FileTools : Some tools to work with files

vknow360 · November 2, 2019, 4:50am

Thanks

cleiton_t_machado · November 13, 2019, 3:59pm

Hi!
How do I dynamically get the root path of the directory where my app is installed?

bodymindpower · November 13, 2019, 4:12pm

In the Internal Storage, the app package is stored, which can only be accessed with a rooted device.
/data/data/<packageName>/

What does “dynamically” mean?

cleiton_t_machado · November 13, 2019, 5:00pm

I need to access a File.pdf with Start Activity. On my android 8.1 device I used the URI. file: ///sdcard/Makeroid/library/File.pdf. But on my other android 4.4 device it only worked with the URI. file: ///storage/Makeroid/library/File.pdf.
according to the device the uri will be started with sdcard or storage how can i identify this automatically?

Taifun · November 13, 2019, 5:52pm

you could use

a relative path, which is /library/File.pdf or
a full generic path, which is file:///mnt/sdcard/library/File.pdf

EDIT: are you trying to read a file form the assets of the app? this will not work like this…

Taifun

bodymindpower · November 13, 2019, 7:37pm

The root directory of the External Storage is:

file:///mnt/sdcard/ or
file:///storage/emulated/0/ 
/storage/emulated/0/.

file:///sdcard/Makeroid/library/
is the same as:
file:///storage/emulated/0/Makeroid/library/ or
/storage/emulated/0/Makeroid/library/

These dirs are visible / accessible on your device, where (from an Android point of view) this “External Storage” is called “Internal Storage” (see below):
Internal Storage > Makeroid > library

For a webView the path to the assets is for the compiled app (APK):
file:///android_asset/
and for Companion:
file:///storage/emulated/0/Makeroid/assets/

FOR CLARIFICATION:
From an Android point of view there are an Internal Storage and an External Storage.

1. Internal Storage
In the Internal Storage, the app package is saved:

/data/data/<packageName>/

which can only be accessed with a rooted device.

2. External Storage
The root directory of the External Storage is:

/storage/emulated/0/

2.1. App-specific directory
In addition, there may be an app-specific directory (which can be created with Taifun’s File extension: App Inventor Extensions: File | Pura Vida Apps or the FileTools extension)

 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/<packageName>/files/

which is saved in the External (private) Storage, but does not require READ_ / WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permissions.
This app-specific (private) folder can only be accessed by your app.

See: Manifest.permission | Android Developers

2.2. Removable (micro) SD card
There may also be another External Storage: a removable (micro) SD card, eg:

/storage/82C3-E96C/

that can only be read (on modern Android systems, since Android KitCat).

Note:
The root directory of the External Storage

/storage/emulated/0/

is displayed on the device as Internal Storage (unfortunately this is a bit ambiguous).

cleiton_t_machado · November 13, 2019, 8:52pm

Great! I’ve learned a lot about this.
But I wonder if there is a way to find out if the APK has been installed on internal or external storage. Is there this possibility?

bodymindpower · November 14, 2019, 5:43am

As I said: /data/data/<packageName>/ (see above: 1. Internal Storage)

See here for an excellent overview on this topic: https://www.dev2qa.com/android-read-write-external-storage-file-example/

"Internal storage is used to store android app private data such as files, cached files, shared_preferences and database files.

All those files is stored in android device folder /data/data/<app packageName>/ . And only the android app can operate those files. In general internal storage files is saved in android device build-in flash disk memory."

cleiton_t_machado · November 14, 2019, 7:17pm

It worked! It ran on two devices (the apk installed one on internal sdcard and one on external storage) using only the path: file: /// storage / emulated / 0 / Android / data / packname / files.
Thanks for listening! \The/

bodymindpower · December 28, 2019, 1:43pm

Copying from the assets does not work for APK (checked with AI2):

Two slashes from file:///android_asset/ are removed, result:
Runtime Error: file:/android_asset/test.1.pdf (No such file or directory)

Taifun · December 28, 2019, 4:55pm

usually (and this is how the file component is implemented) to access the assets you have to use two slashes //, see also the documentation Storage

Prefix the filename with / to read from a specific file on the SD card. for instance /myFile.txt will read the file /sdcard/myFile.txt. To read assets packaged with an application (also works for the Companion) start the filename with // (two slashes).

in case this extension uses another logic, it would not be very helpful and would confuse everybody…

btw. the path file:///android_asset/ is only relevant for the webviewer to access files stored in the assets…

Taifun

bodymindpower · December 28, 2019, 6:05pm

Of course, I have tried this first: //test1.pdf
Doesn’t work:
Runtime Error: /test.1.pdf (No such file or directory)

vknow360 · December 29, 2019, 11:05am

Thanks @bodymindpower
I hope next version will solve this and other issues/bugs

shittuwale02 · December 31, 2019, 6:46pm

Video on how to use…copy from SD card to phone or vise versa

vknow360 · February 16, 2020, 3:11am

ChangeLog Version4

New blocks
Added 6 new blocks:

Changes

Replaced path with name.Now it will find path automatically from file name (Thanks to App Inventor)
Some other minor changes

Bug Fixes

Now it is able to copy files from assets (Thanks @bodymindpower)
‘AvailableStorageDirectories’ block is working now (Thanks @salem_m_s2021)

salem_m_s2021 · February 16, 2020, 7:10am

Is there more than thank you

vknow360 · February 16, 2020, 7:26am

I have no idea about that

salem_m_s2021 · February 16, 2020, 7:31am

We need an extension of that

vknow360 · February 16, 2020, 7:39am

There is already an extension

vknow360 · February 23, 2020, 1:24pm

ChangeLog Version5

Changes

Added ‘recursive’ in FilesList and FileListAsync

Bug Fixes

Fixed bug in Delete method
Fixed bug in getting assets list using FilesList.Use // in FilesList as dir to get Assets list while using Companion
Some minor bug fixes