I have a confusion regarding android. this is very general query.
In Computer, first we have to have exe file to install anything and then we click on it to install the app on windows computer generally. when the app is installed on computer, we have installed app files in program files and then a dump (that is exe file) which we keep to install this app on any other computer.
Now, please let me know if this is applicable in android phones also?
I know that in android, there is .apk file instead of .exe file in computer. I observed that after installation apk file disappears. Is this true?
Not sure if in understood well, did you mean if instal anything from SD card? If you are asking that the answer is yes, i install everything from SD card and the apk file stay there after installation.
What if u install any app from Market?
vijay.gupta said:
I have a confusion regarding android. this is very general query.
In Computer, first we have to have exe file to install anything and then we click on it to install the app on windows computer generally. when the app is installed on computer, we have installed app files in program files and then a dump (that is exe file) which we keep to install this app on any other computer.
Now, please let me know if this is applicable in android phones also?
I know that in android, there is .apk file instead of .exe file in computer. I observed that after installation apk file disappears. Is this true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even in Android you can see the .apk files under /system/app. Also applications installed by you can be backed up & later restored using software available on market.
"Normally" these apks dissapear when you download from.market, but all of.your apks are stored in your phone, the thing is that you have to hav permission to do that, when you download an apk (the single file) and store it in sd card to install it, the apk is copied to the phone.
Sent from my GT-I5801 using XDA App
But if u back up ur apps as .apk and install them later using softwares (with exception of Titanium backup) u will loose connection between the app and android market (that means no updates)
the best option is to backup ur apps with titanium backup along with user data and restore it using the same
how do i access /system/app? Do I need to root the phone in order to see this directory?
vijay.gupta said:
how do i access /system/app? Do I need to root the phone in order to see this directory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download Terminal emulator from market & you are ready to go to /system/app !!!!
You can also download Root Explorer and so the same
Thank all. Can you please confirm what I am writing below:
Suppose I buy a android phone (with android 2.1 so you cannot install apps from SD card) in which I installed an application named XYZ from Market. Now, there is a apk file for XYZ which gets downloaded somewhere in the phone memory and then it gets installed automatically.
Now, I just want to know, where does this apk file go after XYZ is installed? Does it stay in phone memory with the installed files of XYZ.
If it goes to phone memory and not deleted from there, then phone memory
if u install .apk from market it will be stored and installed in /data/app in phone memory. i do not think it is stored twice in the phone.
Do u mean to say that only the installed file gets stored and. apk. File got deleted automatically after getting installed?
vijay.gupta said:
Do u mean to say that only the installed file gets stored and. apk. File got deleted automatically after getting installed?
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Click to collapse
Remember that an .apk file its a variant of the .jar files when you install an .apk this file gets stored inside the phone along with its necesary dependencies when the app starts, the os reads this file line by line while the app is executed.
In short terms the .apk file its the application itself that need a proper interpreter to run, in that way when you install and app to the phone, it copies this file and links the dependencies, so the .apks downloaded from makret are stored directly inside the app folder, in that way you can extract them from this folder and use it in another android phone.
You are relying too much on the windows ways of things. You see an exe file installion in windows essentially unpacking everything (other things aside) where it is needed and you then often see a bunch of files and folders. This is not what happens in android, the apk file is conserved when installed and can be found in the root part of your phone. Its data/app/ if installed on your phone, mnt/asec. (or something like asec) if installed on your sd card. You can copy that file to your sd card or send it to another device and install it again. I did just that today (I sent an apk to a friend)
anyway i dont think its same if i delete .apk + odex files from /data/app as i uninstall it with titanium backup. i think TB will be delete also data stored by the app inside the database (its the place where the apps are saving data, settings, etc...)
In case you are installing from Android Market:
1. When you are at market, it doesn't ask you to download. You will only get option either to install or update the existing app.
2. If you are a normal user, after installing, you won't be able to see the apk file anywhere on your memory card. But if you are a root user or with the help of special file managers and specific apps like root explorer and terminal emulators, you can locate those spk files in the phone's hidden memory.
3. If you are a root user, or with the help above mentioned type of apps, you can locate the apk files in phone memory and copy it on your memory card and distribute it to your wish.
4. If you are worried for paid apps and losing your phone or apps because of resetting or any other reason then stop worrying. A record of your paid apps is stored in google servers. So, even if you reset your phone or lose your phone, once you log in to a your new android device with the same google account, it will automatically show your paid apps. You don't have to pay for it again. Just need to install it again. This is applicable only if you are paying for the app through android market and you are logging into your android device with the same google account you had before losing your apps.
In case of installing via your SD card:
1. apk files are just like java files (.jad or .jar). You can download it on your PC from various sources and transfer it to your SD card or any of your friends' via USB, bluetooth or any other way.
2. After transfering the apk file to your SD card, it doesn't get automatically installed. You have to click it or open it to install, just like how we double click the exe file in windows.
3. Whether installed or not installed, the apk file you transfer to your SD card will always remain there unless and untill you or someone else delete it or you format your memory card.
4. Once installed, a copy of the same apk file would also be there in your phone's hidden memory, which you can access using special apps.
If you worried about losing your apps, try searching for other apps which backups apk... you can do so at android market. Moreover, also search on the net about having root access on your android device.. it'll let you access files in your phone's memory.
I hope, this would solve down all your queries !!!
Thanks next2 devil. Very gud explanation. It cleared almost all confusions. I have some more confusions that i want to clear out.
1) just a general query that just like exe file got unpacked after double clicking on it and install its files in c: genrally, does the same happen with apk, jad and jar files?
2) just want to clear out that phone memory which is hidden for normal users contains the copy of only those apk files that are currently installed on the phone and not the ones that are uninstalled or not installed at all?
vijay.gupta said:
Thanks next2 devil. Very gud explanation. It cleared almost all confusions. I have some more confusions that i want to clear out.
1) just a general query that just like exe file got unpacked after double clicking on it and install its files in c: genrally, does the same happen with apk, jad and jar files?
2) just want to clear out that phone memory which is hidden for normal users contains the copy of only those apk files that are currently installed on the phone and not the ones that are uninstalled or not installed at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I am not sure about JAD and JAR files, but yes, APK files unpack itself to get installed. You can come to know the exact size/space that would be taken by the app directly from the android market. Details would be given there.
2. Yes, the phone memory would be having copy of files only which is installed. There would be no copy of any apk file which in not installed.
Thanks next2devil. Your response give rise to one more query.
if i compare unpacking logic from windows, there is no need for original exe file to remain in existence after it has been installed and user can delete exe file after installing it. Deleting exe file has no negative impact on the working of installed app. Please let me know if this is also the case with apk files? If yes, then what is the need of apk file to remain in phone memory after it has been installed?
vijay.gupta said:
Thanks next2devil. Your response give rise to one more query.
if i compare unpacking logic from windows, there is no need for original exe file to remain in existence after it has been installed and user can delete exe file after installing it. Deleting exe file has no negative impact on the working of installed app. Please let me know if this is also the case with apk files? If yes, then what is the need of apk file to remain in phone memory after it has been installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short and simple. Deleting the apk file from /data/app removes the app.
Sent from my Lestatious v1.4.5.5 Galaxy 3 FROYO
I am trying to install APK's that I deleted. I moved the copied APK's from the SD card to the system/App file and tried to install through root explorer but I keep getting error (application not installed)? I have reset permissions and tried again but same error, any help?
For future reference?
If u want to change for example the camera app /apk you have to place the new apk where the old one was instead of installing ...if thats your problem ^^
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA Premium App
System APK's or APK's in use (loaded at startup) cannot be installed, you would have to copy and paste, or push the file to the location which would overwrite the old one if the file name is the same.
hey all iv noticed this a lot with the stock 2.2 rom on my POV Mobii tegra 2 (advent vega rebrand).
e.g i uninstalled a game called jelly defence, then tried to install an updated version of it. the install fails saying aplication not installed.
ok so i then tried to reinstall the first version i had working on the tablet, and that also fails to install saying again application not installed..
why would this be happening? iv noticed that it happens on a fair few number of apps that i install, then uninstall, then try to install again and they fail to install.
installation is done via apk file from sd card. even tried over wifi and still same error.
I know this might sound rude, but did you try Google?
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4226132/application-not-installed-error-on-android
ahh, could be something to do with the certificates or the AndroidManifest.xml file.
where is this file located so that i can check its permissions?
This might be a tough nutt to crack...
"AndroidManifest.xml" file is inside .apk files.
ok i managed to fix the problem. i mounted my sd card to the pc with card reader, and in the android.secure folder there was a file called smdl2tmp1.asec , i deleted that and now the app installs fine. got both jelly defence and few others installed with no issues.
strange how i cant see that folder on the tablet itself because its hidden. need an app to see the folder and its contents directly on the tablet so i can delete it again if needed.
Yeah, folders and files with a dot infront of their names are invisible.
It's a Linux thing!
Glad you got that sorted out!
is there no file manager app that can see these files directly on the tablet?
Just tried "iFileManager" app I got with stock tablet software and it can see hidden files/folders.
I also tried Root Explorer and it can see hidden files/folders, but this is a paid app.
Astro File Manager can also see hidden files/folders, but you need to go into Preferences-->Look and Feel-->and enable "Show Hidden Files" option.
Maybe your current file manager app also has such an option?
Hope I helped, and don't forget to give a thanks!
ahh, i have stock ifilemanager, but i dont use it, i use ES File Explorer since i can access my LAN shares with it easily over the wifi. will give ifilemanager a go in few mins time.
thanks again.
just checked ifilemanager can see the folder but it cant see any of the file which are inside the folder.
Just checked some "hidden" folders myself on my tablet.
Some have files / sub-folders inside and some don't.
Not all folders need to have files inside.
but when i check the folder on the pc via sdcard reader, there are files in the folder.
cant see them directly on the tablet, but when connected to pc i can see the files in exact same location.
Here is how I've been doing it, somehow this seems wrong:
1. install the app
2. in super manager navigate to data/app and cut the apk from that folder
3. navigate to system/app and paste the apk in that folder
4. install from the pasted apk.
Seems it would leave traces from the old install right? like data path?
Also how do I chmod? I'm tried installing sougou from the app store which installed to data/app-private with only read write privledges, so when I tried to move it to the system folder it wouldn't execute/install.
Is there any easier way to do this and how can I get permissions to re-install the app in the system folder?