Incomplete settings exported into a new phone
During past months I had multiple situations when I was convincing people to install to buy Locus. After that I was responsible for installing and configuring it on their phones. As my settings are the effect of years of experimenting with Locus, I was always using my exported settings file to make the described process quicker. But I found a few problems with this approach.
1. Password to external services (eg, Ikimaps) is exported along with the preferences file. This is serious security problem:
a) I didn`t check but I assume that the passwords are exported in cleartext - I just realised that I gave away my passwords to other people! F*ck!
b) The person have access to these services from their Locus on my behalf.
User should have an option: "Don`t export passwords". This is a must.
2. Buttons and bars(right and top) are not exported within a preferences file. That is also tedious for configuration, so I would like to have an option to export them along with preferences file.
3. Secret config file (config.cfg - as I recall correctly) - this should be also exported easily. It is a pain to copy these files separately, the secret config file contents should be embedded into preferences file and then file would be recreated on the "new" phone.
This is also a good place to say: I think config.cfg should be accessible from the Locus in the similar way as you have access to configuration options in Firefox by writing "about:config" in address bar.
4. Why on a fresh Locus installation there is no tracks recording profiles preconfigured? The obvious ones (like Walk, Car, Cycle) should be predefined by default and ready to be used. Sometimes I was configuring a new phone, and discovering that I need to configure the recording profiles ( icons, names, colours) which took additional minutes before being able to record. Inexperienced users are finding that repelling! They will just say: "oh f*ck this, I don`t have time for this sh*t", and they will forget about it and never use again. This should be a) Preconfigured, and b) Exported in preference files.
The same problem 
Hi,
you scared me a little. Fortunately all three services that store passwords (ikiMap, TrainingStageBuch, GPSIes), store them encrypted (names aren`t), uff :)
so
1. idea to import own settings to different devices ... hmm. Ability to disable export of passwords and other private settings is possible, but I`ll rather do this automatically based on device ID .. done
2. these are not included in preferences, but are stored on a card. You probably use older backup system "Backup of preferences". I have to remove it in any of future releases as some preferences aren`t anymore stored in default android system. So use below "Complete backup" and then "restore" only a settings to move complete configuration from one device to another
3. agree, config file added to "Backup of settings"
4. it`s same as with dashboard - when you first need it, Locus offer you installation of default settings. So there is no need to configure them all manually. If you do not agree with predefined values, I`ll gladly discuss it and improve them
and thanks for precise and useful report!!
Hi,
you scared me a little. Fortunately all three services that store passwords (ikiMap, TrainingStageBuch, GPSIes), store them encrypted (names aren`t), uff :)
so
1. idea to import own settings to different devices ... hmm. Ability to disable export of passwords and other private settings is possible, but I`ll rather do this automatically based on device ID .. done
2. these are not included in preferences, but are stored on a card. You probably use older backup system "Backup of preferences". I have to remove it in any of future releases as some preferences aren`t anymore stored in default android system. So use below "Complete backup" and then "restore" only a settings to move complete configuration from one device to another
3. agree, config file added to "Backup of settings"
4. it`s same as with dashboard - when you first need it, Locus offer you installation of default settings. So there is no need to configure them all manually. If you do not agree with predefined values, I`ll gladly discuss it and improve them
and thanks for precise and useful report!!
I just checked. File "2013-02-17_-_04_30.pref" (which was created by Backup of preferences) has this line:
KEY_B_MAP_SHOW_AZIMUTH_LINE*KEY_B_BACKUP_MANAGER_WMS*KEY_S_TRAILPL_PASSWORD*MY_FULL_PASSWORD*&KEY_B_MAP_MANAGER_TAB_DOWNLOAD_VISIBLE
* - unreadable characters
1. So what exactly you did here?
2. But isn`t a complete backup consisting of all my 300 hundreds tracks and few thousands of POIs? I just started Complete backup and it is already going for 5 minutes. As far as I understand, Complete backup will export not only my settings (which I want to share with my friends) but also my data(which I don`t want to share). So:
1. Complete backup is too big, because it consist of data (75MiB in my case) - totally not needed when installing a fresh Locus on somebody`s phone.
2. After copying complete backup to another person`s phone, I will have to take his phone, manually import only a desired settings and then delete the whole file. So I can`t just send my configuration to somebody over mail, because I can`t be sure that he will not import my private data.
3. I`m lost here. So is "Backup of setting" the same as "Backup of preferences"? So are you planning to leave this option or will you delete in next versions?
4. I was installing it on about 5 different devices, and I don`t recall that Locus was asking for that. At what stage exactly is this question asked? I don`t know predefined values, because I was always seeing empty track categories. Did I miss the question? If yes, was that my fault, or wasn`t the question obvious enough to be spotted by me?
I just checked. File "2013-02-17_-_04_30.pref" (which was created by Backup of preferences) has this line:
KEY_B_MAP_SHOW_AZIMUTH_LINE*KEY_B_BACKUP_MANAGER_WMS*KEY_S_TRAILPL_PASSWORD*MY_FULL_PASSWORD*&KEY_B_MAP_MANAGER_TAB_DOWNLOAD_VISIBLE
* - unreadable characters
1. So what exactly you did here?
2. But isn`t a complete backup consisting of all my 300 hundreds tracks and few thousands of POIs? I just started Complete backup and it is already going for 5 minutes. As far as I understand, Complete backup will export not only my settings (which I want to share with my friends) but also my data(which I don`t want to share). So:
1. Complete backup is too big, because it consist of data (75MiB in my case) - totally not needed when installing a fresh Locus on somebody`s phone.
2. After copying complete backup to another person`s phone, I will have to take his phone, manually import only a desired settings and then delete the whole file. So I can`t just send my configuration to somebody over mail, because I can`t be sure that he will not import my private data.
3. I`m lost here. So is "Backup of setting" the same as "Backup of preferences"? So are you planning to leave this option or will you delete in next versions?
4. I was installing it on about 5 different devices, and I don`t recall that Locus was asking for that. At what stage exactly is this question asked? I don`t know predefined values, because I was always seeing empty track categories. Did I miss the question? If yes, was that my fault, or wasn`t the question obvious enough to be spotted by me?
1) just a dump of internal preferences, nothing extra ;)
2) don`t worry, I was already thinking on it. This is how it looks now ...
So I think "Backup of preferences" may be safely removed. Only problem that remain is ability to restore old ".pref" files created by this method. So I`ll think about a best way how to remove it (maybe for next version just warning)
3) no it isn`t. "Backup of preferences" was first. It was directly in settings > various and it cause that all internal locus preferences was stored into file. But soon or later, locus started to have preferences also on other places - like config file, panels, settings for "Get location" dialog so I created this system, which pack into zip preferences (from older method) together with some additional config files ... better?
4) this is very weird
locus store track record profiles in Locus/data/track_rec directory. When you start screen with profiles and you have no files in this directory, you should get offer to install default profiles
1) just a dump of internal preferences, nothing extra ;)
2) don`t worry, I was already thinking on it. This is how it looks now ...
So I think "Backup of preferences" may be safely removed. Only problem that remain is ability to restore old ".pref" files created by this method. So I`ll think about a best way how to remove it (maybe for next version just warning)
3) no it isn`t. "Backup of preferences" was first. It was directly in settings > various and it cause that all internal locus preferences was stored into file. But soon or later, locus started to have preferences also on other places - like config file, panels, settings for "Get location" dialog so I created this system, which pack into zip preferences (from older method) together with some additional config files ... better?
4) this is very weird
locus store track record profiles in Locus/data/track_rec directory. When you start screen with profiles and you have no files in this directory, you should get offer to install default profiles
for my understanding a "complete(!) backup" should be a clone (without maps)
A 1:1 copy (without maps)
# Install Locus on a new device
# load a backup
# download (or copy) maps
done!
for my understanding a "complete(!) backup" should be a clone (without maps)
A 1:1 copy (without maps)
# Install Locus on a new device
# load a backup
# download (or copy) maps
done!
hmm but there is much more ... you may check all directories that are on card. I`m sure that most of then do not understand basic users, so it`s not required to have them in backup.
all settings, points & track - there is no place to discuss. But the rest .. it`s a question. Anyway whole "Complete backup" was done mainly because Android suffer from database corruption that rarely happen. And most precious are points & tracks so I use "Complete backup" system in automatic backup.
Some other, like HGT files, profiles, dashboards etc. ... ah these data are so precious. If you want to backup also this, then it`s much better to use some automatic tool, like for example dropbox ;)
my opinion ...
hmm but there is much more ... you may check all directories that are on card. I`m sure that most of then do not understand basic users, so it`s not required to have them in backup.
all settings, points & track - there is no place to discuss. But the rest .. it`s a question. Anyway whole "Complete backup" was done mainly because Android suffer from database corruption that rarely happen. And most precious are points & tracks so I use "Complete backup" system in automatic backup.
Some other, like HGT files, profiles, dashboards etc. ... ah these data are so precious. If you want to backup also this, then it`s much better to use some automatic tool, like for example dropbox ;)
my opinion ...
I made a test Complete backup, which is 75MiB big. When importing it, I can choose:
1. Settings
2. Points & Tracks
3. WMS
If it would export only Settings, that would be cool. WMS are also OK. What is the difference between these "Settings" and "Preferences" in "Backup of preferences"?
gynta: I only need to export settings, no maps, no tracks, no points, no files (besides config file) . So I can`t do Complete backups, because its heavy and holds my personal points and tracks (which I don`t want to share).
So in summary:
I need an option to export in one easily-restorable form which will contain:
1. All Locus settings (without passwords)
2. Config file
3. Panels+buttons+dashboards
4. Icons
Bacisally, all imaginable settings without private data
I made a test Complete backup, which is 75MiB big. When importing it, I can choose:
1. Settings
2. Points & Tracks
3. WMS
If it would export only Settings, that would be cool. WMS are also OK. What is the difference between these "Settings" and "Preferences" in "Backup of preferences"?
gynta: I only need to export settings, no maps, no tracks, no points, no files (besides config file) . So I can`t do Complete backups, because its heavy and holds my personal points and tracks (which I don`t want to share).
So in summary:
I need an option to export in one easily-restorable form which will contain:
1. All Locus settings (without passwords)
2. Config file
3. Panels+buttons+dashboards
4. Icons
Bacisally, all imaginable settings without private data
ok a misunderstanding ;)
The point was: The wrong headline "complete backup"
"complete backup" is NOT a "complete backup"
and the explanation "all important data" is not very meaningful.
This is often misunderstood by users.
ok a misunderstanding ;)
The point was: The wrong headline "complete backup"
"complete backup" is NOT a "complete backup"
and the explanation "all important data" is not very meaningful.
This is often misunderstood by users.
oki, better? :)
I think what more may be useful to backup. elmuSSo wrote dashboards - agree, this should be added, and anything else?
oki, better? :)
I think what more may be useful to backup. elmuSSo wrote dashboards - agree, this should be added, and anything else?
What data i would miss? hmm
Locus/data/config/*
Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
Locus/data/.quick_add_point.lb. (!)
Locus/mapsOnline/custom/* (!!)
What data i would miss? hmm
Locus/data/config/*
Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
Locus/data/.quick_add_point.lb. (!)
Locus/mapsOnline/custom/* (!!)
Perfect approach. Please, show us a full list what is already inside exported settings.
Perfect approach. Please, show us a full list what is already inside exported settings.
so in current test version 2.12.2.4 it`s
settings
- data/config/action_panels.lb
- data/config/get_location.lb
- config.cfg
- config_projections.cfg
databases
- data/database/tracks.db
- data/database/waypoints.db
dashboard
- all files in "data/dashboards"
icons
- all directories and files in "icons"
wms
- data/wmsMaps.dat
edit: btw. backups are simple zip files, so you may check on your own what is and what isn`t included
so in current test version 2.12.2.4 it`s
settings
- data/config/action_panels.lb
- data/config/get_location.lb
- config.cfg
- config_projections.cfg
databases
- data/database/tracks.db
- data/database/waypoints.db
dashboard
- all files in "data/dashboards"
icons
- all directories and files in "icons"
wms
- data/wmsMaps.dat
edit: btw. backups are simple zip files, so you may check on your own what is and what isn`t included
This looks fine. If I will ever think about adding any additional settings, I will let you know.
This looks fine. If I will ever think about adding any additional settings, I will let you know.
so ...
"live tracking", "quick add point" and "wms" configurations renamed, moved to Locus/data/config directory and all three also included into "settings" backup & restore
just warning: because settings were renamed, if you use test version (that rename this settings to other file name) and then use normal public version, this settings will not be available!
so ...
"live tracking", "quick add point" and "wms" configurations renamed, moved to Locus/data/config directory and all three also included into "settings" backup & restore
just warning: because settings were renamed, if you use test version (that rename this settings to other file name) and then use normal public version, this settings will not be available!
Menionwrote:
"live tracking", "quick add point" and "wms" configurations renamed, moved...
??
OLD: Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
NEW: Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
btw
there was also a new file "Locus/data/.config.dat"
Menionwrote:
"live tracking", "quick add point" and "wms" configurations renamed, moved...
??
OLD: Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
NEW: Locus/data/_liveTracking.bin
btw
there was also a new file "Locus/data/.config.dat"
new (in 2.12.2.5 after you use this functions)
data/config/live_tracking.lb
data/config/quick_add_point.lb
data/config/wms_maps.lb
new (in 2.12.2.5 after you use this functions)
data/config/live_tracking.lb
data/config/quick_add_point.lb
data/config/wms_maps.lb
ah ...after you use this functions..
ok thx
ah ...after you use this functions..
ok thx
It looks fine. One successful settings export to a new phone. Thanks!
Just small naming thing: 2013-07-02settings.zip, I don`t know, maybe that is on purpose (no separation between "02" and "settings") but is looks strange.
It looks fine. One successful settings export to a new phone. Thanks!
Just small naming thing: 2013-07-02settings.zip, I don`t know, maybe that is on purpose (no separation between "02" and "settings") but is looks strange.
hmm I`m unable to get this text anywhere. I usually set only a time as predefined name for a backup. What should I do to get also this problem?
hmm I`m unable to get this text anywhere. I usually set only a time as predefined name for a backup. What should I do to get also this problem?
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