Write access to external SD-Card

[Eldkatten]

Hello,

as far as I know this isn't a Gemini-specific problem, but something that occured since Android Version 5 or so. But I have read that at least since Android Version 6 there is a way around it, but apparently not on the Gemini. So here it is:
I can't write to the external SD-card, and there is no setting that I have found so far to allow apps to write to it. At the moment that annoys me most when trying to save documents created with HD Textmaker. (And, by the way: no, I don't want to merge the external SD-Card with the internal memory, or whatever that is called.)

So, when I try to "Save As" a document and chose a directory on the external SD-Card, I get the following message:
[img]http://www.eldkatten.net/Fotos/Screenshot_20180727-094621.png\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]
(Translation: "In the next dialog please give permission to write to the root directory of the SD-Card (click on "Select SD-card" on the bottom. If you don't see that entry, select the uppermost directory of the SD-Card.)"

The "next dialog" is this one:
[img]http://www.eldkatten.net/Fotos/Screenshot_20180727-094642.png\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]
I can wipe in a selection from the left, showing internal memory and SD-Card, but nowhere there is any way to "Select SD-card". No matter what I do, I get this message next:

[img]http://www.eldkatten.net/Fotos/Screenshot_20180727-094656.png\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]
Translation: "The application could not get write permission to the SD-Card. Please give permission to write to the root directory of the SD-Card in the previous dialog."

So, there I'm stuck. How do I grant write permission to the external SD-Card?

Kind regards

[gymbo]

It seems this is might be a problem with the program? I have no problems saving to SD-card from OfficeSuite... It did give me a generic "allow this program to access your files and folders" dialog when I first tried saving at all... So unless this is just YOUR experience I would suggest this is another point for NOT using TextMaker, in addition to the ones I listed here, mostly from reading the thread here. Which is kind of sad, because TextMaker also seems to be one of the few programs that interprets "Home", "End", "PgUp" and "PgDn" correctly too...

[graynada]

If you go in to Apps in Settings, under the app concerned you should be able to set the Storage option on under permission.  Hopefully that will help.

[Eldkatten]

Hello,

If you go in to Apps in Settings, under the app concerned you should be able to set the Storage option on under permission.  Hopefully that will help.

There is an option "Storage", which can be switched on and off, but no way to grant storage permission for the external SD-card. The option seems to be switched on anyway for every app.

[Eldkatten]

Hello,

(...) this is another point for NOT using TextMaker, in addition to the ones I listed (...)

Heavens, then don't use it. Noone is forcing you.
I do want to use it, and your reply is not helpful concerning the topic. I do have the same problem with a couple of other apps, not just Textmaker. It was just an example.

No offense intended. Kind regards

[Eldkatten]

Hello,

an addition: Apparently there should be a button or something "Select SD-Card" in that second dialog:

[img]http://www.eldkatten.net/Fotos/folder-chooser-5.png\" border=\"0\" class=\"linked-image\" /]

The picture is taken from some other forum dealing with android topics. Why don't I see that on the Gemini?

Kind regards

[gymbo]

Hello,

(...) this is another point for NOT using TextMaker, in addition to the ones I listed (...)

Heavens, then don't use it. Noone is forcing you.
I do want to use it, and your reply is not helpful concerning the topic. I do have the same problem with a couple of other apps, not just Textmaker. It was just an example.

No offense intended. Kind regards

In my post I implied (although I didn't say it outright) that you could try another program, and see if that had the same problem (like I said, I have no problem in OfficeSuite). And I was considering SoftMaker for my spreadsheet and word-document needs, but the arrow problems, which they apparently have said they CAN'T fix, have made me look elsewhere.

(I just refuse to have to poke repeatedly at the screen like a complete idiot to be able to edit things properly, and it will be especially irritating/difficult in spreadsheets... And it hasn't been updated in a little over a year, and they can't fix an apparent bug??? Do you have a more recent update than the one in the Play Store? The version number for Office HD: TextMaker FULL in Play store is 2016.767.0623. If you HAVE a newer edition, do you have the arrow problem as well? Sorry for off-topic rant/questions!)

Back to topic: Have you tried another office application, and does it give the same error? I do believe a few of the office applications in the Play store lists the ability to save to SD-card as a "Premium" feature, implying that it needs to be supported especially in the app...

[inmontanis]

Same problem here with most apps and internal SD-Card and an external USB-Flashdrive. I'm not sure but I thought at least the USB-drive worked before I installed the rooted Android and restored my previous backup - maybe that was the problem?

Even some apps / filemanagers with root-access fail sometimes, annoying.

I use various fixes (for rooted android) ..

- in MagiskManager the module "ExSDCard Access Enabler" provides r/w Access but only on /mnt/media_rw/ - so for emulators you mostly have to type the whole path and cannot use a file selector.

- there's a xml - file somewhere in the system (I always forget the location) where you can add security options to an app like Write_External_Storage and I think something else, this works for some apps.

[graynada]

I haven't had any issues with any of the apps I'm using, they all can access and write to the SD card with no additional permissions or steps.  What file system is your card formatted to?  There was a change to file permissions back in Android 4.4 which shock things up.  If an app hasn't been changed to make account of that there is probably nothing you can do to fix .

[Eldkatten]

Hello inmontanis,

(...) there's a xml - file somewhere in the system (I always forget the location) where you can add security options to an app like Write_External_Storage and I think something else, this works for some apps.(...)

Could you be so kind and find out again where that XML-file is located?

Thanks and kind reards

[Eldkatten]

Hello,

after trying some things, I think I give up for now  

I got the module "ExSDCard Access Enabler" for MagiskManager, and so I have the new /mnt/media_rw/ directory, and Textmaker even uses that directory, but still can't write. Same stupid dialogs.

inmontanis, I think the XML-file you mean is /system/etc/permissions/platform.xml, but as far as I see it, everything in there is as it should.

Unless someone knows The Trick and communicates it here, I'll leave it as it is. Just one more reason to direct one or the other curse-word towards Google. Why do I get the impression that development goes backwards and for the worse? Not the software I develop, of course  

Kind regards

[inmontanis]

This is one topic:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1458021

this was the other file (WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE is needed here it seems) /data/system/packages.xml :
http://winterland.no-ip.org/blog/enable-wr...rd-for-android/

as said, don't know yet what is right and what is really working where and when. Not really used to Andorid ..

[graynada]

I use X-plore as my file manager with no special permissions to write to the SD card. If you were to try this app  we would know if it is the apps you are using or your set up...

[Ifanafi]

Similar access problem resolved by working through the Gem's File Manger app and reviewing the devices storage, permission settings.

Have you tried that tactic?

Ifanafi

[Eldkatten]

Hello

(...) resolved by working through the Gem's File Manger app and reviewing the devices storage, permission settings. (...)

Care to elaborate? I don't exactly understand what you did.

Meanwhile I think it's just a problem with Textmaker (apologies to gymbo). If so, I'll just have to live with the procedure to safe the documents to a location it can write to, and then move them where I want them with a file manager.

Kind regards