On Android 7.0, all apps have access to /sdcard/Android/*
For apps to get sdcard access outside that Android folder, they need explicit permission.
I would like to remove the default allowed access to /sdcard/Android/* but keep the system in place that grants root SD access to allowed apps.
Bonus points, if I can somehow rid of DCIM, LOST.DIR, System Volume Information, and .android_secure from being created aswell.
The clutter is getting ridiculous. Simply swapping in an sdcard or plugging in a USB OTG drive will cause it to immedietly get cluttered.
This is external, swappable, storage we are dealing with FFS! Whose bright idea was this damn system.
I have root. (Is Xposed Privacy my only option?)
No I do not have adaptable storage enabled. This is simply regular external storage.
Related
One thing that really annoys me is how Android allows apps to litter your internal and external storage cards with files and folders, and these do not get removed when the app is uninstalled. I have literally scores of folders on my device, and half of them I don't have a clue what they are.
I wish when an app was removed Android gave you the option to delete all associated files wherever they may be, and if you say "Yes" then it would enforce that by deleting everything to do with that app.
That would require that app developers stick to some kind of standard, like keeping a configuration file with the location(s) of all its files, on both internal and external memory. While that's certainly doable, it's just as easy for those same developers to code their apps cleanly to remove their own junk. If devs are being sloppy, they're gonna be sloppy either way.
Something big would have to change in Android, since currently apps either have access to the SD or they don't. They would have to introduce a new type of permission which would only allow access to a certain subfolder, whose name is automatically assigned by the OS. Then, apps with that permission would necessarily have to drop all their files in that one place, and identification of residual files would be much easier.
Kind of like this
setspeed said:
One thing that really annoys me is how Android allows apps to litter your internal and external storage cards with files and folders, and these do not get removed when the app is uninstalled. I have literally scores of folders on my device, and half of them I don't have a clue what they are.
I wish when an app was removed Android gave you the option to delete all associated files wherever they may be, and if you say "Yes" then it would enforce that by deleting everything to do with that app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I kind of like it this way. It gives me an excuse to root in there and clean it up.
--El
UPDATE: Google's API changes to KitKat means the following, as per Google:
An application may request broad read-oonly permissions for external storage. This means that the application will be able to read the MicroSD only.
Applications cannot obtain permission to write to external storage. This means that file managers cannot edit/create/delete files on MicroSD anymore. This is a casualty of a change meant for security.
With or without requested permission for external storage, an application may now modify conents of its assigned folder on external storage (IE, /android/data). This allows an application to offload content to external storage if the storage is considered "permanent," Ie, MicroSD is considered permanent while OTG is not.
The benefits to this change means that applications required less tweaking to offload their data to external storage. We saw this with the recent Google Music update (and I'm loving that). Even now, it seems updates to recent Google applications are preparing to utilize this functionality. Google's camera.apk has taken up residence on my MicroSD so I suspect that a future update will allow you to store to external storage.
The downsides are that file managers cannot make use of MicroSD anymore, aside from reading the contents. Consider it collateral damage.
-reserved-
Titanium backup. Requires external SD permissions.xml fix to be able to store there.
Sent from my GT-I9505G using Tapatalk
ES doesn't work. If you delete a folder, it will show as deleted. Exit and come back, and the folder remains. Cannot edit or create a folder (in MicroSD).
Bump. OP now has full explanation of what's going on.
jaykresge said:
UPDATE: Google's API changes to KitKat means the following, as per Google:
An application may request broad read-oonly permissions for external storage. This means that the application will be able to read the MicroSD only.
Applications cannot obtain permission to write to external storage. This means that file managers cannot edit/create/delete files on MicroSD anymore. This is a casualty of a change meant for security.
With or without requested permission for external storage, an application may now modify conents of its assigned folder on external storage (IE, /android/data). This allows an application to offload content to external storage if the storage is considered "permanent," Ie, MicroSD is considered permanent while OTG is not.
The benefits to this change means that applications required less tweaking to offload their data to external storage. We saw this with the recent Google Music update (and I'm loving that). Even now, it seems updates to recent Google applications are preparing to utilize this functionality. Google's camera.apk has taken up residence on my MicroSD so I suspect that a future update will allow you to store to external storage.
The downsides are that file managers cannot make use of MicroSD anymore, aside from reading the contents. Consider it collateral damage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reading from Android Developer new API changes tha way you read and write from External Sd card... but if your app has WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission it should be able to write your ext sd card without problems.
This means that current apps (and File Managers) should be updated to support kitkat API level 9 and obtain WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
public static final String WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
Added in API level 4
Allows an application to write to external storage.
Note: If both your minSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion values are set to 3 or lower, the system implicitly grants your app this permission. If you don't need this permission, be sure your targetSdkVersion is 4 or higher.
Starting in API level 19, this permission is not required to read/write files in your application-specific directories returned by getExternalFilesDir(String) and getExternalCacheDir().
Constant Value: "android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
API level 19 is kitkat code....
Regarding 4.4 Kitkat External SD Card access permision, anyone can explain to us what is the objective of having such rigid permissions ?
"....
Starting in Android 4.4, the owner, group and modes of files on external storage devices are now synthesized based on directory structure. This enables apps to manage their package-specific directories on external storage without requiring they hold the broad WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. For example, the app with package name com.example.foo can now freely access Android/data/com.example.foo/ on external storage devices with no permissions. These synthesized permissions are accomplished by wrapping raw storage devices in a FUSE daemon.
..."
Full source : http://source.android.com/devices/tech/storage/
On 4.3 and older, a malicious app can wipe the whole sdcard with standard permissions. New permissions prevent it.
aydc said:
On 4.3 and older, a malicious app can wipe the whole sdcard with standard permissions. New permissions prevent it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So this is useful then not a considered 'bug'..
I guess there will be no benefits anymore to use 3rd party file manager if we dont root our phones. Niche market just collapsed.
Sorry, but I have follow up questions:
I wonder how many malicious pieces of software like that are in a Google Play store to warrant breaking most third party applications that write to SD card? But I guess now, that apps can't write to SD card, there will be not much to protect there anyhow? And how will this all work in the future, once apps get their permissions fixed? I won't be allowed to access my card or format it at will? or will I be able to grant those permissions, but then how would I know the software is malicious any more than I know now? Am I too stupid to grasp the logic of all this?
pete4k said:
Sorry, but I have follow up questions:
I wonder how many malicious pieces of software like that are in a Google Play store to warrant breaking most third party applications that write to SD card? But I guess now, that apps can't write to SD card, there will be not much to protect there anyhow? And how will this all work in the future, once apps get their permissions fixed? I won't be allowed to access my card or format it at will? or will I be able to grant those permissions, but then how would I know the software is malicious any more than I know now? Am I too stupid to grasp the logic of all this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I had in mind too but if you see from the source link above I think Google is anticipating MULTI USER environment where some "stuffs" from me could wrack havoc some of "your stuffs". That scenario actually will only happen on MULTI USER tablet / smartphone, but that surely not mainstream are they ?
pete4k said:
Sorry, but I have follow up questions:
I wonder how many malicious pieces of software like that are in a Google Play store to warrant breaking most third party applications that write to SD card? But I guess now, that apps can't write to SD card, there will be not much to protect there anyhow? And how will this all work in the future, once apps get their permissions fixed? I won't be allowed to access my card or format it at will? or will I be able to grant those permissions, but then how would I know the software is malicious any more than I know now? Am I too stupid to grasp the logic of all this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As stated on source.android.com:
Starting in Android 4.4, the owner, group and modes of files on external storage devices are now synthesized based on directory structure. This enables apps to manage their package-specific directories on external storage without requiring they hold the broad WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. For example, the app with package name com.example.foo can now freely access Android/data/com.example.foo/ on external storage devices with no permissions. These synthesized permissions are accomplished by wrapping raw storage devices in a FUSE daemon.
Never owned a phone that came with microsd and this new Sony phone intrigues me. Biggest bummer about this phone is that it only comes with 16 GB internal storage. I don't know how this work since the kit-kat upgrade came out but my question is that say I'm a heavy Whatsapp user and and have lots of photos and convos saved onto my phone so can that automatically transfer to my sdcard? With this little memory im scared I might run out of room with all my other apps as well. Btw i'm not a guy that roots my phone so that would be out of the question unless that was the only last option to make this work. Hope to get some detailed feedback from you guys. :fingers-crossed::laugh:
I don't think you would need to root the Z3 to do what you want. I haven't had an expandable memory slot since my old HD2. Nexus 4 for the last few years, working with limited memory is something I wish to finally again leave behind.
I don't know how it works on the Z3, but with KitKat this is the gist:
Apps can write to the sdcard, but only to their "approved" folders. E.g. After 4.3 or so we got an /Android/data/ folder inside the root of our sdcards. Inside that are app package names. So if a developer calls getExternalFilesDirs() it will list an array, one being the internal Android/data folder and the other being the SDcard Android/data folder. However, no change is needed on the app developer if they let you browse directories (you can just point the save location to the proper data folder package name). So, for example, I use FX File Explorer and move files to /extSdCard/Android/data/nextapp.fx/files from my internal memory on my S4.
Currently the only negative are games like Baldur's Gate. They only install to the internal memory and at 2.3GB can not be moved to the sdcard. If you root you might be able to swap the directories, but I haven't tried as I prefer to not root. But as it stands, that 2.3GB would go against the 16GB internal storage.
jonshipman said:
I don't know how it works on the Z3, but with KitKat this is the gist:
Apps can write to the sdcard, but only to their "approved" folders. E.g. After 4.3 or so we got an /Android/data/ folder inside the root of our sdcards. Inside that are app package names. So if a developer calls getExternalFilesDirs() it will list an array, one being the internal Android/data folder and the other being the SDcard Android/data folder. However, no change is needed on the app developer if they let you browse directories (you can just point the save location to the proper data folder package name). So, for example, I use FX File Explorer and move files to /extSdCard/Android/data/nextapp.fx/files from my internal memory on my S4.
Currently the only negative are games like Baldur's Gate. They only install to the internal memory and at 2.3GB can not be moved to the sdcard. If you root you might be able to swap the directories, but I haven't tried as I prefer to not root. But as it stands, that 2.3GB would go against the 16GB internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea Iike the what's app itself is only cpl MB and I don't mind that on my internal but within what's app I have 3GB worth of photos videos from my group chats that I like to keep so I need to know if that can automatically be saved to sdcard or I have to find a different phone.
ms54 said:
Yea Iike the what's app itself is only cpl MB and I don't mind that on my internal but within what's app I have 3GB worth of photos videos from my group chats that I like to keep so I need to know if that can automatically be saved to sdcard or I have to find a different phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where is WhatsApp saving the pictures? To tell you the truth, no phone post 4.4.4 without rooting will do what you need. So you may need to look for something with larger internal storage.
Not sure if many of you are aware, but the U11 allows you to encrypt portable microSD cards in the settings, which is nice for privacy purposes. The problem is since I did that (I even rebooted after) many of my apps can't properly read or write to the microSD card. I've noticed many of said apps don't implement Google's expandable storage permissions properly either (i.e. they don't ask you to select the root directory of the microSD card in Android File Explorer so they have proper read-write access to everything.)
My questions, therefore, are:
What am I doing wrong? Is there some permission I'm missing?
Are 3rd party apps supposed to be able to work with encrypted portable storage?
Is encrypted portable storage even an AOSP feature? Or something specific to 3rd party OEMs?
Why do so many apps not implement microSD storage read/write permissions correctly?
Any ideas?