Books to SD

Fred J. Morgan
Fred J. Morgan Member Posts: 249 ✭✭
edited November 21 in English Forum

Many new Tables support not only internal (DDR2) memory but also Extended in the form of Micro SD and SD or in the Asus Transformers case both.

Can these other memory locations be utilized in the LOGOS Android App?

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Comments

  • Matthew C Jones
    Matthew C Jones Member Posts: 10,295

    Many new Tables support not only internal (DDR2) memory but also Extended in the form of Micro SD and SD or in the Asus Transformers case both.

    Can these other memory locations be utilized in the LOGOS Android App?

    I do not know, Fred. I don't have an Android device and I am disappointed iPad has no SD card option. I am interested in the answer to this question. I may abandon iPad for a Transformer if the answer is yes.

    btw: Good to hear from you again.

    Logos 7 Collectors Edition

  • Dale Eads
    Dale Eads Member Posts: 91

    The current version does not natively support storing resources on an external card.  There have been some people that have mixed success doing so on their rooted devices.  There are threads on here addressing that.

  • Kevin A. Purcell
    Kevin A. Purcell Member Posts: 3,405 ✭✭✭

    Latest version of Samsung Galaxy phones running latest version of Touchwiz can do this. Go into the App menu in settings. Tap on Logos app and you will see a movie to SD card. No rooting necessary.

    Logos really needs to add this. Would benefit users, relieve stress on their servers as we can save all of our downloaded stuff instead of re-downloading if we ever re-flash the rom or get a new device.

    Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
    Brushy Mountain Baptist Association

    www.kevinpurcell.org

  • Gabe Martin
    Gabe Martin Member, Logos Employee Posts: 264

    Logos really needs to add this. Would benefit users, relieve stress on their servers as we can save all of our downloaded stuff instead of re-downloading if we ever re-flash the rom or get a new device.

    We would love too. Unfortunately Android does not currently provide an API to definitely access SD Card locations. We write resource related files to the "external storage" location which may or may not map to a removable SD card. Depends on the device. Most of the newer devices available with external SD Cards do not mount the cards storage location to "external storage" making it difficult to access reliably from 3rd party apps.

    See these dev related links if you want to learn more.

    http://stackoverflow.com/a/9053505

    http://stackoverflow.com/a/5695129

  • Bev N
    Bev N Member Posts: 243

    Strange we could have storage card years ago on a PDA, but technology advances yet with backward steps in some features.

    HP Laptop Win 7 | iPad 4 | iPhone 6 | L5 Platinum | Galaxy Mega 6.3

  • Kevin A. Purcell
    Kevin A. Purcell Member Posts: 3,405 ✭✭✭

    Strange we could have storage card years ago on a PDA, but technology advances yet with backward steps in some features.

    This fault is all on Logos.

    However, the reason given by the previous post from Logos employee Gabe Martin rings a bit hollow. How can other apps do this but not Logos? Samsung TouchWiz that runs on the Galaxy S4 runs Logos on the SDcard without rooting the device. I'm not a programmer, but it seems logical to me that if Samsung can figure out how to do this, that Logos could as well.

    If not, forgive me. And blame Google because they hold the keys to open this feature..

    Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
    Brushy Mountain Baptist Association

    www.kevinpurcell.org

  • Drew Hannay
    Drew Hannay Member Posts: 603

    This fault is all on Logos.

    However, the reason given by the previous post from Logos employee Gabe Martin rings a bit hollow. How can other apps do this but not Logos? Samsung TouchWiz that runs on the Galaxy S4 runs Logos on the SDcard without rooting the device. I'm not a programmer, but it seems logical to me that if Samsung can figure out how to do this, that Logos could as well.

    If not, forgive me. And blame Google because they hold the keys to open this feature..

    Let me see if I can clarify what Gabe was saying.

    Android only gives developers access to two storage locations, "internal" storage and "external" storage. Logos uses the "external" storage location as the location for saving resource files. Unfortunately, it's not up to us WHERE that location actually points to. That is up to the device manufacturer (Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc). Even if a device has an SD card, if the manufacturer decides the "external" storage location isn't the SD card, then we can't write there.

    I don't have a Galaxy S4, so I don't know whether or not our apps write to the SD card on that device, but if they do, it's because Samsung set the "external" storage location correctly.

    Hopefully this helps clarify things. We'd love to be able to consistently write to the SD card, but as of right now, that's up the device manufacturers.

  • Fred J. Morgan
    Fred J. Morgan Member Posts: 249 ✭✭

    Hmmmmmmm!!???    I wonder how my Gallery app, Music App, Epub app, in fact many apps seem to find file placed across my SD storage?

    Come to think of it ASUS Transformer has 3 storage areas when you dock it to the Keyboard which holds a standard SD card. Many of the apps ever finds this SD location!

    I can not but wonder how this blame of Android seems not to effect apps like power Amp and photo gallery.  Maybe, thinking ffom a programmers position, these apps do hot actually store the files - they just find them?  Even this would be helpful... most LOGOS users are intelligent people, We are capable of moving our resourses... just allow LOGOS to find them,

    Great app, just keep making it better. Allowing file to be accessed across storage media will greatly improve the app.

  • Drew Hannay
    Drew Hannay Member Posts: 603

    I'll leave one more article for you guys to look at, and then I'm going to have to let you trust that we have thoroughly investigated this issue.

    http://www.chainfire.eu/articles/113/Is_Google_blocking_apps_writing_to_SD_cards_/

    That article includes some fairly technical details, but IMHO, it does a really good job of explaining the issue we're facing here. If Google ever holds another one of their developer online Q&A sessions, I will try to ask about this, although it sounds like the author of that article was able to ask and never got an answer back.

  • DominicM
    DominicM Member Posts: 2,995 ✭✭✭

    I'm not a programmer, but it seems logical to me

    Samsung have Hacked/Altered the OS as the links show, (touchwiz is a layer between that and your app where they add further enhancements) sadly programmers often cant do the imposible, (speaking as a developer - we do try and work around limitations), but as we know from logos 2/3 desktop workarounds can cause major problems down the line - however much you ask some results are just not acheivable or constrain you like a straight-jacket.

    Its like saying to Chevrolet your car is great, but only has 4 seats, I want 5 and saying to the dealer - add an extra seat - because they should be able to. LOL

    You can only work with tools you have in the box, and be careful what you make yourself

    forgive me. And blame Google because they hold the keys to open this feature..

    Yes, and it opens a little release on release , but its a Catch 22, if the go too far, then they will be accused of having an insecure system..

     

    This does not hold water... MANY APP on Android 4.2 (Newest) have no problem with this....  In fact!   Seems LOGOS is made for older versions.. Perhaps a TABLET VERSION of ANDROID would be appropriate instead of ONE android app for phones and Tablets... This old Computer Engineer has switched my Windows Netbook for an ASUS Transformer,,,  Just wish some of these old Windows based companies would look towards the advantages of Android.  

    Fred, have you tried developing/programming for android yet?

    Sadly it does hold water, without spilling a drop..

    http://source.android.com/devices/tech/storage/index.html which is the "developers tech manual" says:

    [quote] Android supports devices with external storage, which is defined to be a case-insensitive and permissionless filesystem. External storage can be provided by physical media (such as an SD card), or by an emulation layer backed by internal storage. Devices may contain multiple instances of external storage, but currently only the primary external storage is exposed to developers through API.

    Most devices have no internal storage drive (unlike samsung) so the MicroSD is the "primary external storage" for these devices (at least thats my experience)  

    We already have too many Android Apps, and you want.."Another One" - LOL [:D] - Please NO!!! Not another APP [:P], can we let the guys finish the important tweaks first please

    Never Deprive Anyone of Hope.. It Might Be ALL They Have

  • DominicM
    DominicM Member Posts: 2,995 ✭✭✭

    If Google ever holds another one of their developer online Q&A sessions, I will try to ask about this

    Excellent, all we can ask

    Never Deprive Anyone of Hope.. It Might Be ALL They Have

  • Fred J. Morgan
    Fred J. Morgan Member Posts: 249 ✭✭

    Again, I have to ask... how does apps like Power Amp and Photo gallery (I tested several which require specific resource files) These Apps find their files hidden among my various SD Card.  In programming we often find ways to bypass machine and OS restrictions.. ... regardless of platforms...  this does hold water.

    I agree with previous poster... At least asking and researching,  instead of giving reason why you can not... that is all we are asking.

  • DominicM
    DominicM Member Posts: 2,995 ✭✭✭

    Reading files in from a Card has never to my knowledge been an issue, but reliably and consistently writing data back to a Card in the past has been

    4.3 has seemingly improved this mounting option, time will tell..

     

    EDIT:

    Found this while I was resarching, its some of the locations Cards have been mapped to on different devices:

    /emmc
    /mnt/external_sd
    /mnt/external1
    /mnt/extsd
    /mnt/extSdCard
    /mnt/sdcard/_ExternalSD
    /mnt/sdcard/external_sd
    /mnt/sdcard-ext
    /mnt/Removable/MicroSD
    /Removable/MicroSD
    /sdcard/sd

    This shows the kind of problem that a developer is up against as this list is NOT exhaustive, and doesnt include the USB you can plug into latest android tablets

    Never Deprive Anyone of Hope.. It Might Be ALL They Have

  • John Emmett
    John Emmett Member Posts: 1

    The following 3 Android apps can all download their library contents to the external SD card. Laridian Pocket Bible, Olive Tree Bible Study, and My Sword.  In their Settings, they all have an option for the user to select their Library Storage Location - including both internal and external SD cards.  Logos on the Android does not seem to be among the leaders!

    I am looking forward to using Logos on Android when it catches up.

    John

     

  • David Warren Knight
    David Warren Knight Member Posts: 14 ✭✭

    Yes, the solution to not knowing where the SD card is mounted seems rather straightforward - allow the user to browse to the path they would like used for storing their resources.  As has been mentioned, many other apps do this to write their files to without issues.

  • Kevin A. Purcell
    Kevin A. Purcell Member Posts: 3,405 ✭✭✭

    The following 3 Android apps can all download their library contents to the external SD card. Laridian Pocket Bible, Olive Tree Bible Study, and My Sword.  In their Settings, they all have an option for the user to select their Library Storage Location - including both internal and external SD cards.  Logos on the Android does not seem to be among the leaders!

    I am looking forward to using Logos on Android when it catches up.

    John

    This is what I was getting at. It seems only Logos can't figure this out. I know how awesome the new president is at Olive Tree about supporting the bible software community. I'd bet he'd even be willing to show a Logos programmer how to do this if they asked.

    Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
    Brushy Mountain Baptist Association

    www.kevinpurcell.org

  • Kevin A. Purcell
    Kevin A. Purcell Member Posts: 3,405 ✭✭✭

    Any word on this? Has anyone considered calling the folks at Olive Tree to ask how they did this?

    Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
    Brushy Mountain Baptist Association

    www.kevinpurcell.org

  • MJ. Smith
    MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,133

    It seems only Logos can't figure this out.

    Come on. You know the issue is not figuring out how to do it. This sort of statement is insulting my intelligence - I'm not dumb enough to think Logos can't do it. Reasonable policies:

    • Logos has other priorities for its resources to be working on at the time.
    • Logos has a master plan for all their products interrelationships/design-code reuse and there is an issue on another platform
    • Logos finds this to be a priority of a small number of users and is emphasizing the needs of a larger market share.
    • Logos has it in the works and plans for it in beta xx.xx.xxxx
    • you're knowledgeable enough to extend the list.

    Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."

  • jcc
    jcc Member Posts: 38

    The current version does not natively support storing resources on an external card.  There have been some people that have mixed success doing so on their rooted devices.  There are threads on here addressing that.

    I can get my device rooted.  What are the options I have in moving the books to be stored on the SD card.  I can't find the threads you are referring to.

    On a different note, I wonder if this will be fixed natively in Android 5.0:

    http://lifehacker.com/android-lollipop-will-open-up-sd-card-access-a-lot-more-1655843428

  • Jan Krohn
    Jan Krohn Member Posts: 3,722 ✭✭✭

    I can get my device rooted.  What are the options I have in moving the books to be stored on the SD card.  I can't find the threads you are referring to.

    I've done that with the Directory Bind Tool: http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/themes-apps/tool-directorybind-data-to-externalsd-t1410262

    Be aware that that tool is far from being fool proof.

    I have 3500 resources on external SD. Starting the device triggers a "discovery" of files which lasts about 15 minutes - the only downside of the "enhancement".

  • jcc
    jcc Member Posts: 38

    Thanks.  That got me started on my search. I eventually ended up using FolderMount

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.devasque.fmount


    I also found out the Logos download a lot of little files, so if I reformat my SD card with smaller cluster size (I ended up using cluster size of 4k) instead of the default 16k or something, then it would use up a lot less space on by SD card.

    Also, I found that when starting my phone, when there is lots of files, it usually takes awhile (5 minutes or so) before the SD card is mounted and recognized by my device.  But I didn't run into the "discover" issue that you are referring to.

  • Kevin A. Purcell
    Kevin A. Purcell Member Posts: 3,405 ✭✭✭

    It seems only Logos can't figure this out.

    Come on. You know the issue is not figuring out how to do it. This sort of statement is insulting my intelligence - I'm not dumb enough to think Logos can't do it. Reasonable policies:

    • Logos has other priorities for its resources to be working on at the time.
    • Logos has a master plan for all their products interrelationships/design-code reuse and there is an issue on another platform
    • Logos finds this to be a priority of a small number of users and is emphasizing the needs of a larger market share.
    • Logos has it in the works and plans for it in beta xx.xx.xxxx
    • you're knowledgeable enough to extend the list.

    I'm sorry this insulted your intelligence. That's a bit of a strange reaction. I think you were interpreting my comments to be demeaning or insulting which they were not. I was sincere.

    I don't know that the issue is they don't know how. I've read somewhere here that the devs think its an Android issue. It is not just an Android issue since other apps are able to do this while Logos doesn't include the feature still. Maybe your list is correct. If so, then the devs should say those things instead of "it's an Android issue." I wasn't trying to be insulting because I know the bible software development community actually does confer on things, at least at other companies. I've not heard about this from the Logos side, but I know people at other companies and they've said they often talk to developers at other companies and they share ideas.

    BTW, just saw this which is why I'm responding so late.

    If you truly were insulted, I am sorry. It was not my intention.

    Dr. Kevin Purcell, Director of Missions
    Brushy Mountain Baptist Association

    www.kevinpurcell.org