Configure download folder (external_sd)

[mokasin]

At the moment with version 1.3.12 on Android 2.3.6 the ownCloud client seems to sync with a hardcoded folder at /sdcard/owncloud.

On my phone /sdcard points to the internal memory of the phone, which is quiet small.

Please add an option to set the syncing target directory in the client.

[rperezb]

Thanks for the suggestion.

We will include it to the product backlog.

[davivel]

Thanks, mokasin. The path is not hardcoded, but it's true we can improve the way it's handled.

Could be helpful that you told us what model is your device.

[przybylski]

This is a problem on Android side, because we are using getExternalStorageDirectory to get external memory of device.
But as you can read in docs " Traditionally this is an SD card" means that it should point to SD card, but it's not mandatory.

[mokasin]

It's a Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 (GT-I8160).

The most obvious way to solve the issue: Just let the user decide in the settings menu what path to use (with a proper presetting). But this most probably occurred to you already ;-).

Thank you very much.

[ElGranLoky]

Same problem,

With >= 4.2.2 is mandatory, becouse android now emulated the memory, and sdcard start to point always to the internal memory of the phone.

[guiyou65]

Same request for me (samsung gt-i8160 Android 4.1.2). It would be nice if we have the choice.

[Franz47]

Same here. I still have enough memory on my internal SD-Card of my tablet (Medion Lifetab P9514 with Android 4.0.3) but I definitely want to put the directory on the external SD-Card. On my Android phone (Alcatel One Touch 918D with Android version 2.3.5) I have no chance to use owncloud because the internal memory is very small, but putting the directory onto the external SD-card would solve the problem.

[przybylski]

If this issue will eventually get resolved then some security problems arises.
Because in non rooted phones internal memory in encrypted, which isin't true for external memory.
Most of users are not aware of this and might falsely accuse OC of uncarefull data handling, which is a bad thing.

[mokasin]

That's a security flaw in in Android itself. That's hardly addressable by an app.

Best thing, I think, is to point it to the internal memory by default, but give the possibility to choice. That should patronize enough.

[boltronics]

I have a Sony Xperia Z Ultra which also has this problem, where files are stored in /storage/emulated/legacy/owncloud which is local. I need it to use /storage/removable/sdcard1/owncloud instead. I've sadly just hit the point where I can no longer use ownCloud due to this space limitation.

Regarding encryption, I can confirm that my device did give me the option of additionally encrypting the SD card during the encryption stage, which I have done (and verified on a computer that the SD card cannot be mounted). I don't know if that was a Sony thing or a native Android function in newer Android versions, but I agree that it shouldn't be a concern of the ownCloud project either way.

[jochenwezel]

to bring this issue back on a current Status: this enhancement is still required
Samsung Galaxy with required WiFi etc. Features is only available with 16 GB internal Memory - and the users already have got approx. 18 GB of data in ownCloud...

[ralf1070]

Any news on this? This feature would help a lot.

[davivel]

Nothing new, sorry.

Contributions are welcome.

[ghost]

+1
This would be a nice feature, I had to delete the owncloud-data folder because I ran out of memory on the internal memory, after the last automatic upload of pictures. :(

[davivel]

@rperezb , @MTRichards , should we consider this for the short / mid term?

[MTRichards]

We have to figure out how to handle this with encrypted data. Probably possible, just more effort as a result. Didn't we discuss this already?

[ralf1070]

Whats is the actual problem with encrypted data?

If it is the data is unencrypted on sd cards problem - add a simple message: "warning: entered path points to unencrypted storage". So the user can decide ...

[davivel]

Shouldn't be a problem for encrypted data, provided we implement this feature as a simple relocation of the root folder of the account in the local file system. I wouldn't differentiate several locations where the app makes different things, just allow the user to move the local ownCloud folder to other point.

[davivel]

I think that what we discussed the last time was the policy of copying files that are uploaded from the device into the local ownCloud folder.

[jochenwezel]

In case it is not automatically there: It might be helpful to persist the changed owncloud location somehow so that after the next owncloud update, it just continues using the changed location

[rajbps]

This would be a great idea where the user gets the option to either use their sd card or internal memory. And if we get a popup message when we select the sd card that the card storage might not be encrypted and its the user responsability to ensure that encryption is enabled would get OC off the hook. I have a samsung S4 ad i had to do a factory reset as OC filled it up after a while. So this feature would be the best solution.

Hope it can be done soon as this conversation started over a year ago.

Cheers,

Raj

[bcu8heq2]

+1

[markum]

I believe the user should be allowed to sync more than one folder, not matter where it is. I would like to use Owncloud to backup data from my phone which is at different places.

[ralf1070]

To be honest - as a first step it would very much help if it would be possible to at least change the current root folder. To have more folders available could be interesting, but - at least for me - is a minor add on.

[fajabird]

Im waiting so long now for this, please please implement. But mind the new write restrictions coming with kitkat on external_sd: whole external_sd is read-only except the following:

1. System apps like the stock samsung file manager
2. Per app private home-directory located in: external_sd/Android/data/...
3. Rooted devices with removed restrictions

Suggestion: 2 radio buttons for internal sd & external sd plus path-entry-box which in case external sd is chosen and write restrictions are present is inactive and preset with private home path, else user can enter any path.

Please,please

[davigonz]

In case someone is looking for this: the nextcloud app allows changing the local folder to sd card. The ownCloud one doesn't seem to be actively developed any more.

Hi @switzel , @boltronics , @AnrDaemon , it's true we don't currently support sd card but it doesn't mean the app is not actively developed any more, have you checked our changelog?

We have included a bunch of new features during the last year such as video streaming, gif support, fingerprint and pattern lock, multiple public links per file, stable auto-uploads a.k.a Camera uploads, OAuth2 support, upload picture directly from camera, new wizard, user quota and many, many more.

I perfectly understand there's some scenarios we are not currently covering but the stability of the ownCloud Android app is one of our strengths and we take that very seriously, betting on quality instead of quantity of features.

Besides, we are putting a big effort on new interesting features, stay tuned!

[AnrDaemon]

Perhaps you don't understand, but a user judge the application by the features they are using.
I can't use video streaming or gifs because I can't store anything on the device - I simply don't have free space…

[theScrabi]

Perhaps you don't understand

I think we do. We want to have a well running and stable application that satisfies our users as well as possible. However implementing something takes time, and as I just said, here for us and what we see other things are more important right now. Things such as cleaning the codebase in order not to bad patch features.

@AnrDaemon if you are desperate on this feature you are highly welcome to support us.

[theScrabi]

Please remember on bounty source this issue is open as well:
https://www.bountysource.com/issues/541829-configure-download-folder-external_sd

So if you want to contribute but you are not a developer, you can donate to this issue so we can crowdfund it.

[guettli]

One work-around: AFAIK you can use the nextcloud android app and connect it to an owncloud server.

[dubreuia]

@guettli I just tried the nexcloud android app, you can use the external sd card as storage 👍

[PVince81]

Some use case for this: when you have a big photo collection and want to be able to view it offline.
On some tablet, the internal space is not enough so one must resort to using a micro SD card which enables much more space.

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

Is it possible to do this within the internal storage?
for example i have my music folder on my server i want this accessible offline in a non-default location namely /www/public/music so i can use the media play i made in firefox (running php server on my phone with access via localhost)

[davigonz]

Is it possible to do this within the internal storage?
for example i have my music folder on my server i want this accessible offline in a non-default location namely /www/public/music so i can use the media play i made in firefox (running php server on my phone with access via localhost)

Not yet, is not one of our priorities right now but contributions are always appreciated ;)

[GM-Script-Writer-62850]

What files should i be looking at if i wanted to try to patch this issue?
What prevents just moving the entire app to the SD card?
How would i go about installing a modded version?

[jesmrec]

Version 2.19 of the Android app includes Scoped Storage, and makes no posible to move the content out from the external storage.

[AnrDaemon]

Can you please explain that to the general public? Was that an improvement, rejection, or statement of the obvious?

[jesmrec]

@AnrDaemon More info here -> https://central.owncloud.org/t/owncloud-2-19-for-android/34952

[AnrDaemon]

TL;DR: ownCloud app is now even more useless than before. If before, you could have used it to sync your work between devices, although it took space on your internal flash and you had to repeatedly purge local storage, now all you can do is stare at it. No apps can access the files in the cloud without additional pressure from outside the app (i.e. using some kind of exporter to get the files out of the storage).

[AnrDaemon]

You failed to read the terms under which Google requires applications to use scoped storage.
It is required for applications that only store what they create only for their own use. If the result should be used outside the app in question, scoped storage is not the right choice.
Sorry, but… uninstalled. It was good five years waiting for a better app, which apparently will never come.

[jpfox]

Agree with @AnrDaemon !
Scoped storage is a mess for synced files. For example, I use ownCloud to sync my password database (a keepass file). When I want to sign in a website with keepass, I have to open ownCloud app, find my keepass file, open it from here and share it with keepass app. And that, each time I want to sign in a website. And it is impossible for keepass to add new password (I can but the file does not sync back to the owncloud server). Keepass provide a useful keyboard to enter easily password, but this widget does not find the keepass database...
Since scoped storage, it is really impossible to use files on the phone.
Before, I was recommanding to use owncloud to my friends and even customers, now, I say that I have no viable solution and let them share all their stuff with Google.

Letting users choose the kind of storage (scoped or external) would be great

[Helios07]

We also had dozens of users complaining about use cases not working anymore. They were used to being able to access their files from other apps (pictures, pdf, password safes, etc). I also would like to see this configurable or the old way.

[riversdev0]

I just upgraded phones yesterday and along with it came a new Android version (9 to 13) and a new ownCloud App version. I completely understand that this Scoped Storage change is all in the name of privacy, and that Android is mandating a certain level of adoption, but this has destroyed my use-case for using the App and ownCloud. I specifically used this as a file transfer mechanism between my phone and PC, and now it no longer performs the only single function for which I used it. I know enough to say that I don't know how to solve this. But being unable to access files from other apps makes this app worthless to me.

All I really want to do is be able to long-press on a file and select "Download to..." and dump it in my "Downloads" folder. That way I can do with it whatever I see fit.

[jesmrec]

ownCloud app implements SAF (document provider), so files inside ownCloud app are available through any app that also implements document provider. You can check this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marc.files. It's only a file browser but it's valid as example that files and folders are accesible out of our app, using the correct and safer method.

Through that app you can copy and move files from oC to "Download" or any other location of your device, and viceversa.

[JuancaG05]

Hey @riversdev0! Thanks for your comment here!
Let's see if I understood correctly: I see you use the app as a transfer tool between your smartphone and your PC, and you say now you cannot perform this task due to scoped storage. If the direction was phone -> PC, I guess you can continue adding files from your app and then downloading them from the web client in your computer, regardless scoped storage. If the direction was PC -> phone, we have some changes in the procedure, for this and the other case you mention. Scoped storage makes your app files non-accessible from other apps BUT from the document provider implemented by other apps. This is why you can use apps that implement directly this document provider to be able to manage the files from your device (included the ownCloud ones), for example, Files.

In fact, we are now developing a new feature that adds a direct link to this app from the settings 😁 (#4028):

I hope I could solve your doubts, don't hesitate to ask again if you have any other problem! 🍻

[riversdev0]

Hi @jesmrec and @JuancaG05 - I appreciate your feedback. Thanks for your the suggestion of using the "Files" app. My phone had the Samsung "My Files" app already installed, but Samsung apparently doesn't implement the document provider because that app can't see oC as an available file system. Using the app you suggested, I can now copy the files to a folder on the phone and use them in other apps. Thank you so much!

[JuancaG05]

Hi @riversdev0! Exactly, the Samsung app "My files" (and any other file browser app by any device brand) doesn't implement the Android native file browser, the document provider. That's why we need to look for another solution such as the app we suggested to you. I'm glad you could solve your problem, if you need anything else we're at your disposal 🚀