Database Users

Identifying symlink to avoid "infinite" loop when browsing files.

Hi,
I have tested this behaviour on both a N1 and the emulator. Could anyone tell me if that is a problem? How can I avoid the recursive code going forever? What is happening?
If you use any file browser/manager and starting going into /sys/devices/w1 bus master/subsystem/devices/w1 bus master/subsystem it will go inner forever, repeating that pattern devices/w1 bus master/subsystem/ all the way.
So when I run a recursive search it keeps going deeper and deeper and seems never to finish.
What is happening, how to avoid this behaviour?
I tried different file managers and they all seem to be going forever into these folders, although when I do a search through Astro it doesn't seem to get stuck with this loop (It seems to ignore the /sys folder, but I am not sure if this happens also in any other folder).
Some people point me this problem can be related to symlinks, but I didn't find a way of checking for those symbolic links with Android's Java.
I know it can be done (as proved by Astro file manager), I just don't know how.
Hopefully it won't involve any call to functions which I'll have to create using NDK, which would be a pain.
Regards.

astro goes infinite for me on an N1
I think any app needs to do some extra checks instead of following stuff down.
eg the "find" command has the "-follow" option
open a terminal or use "adb shell" and "cd /sys/bus"
now type in "find" and it will display all the files directories and symlinks without following them
now type in "find -follow" - you will need to press Control-C to get out, you will see that each line has an error "too many symlinks" - kernel has protection/limit for symlink levels.
writers of file managers could easily fix this, but you have to ask what you were doing in their anyway?

Lol, I was trying to find some info to address this problem under Android & found a relevant thread I thought might help, only to discover it was you (jfbaro) having this conversation on another forum
Specifically, this thread on anddev.org.
I don't know Android yet, but a getCanonicalPath() like call is always going to be at the heart of spotting in advance & avoiding this type of problem, whatever your environment & language. If it doesn't work either the function is broken or you're making a mistake somewhere, I'm fairly sure.
In the above thread you say this doesn't help you. Can you post what getCanonicalPath returns for both /sys/device/subsystem/ & /sys/device/subsystem/sys/ ?
Let's assume you start your traverse at / & have reached /sys/device/subsystem/. When you check to see if it's safe to follow /sys/device/subsystem/sys you should discover that the latter is actually /sys, and that further, it is in your list of already scanned directories, hence you do not search further down that branch.
Where is this breaking down?
[Edit:] You might also find something of use buried in this bug thread which involves similar issues. Funnily enough it concerns Eclipse, but all that matters is that it's a Java based example of the problem. From a quick scan, getCanonicalPath again seems to be the solution though I think they avoid any performance hit by only using it on files known to be sym-links.

New Sense Launcher -Alchemy

Do you know that game from the market alchemy when you combine 2 things and you get a new one(ex:Fire + Water = Steam). While experimenting with various sense bar(launcher) themes I've discovered if you flash 2 different ones right after another(no reboot between them) you get a completely new one.
Cool isn't it?
I will try to extract the framework and put it on an update.zip. I love to see your opinions on this one

TheRedDrake said:
Do you know that game from the market alchemy when you combine 2 things and you get a new one(ex:Fire + Water = Steam). While experimenting with various sense bar(launcher) themes I've discovered if you flash 2 different ones right after another(no reboot between them) you get a completely new one.
Cool isn't it?
I will upload some screenshots(have to reflash to make them ) and post the recipies..right now I've discovered two..more will come. I love to see your opinions on this one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, I'm waiting eagerly for the screens

Updateidn't work! I need help from a dev with this.
Got it to work again putting the screenshots

zHk3R said:
Haha, I'm waiting eagerly for the screens
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You got them

IMO it looks better than the Sense dock does.
What themes did you flash?

I discovered that D&D Rosie must be flashed also in the process it won't work without it. I don't know how to extract the framework from an installed rom. Any help would be nice.

looks pretty nice but can you tell me if its possible to have app draw button in the centre where the phone is and have phone on left and contacts on right?

If you want Themes based on this go here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=789252

Ronaldo_9 said:
looks pretty nice but can you tell me if its possible to have app draw button in the centre where the phone is and have phone on left and contacts on right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'l take a look into that but since we are talking about sense it is very hard to change the functions

TheRedDrake said:
I discovered that D&D Rosie must be flashed also in the process it won't work without it. I don't know how to extract the framework from an installed rom. Any help would be nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To extract a framework-res.apk from an installed ROM you're going to have to use adb. I'm sure you know how to use adb since you're able to flash zips through recovery, but in case you don't know the exact commands i'll tell you what they are.
So you'll want to start up command prompt or whatever program you use to run commands through adb. Then start up adb through these commands:
1. So first put in the command, "cd\" and replace the letter "c" with whatever drive you put androidsdk on.
2. After that put in "cd AndroidSDK\tools\". If you put the filepaths differently on your computer from what I have, which is on the c drive, AndroidSDK folder, then the tools folder, feel free to change it to whatever you have it set up as. Keep in mind that it has to be exactly as what it says in your directory or it won't work. This means spelling and capitalization really counts here.
3. Next put in the command, "adb devices" and your device number should pop up if not then there is something wrong, but I'm assuming it'll pop up since you got your phone rooted.
4. Anyways after that you'll want to put in the remount command, "adb remount" which allows your phone's system apps or other lower level things to be written over and such.
5. Following that step you'll want to pull the apk with this command, excluding the quotation marks, "adb pull /system/framework/framework-res.apk". The exact filepath might be a little different on your phone but you can check easily with a file manager program that has access to those directories such as Root Explorer.
6. Finally after you've done all of that you should find the extracted framework-res.apk in the folder tools folder of the AndroidSDK folder.
If you already know the commands to do so then you can just disregard this. If not then I hope this helps you out.

I learned this already, thanks any way. What do you think about the theme?
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

TheRedDrake said:
...What do you think about the theme?...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clock digits are too big and look quite disproportionate on the face of that screen and also relative to the clock hands
The launcher bar looks quite cheap and poor (no colour, gradient, gloss, blend of any kind)
Nice effort but definitely not for me, I think. The MT4G launcher mod is the best launcher mod at the moment I think. Maybe also take a look at the SenseHD themes/skins and you'll see some great polished looking launchers there which may help improve your concept...

Configuration of WiFi-Only Tablet

If you compare the various, Galaxy Tabs currently available (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint & TMobile) it becomes obvious that there are fairly significant differences between the way they are configured. There are differences in memory, accessibility to Bluetooth keyboards and mice, DivX compatibility, etc. Has there been any info available as to how the WiFi-only Tab is going to be configured, when available? I'm waiting for one of these but I'm concerned that it will end up configured in some manner that I won't like and I would have been better to have gotten one of the currently-available models (probably the TMobile version) and not waited so long....I want one bad....
Ken

Ken, I just picked up a Sprint one and though we didn't choose data plans, wifi only, we kept getting this extremely annoying activate now message from sprint. It was easy enough to stop:
1) Download and install an app manager form the market, Astro or App Monster for instance
2) Locate and Download Z4Root
3) Install using the app manager you, then run the app and root the phone
4) Once rooted, reboot if not done already, go to the app market and download terminal emulator
Run the following commands in terminal emulator (no quotes):
“su”
“mount -o remount,rw -t rfs /dev/stl5 /system”
“rm -r /system/app/ sprintadroidextension.apk”
“mount -o remount,ro -t rfs /dev/stl5 /system”
“exit”
Close and reboot. Let me know, I tried to make it simpler for you so you don’t have to download and install all the sdk stuff.

Been looking for this fix... many thanks!

I am looking for one for wifi only. I am fairly familiar with rooting (phones anyway).
Is the Sprint version to best one to shoot for? They appear to run ~ $500 on Ebay but I have hesitated because I was worried about not being able to use it. The fix above looks very simple. Any other worries? Running outta days before Ho-Ho time and I need to get this done.
Thanks.

Got to third command line and my tab bricked. Anyone else have this happen?

YEA ME TO. ANYONE PLEASE HELP. My Galaxy Tab just keeps rebooting, it was RIGHT at the 3rd command line to.

Ouch! Not surprised because you've just removed /system/app in its entirety.
You're going to need to reflash at least the PDA part of your ROM.
This thread needs to be edited/deleted now before it screws up any more devices.
Regards,
Dave

I was just about to do this since I too have the Sprint version of the Tab.....everybody's tab ok? Any fix?

The fix is don't run a "rm -r" command unless you know *exactly* what it is going to do!
If you really want to remove this APK, and you don't know your *nix command line utilities from your elbow I suggest that you:
1. Root using z4root.
2. Buy Root Explorer from the Market
3. In Root Explorer browse to /system/app - press the "Mount r/w" button at the top of the screen.
4. Locate the file sprintadroidextension.apk and delete it (that file, and only that file!)
5. Press the "Mount r/o" button at the top of the screen.
That will remove the single APK referred to by "sirmacbeth" - I've no idea if this is actually stop any Sprint activation messages though, as I really must question "sirmacbeth"'s motives here because what he wrote as a guide ranks amongst the worst things I've seen on XDA.
Regards,
Dave

Guitar4Him said:
If you compare the various, Galaxy Tabs currently available (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint & TMobile) it becomes obvious that there are fairly significant differences between the way they are configured. There are differences in memory, accessibility to Bluetooth keyboards and mice, DivX compatibility, etc. Has there been any info available as to how the WiFi-only Tab is going to be configured, when available? I'm waiting for one of these but I'm concerned that it will end up configured in some manner that I won't like and I would have been better to have gotten one of the currently-available models (probably the TMobile version) and not waited so long....I want one bad....
Ken
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may have posted this on android forums as well. I have the same concern. I would ideally like the WiFi version to keep the same screen (rumored to not use samoled but lcd) as well as 16gb (or more) internal storage as well as the sd slot. And divx certified as well.
Also IF anything offering a world galaxy tab with all the above and gsm and cdma ability.

latinmaxima said:
I would ideally like the WiFi version to keep the same screen (rumored to not use samoled but lcd).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
???
The Tab doesn't have an AMOLED screen - it's an LCD.
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
The fix is don't run a "rm -r" command unless you know *exactly* what it is going to do!
If you really want to remove this APK, and you don't know your *nix command line utilities from your elbow I suggest that you:
1. Root using z4root.
2. Buy Root Explorer from the Market
3. In Root Explorer browse to /system/app - press the "Mount r/w" button at the top of the screen.
4. Locate the file sprintadroidextension.apk and delete it (that file, and only that file!)
5. Press the "Mount r/o" button at the top of the screen.
That will remove the single APK referred to by "sirmacbeth" - I've no idea if this is actually stop any Sprint activation messages though, as I really must question "sirmacbeth"'s motives here because what he wrote as a guide ranks amongst the worst things I've seen on XDA.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as motives goes I can't say anything about "sirmacbeth" but there is a intentional or unintentional "space" char left in his third step:
“rm -r /system/app/ sprintadroidextension.apk” and the correct command would be
“rm -r /system/app/sprintadroidextension.apk”
if there was no space there, people would have been deleting the app only but with that mistake they ended up deleting to whole app dir..
but, i agree, and the safest way to do this is to delete the file through an explorer app like advised..

noyan said:
“rm -r /system/app/sprintadroidextension.apk”
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, there's no need for the -r - there would have been no problem if this hadn't been there, and it's completely superfluous for deleting a single file!
Regards,
Dave

This method works, but deletion is rather permanent, why not "freeze" the app using Titanium Backup, or, (if you love the terminal), just rename the apk or move it to your sd card as a backup file. This way you can restore it if you need or want to later.

I also heard that putting it in Airplane mode will stop it and the wifi will still work.

ok, well since i was in the endless boot loop i used ZoinksS2k's ALMOST Stock ODIN ROM.
- Well that causes the GPS to stop working, and uses another phones modem driver.
*I called Samsung, i didn't tell them i was rooted, i just said i recieved this product when i booted it, everythign kept saying FC'd and then when i rebooted it, it went into an endless loop.
*They said I can send it in for a REFLASH.
What do you guys think? Should I do that? its free under warranty, OBVIOUSLY i'd UNROOT it before shipping it in.
Turn around time is about 5-7 days + shipping.

Ikyo said:
I also heard that putting it in Airplane mode will stop it and the wifi will still work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Airplane mode turns off all radios, including wifi. Beyond that, the activation process is governed by an application, not by the presence of networks. Unfortunately airplane mode won't fix it.

rkmj said:
Airplane mode turns off all radios, including wifi. Beyond that, the activation process is governed by an application, not by the presence of networks. Unfortunately airplane mode won't fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can switch WiFi back on even when in Airplane mode. The standard power control widget won't let you do it, but you can do it from the settings menu and there are plenty of WiFi toggle widgets that will allow it too.
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
You can switch WiFi back on even when in Airplane mode. The standard power control widget won't let you do it, but you can do it from the settings menu and there are plenty of WiFi toggle widgets that will allow it too.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had forgotten that, thanks for the reminder. Nevertheless, it won't fix the activation issue. Wifi on or off, unless you do something about the applications that check for and trigger an activation prompt, it's going to bug you for activation.

Hi folks,
I have a Verizon tab and i follow these steps to device stop asking for activation.
When the activation message shows up, i pressed the volume buttom at this order.
1 time vol. Up
2 times vol. Down
3 times vol. Up
4 times vol. Down
Cheers

Playstation Vue on rooted Fire TV

Has anyone figured out how to get ps vue to work with firetv that is rooted? I've gone the route of renaming su.apk in shell to xsu.apk. When I do this I can access root in shell but can not give permission to installed rooted apps on screen. I've tried root cloak. It's a no go. Plus why is there no gui for su for fire tv. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

1. What did you think would happen if you rename your su and Superuser.apk? It all would magically work regardless?
2. Other people report that Root Cloak worked for them as recently as 24 days ago. Might not work on the FireTV - but still...
3. You can get the information on why the su GUI does not work on the FireTV from here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68273660&postcount=67

Thanks for replying. By changing su name I still have root abilities through adbfire. I can access and change root files. The issue is once I originally grant root access on fire tv I can never get it to appear again. Is there any way to clear su.apk access without gui? In app section all su options are grayed out. It's strictly read only su. The link below is the post for renaming su files. It does work. System is still rooted. I just can't get popup to grant access to apps. I've been trying off and on for a few months. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/help/playstation-vue-fire-tv-fire-tv-stick-t3247813/page2

Not through adbfire - through adb and the shell.
Adbfire is a "eazy to use" frontend that prevents users from learning to navigate using adb commands and the shell by makeing them click buttons with preset commands backed in, that sometimes are just silly. Then it pops up fake progress counter animations to put their minds to ease.
Every time someone says that "adbfire doesn't work" I die a little bit more, deep in my heart.
But you have made it to the actual shell, so congratulations, you are using the real deal.
-
Here is what happens as far as I understand it - could be wrong - but it is a pretty educated guess.
Once you rename su and Superuser.apk - all apps loose access to it.
The prompt is not poping up, because the apps already think they have SU access - but because they cant access su.
Here is why.
Apps that require su, have to address su, and they certainly don't expect su to be named xsu.
Its great that you can call su functions by typing in xsu into the shell instead - but that won't help your apps.
If an app cant get su access - it usually just prompts su and the Superuser.apk again. There is no need to "clear Superuser.apk access" in fact - just uninstalling an app that requires root and reinstalling it again is enough for the rootmanager to forget it ever existed. So you can in fact test your theory that way. My best guess is, that you are wrong and it won't work regardless, because none of the apps calls a binary named xsu. xsu could in fact be named "makeamericagreatagain" and it would make no discernible difference.
The thing why I preface this with "I could be wrong" is, that I havent looked into how systemless root works, and how those guys get root access to their apps, without having a binary named su in /system. Maybe the apps call Superuser.apk (which is now called xSuperuser.apk so they cant find it) and xSuperuser.apk of course cant find su, because you renamed it xsu. But in any case - they are not using the usual Superuser.apks

Thanks for the quick reply. You are right about the renaming of su. I tried same thing on old tablet and got the same results. Even with having gui access. I could not get it to grant root abilities. Next step is to find a way to edit apk's and find a way change where it looks for root files. I only need to edit 3 apps. (adaway, xposed, and hdxposed) If can figure out how to do it once the others should be easier. This should be interesting.

Now here is something that could work. I'm a bit hesitant to recommend you doing it, because you are constantly modifying system files - but if you were willing to risk it before... It might work.
Read up on a program named "Remote adb Shell" in here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=69050521&postcount=3
Then maybe try two commands like these:
su -c 'mount -o remount,rw /system /system && sleep 1 && mv /system/app/Superuser.apk /system/app/XSuperuser.apk && mv /system/xbin/su /system/xbin/xsu' && exit
and
xsu -c 'mount -o remount,rw /system /system && sleep 1 && mv /system/app/XSuperuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk && mv /system/xbin/xsu /system/xbin/su' && exit
Now - understand, that I havent tested this myself - also - I havent looked if you need to chmod modify the su file first (add another
&& chmod 761 /system/xbin/su
- at the appropriate spot(s)), which you do according to this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/fireTV/comments/41e8z3/ps_vue_aftv_1_with_root/?st=iuk3lgx4&sh=36edc941 (which I think you took the method from) --
but if it works - it would allow you to switch between "rooted" and "non rooted" states with a few presses on your android smartphones (or tablets) screen.
Now - I don't know if you would need to reboot the AFTV for root or VUE to work again -- (make another entry with just
reboot
- in it) . The reboot might kill the concept - because switching between the states might take too long.
Also - you do this at your own risk. If you loose root (or worse.. ) as a result of this - its not my fault.

install xposed, install rootcloak and block the vue apk by package name. I use that method on my shield tv. Just reset my ftv so I'm still trying to set everything up before I get to this.

There you go.
Should have looked into the "doesn't know how to use rootcloak" angle a bit more.
Definitely the better solution. Go with that.

Just like you should go to "I'm a **** and my comments don't provide any help others than to prove I'm an asshole section."
This is a forum for questions and help. Thanks Noggind614 he gave me the correct command for the fire tv and root cloak. Don't use the phone or tablet com entry. For fire tv its. "com.snei.vue.firetv"

Thats not a command, thats literally the process name of the app others have suggested <ou to block with root cloak before.
Oh, and here is why I hate dumb people.
- They rather complain about solutions not working than to learn how they work. If you don't constantly have the filter on, that everything they say might in fact be just a made up "fact" trying to mask that they werent able to use an app - you are out of luck entirely, and situations like these happen.
- When they then resort to renaming system apps - because reddit told them to, not knowing what they are doing, and you have to explain to them, that stuff breaks, because they broke it - the< might act interested and willing to learn for a moment -
- but as soon as someone points out, that they don't know jack, their "facts" are all kinds of wrong, and the better solution was suggested by every entry in google, this forum, and even by myself (hinting at that it would be strange, that people report cloak works as recent as a month ago..) - they become tonguetied, and when you weigh in to make it clear for others that the solution the excluded from the beginning as "not working" is in fact the best one --
they take it ultra personal - and switch from thanking you for explaining to them how stuff works, to calling you a dickface -- because it becomes so very obvious whats wrong here.
So they are the assholes. They think the internet is here to serve them without even calling a dog a dog, they cause the majority of confusion in stating wrong information to begin with, they switch from thanking you for explaining to them what they are doing to calling you a dickface - because you just made it clear, that the solution someone else brought up is in fact the better one, so others wouldn't bother to go through the same pitfalls they went through - oh, and all information you have provided them so far all of a sudden becomes null and void - because it was just that, information - and not the entire step by step solution they wanted people to provide in the first place.
Now - not even "block the app with root cloak (exposed)" is enough information for someone like you in the end. No - you need a PN conversation to clarify that you should block the process everyone told you to block in the beginning. Because you didn't bother to find out how its named.
Instead of typing ps into the Fire TVs shell (or ps | grep vue), you used this forums PN function to ask someone else to do it for you. And you didn't have to know the ps command either, you probably could have looked up the apps (process) name elsewhere on the net.
Here i the mea culpa on my part. I am not a PS VUE user, because the service is not even available in my country. I might react threads though, where people rename android system files, and then complain about them "not working". I don't if blocking within root cloak using the process name of an app is something out of the ordenary, if it is, some of my criticism doesnt apply, although I highly doubt it at this point.
Tldr.
Dont ever take agreeing with someone else on what would be the best solution, as mocking you personally. I know that reddit QA culture demands, that every thread is a personalized support session for people with no clue but high aspirations - threads on forums usually are not. Clearing up "what the best solution seems to be" for the next person that reads along is something I don't do out of malice, I do out of responsibility.
Well, at least until someone calls me a **** for not providing an easier solution for them faster. Then all bets are off.
Everytime someone explains somethng on an open internet forum, there is the notion, that others are reading it, and that the information they are providing gets used further - that just the immediate support session they are driving at a time. This is the sole cause - why people might not wan't to protect you or others in the "looking fly" department - while you are actually -
- promoting, that people should modify system files - and then expect stuff to work regardlessly
- making it sound like a fact, that stuff doesn't work, when its actually working
This is not "acting like an asshole", this is actually responsible behavior.
n00bs usually don't become educated users, by calling the people explaining stuff to them dicks, or accusing them of "saying unimportant stuff, because - you just needed a step by step instruction, which you finally solicited from someone via PN - good job" - or by putting down people, that explain stuf to them, because it makes them look like n00bs.
This goes for me as well - in other areas.
Yet I never got the demand, that others should fix your issues for free, and on the spot, in detailed step by step instructions, while making it extra sure, that you can save face, and look like a hero at the end of the day - also what dicks, are they for actually daring to try to explain stuff to you instead of just fixing your problem.
Have I mentioned, that I sometimes hate what has become of the web in the recent years? Signs of getting old...
Also, yes, I do think that this response was needed.

Yotaphone 2: How to stop tutorial from running after factory reset?

I'm not sure of the reason, but the touch screen of my Yotaphone 2's e-ink stopped working. The e-ink screen itself visualises what it is supposed to, but it doesn't react to touches. The LED screen is OK. I thought this may be a software problem, so I did a factory reset that would probably eliminate it. It didn't, and the problem that I have now is that I can't even use the LED screen, because at startup it runs the tutorial, and the tutorial requires you to interact with the e-ink screen, which, in my case, is impossible, because it is not responsive to touches. So I never get to the "desktop" and the app launcher - the tutorial has to be completed. If I slide from the top rim I can get into Settings. I've tried stopping the process from the list of active apps, but it doesn't work. Anyone has an idea what to do?

I have the same issue yesterday and couldn't find a way to bypass the tutorial. As you I tried to kill the process via adb and didn't work. I also thought that there might be a place in the phone where the app checks to see if it has been run as it only runs the first time.
Two things to try:
1. Do you have the folder /data/data/com.yotadevices.yotaphone2.tutorial ? I see this in my phone so maybe it is created as a check. The folder is empty, you can try to create it as root to see if this bypasses?
2. Send the events via adb sendevent to the /dev/input/event4 or via input tap. You will need to calculate the coordinates somehow.
Good luck!

jaboto said:
I have the same issue yesterday and couldn't find a way to bypass the tutorial. As you I tried to kill the process via adb and didn't work. I also thought that there might be a place in the phone where the app checks to see if it has been run as it only runs the first time.
Two things to try:
1. Do you have the folder /data/data/com.yotadevices.yotaphone2.tutorial ? I see this in my phone so maybe it is created as a check. The folder is empty, you can try to create it as root to see if this bypasses?
2. Send the events via adb sendevent to the /dev/input/event4 or via input tap. You will need to calculate the coordinates somehow.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was nothing I could do about it, but I found a workaround which would at least let me use the phone somehow. From the bottom side you can launch Google search and search for a popular android app, which will take you to the Play store. From then I installed Sidebar Lite by Mohammad Adib (probably other sidebar launchers would also work) and then the sidebar launcher works on top of the Tutorial and you can dock several apps in there.