Bechtold ●

Well, I am a Locus user since 2012 or so, and an IT professional, yet not part of the Asamm company, hence I cannot claim "official" statements.

I outlined the pros and cons of both directories (which hold, unless you are using the AFA version with sideloading).

Reply URL

Tomas Hnyk ●

No, it maks sense. I did not get from the help that this would allow normal file managers on android access it, that is definitely a pro, as well as not deleting all data if i accidently uninstalled it. Thanks for the tip.

URL

Michael Bechtold ●

Welcome.

Getting curious, I just looked up the Google Play history: August 2011 was my purchase of Locus 3, and Locus Gold I subscribed since March 2021 :-)

URL

Michal Stupka ●

Hi Tomas,

this is quite a mystery because there is no intent in the app to automatically change the default Android/data to the optional Android/media, nor is the app forced to do so by the system. The user guide article describes a different situation, which is caused by Android OS - Locus Map loses access to its original directory in the root of the internal storage (e.g. emulated/0/Locus) and therefore it creates a new empty directory in the new default - Android/data sector.

As for the Android/media sector, it has many advantages, as Michael had mentioned, but we are reluctant to set it as default because we are afraid Google will regulate the access to it in the future (as it happened many times before). Which would again result in a shitstorm we have experienced several times - when Android 4.4.2. or 11 came.

Reply URL