Database Users

Alternate Way of Sideloading apps: Sideload Wonder Machine

For those of you who are uncertain of how to use adb commands or are afraid of editing their db check out the link below for more details about the app.
This is a quote from the site below explaining what it is:
"It's a Windows application that lets you sideload apps on ANY Android device, on any carrier, without the Android SDK installed. And you DON'T HAVE TO BE ROOTED"
Sideload Wonder Machine
***Note I am not the developer of this app or have any connection to it other than the fact that I happened to see the post and figured I would spread the word to everyone here. I have tested it on a ATT Captivate (which was already rooted) and it works as described.

so does this mean you can load any .apk file from the web into this Sideloader program and when the Captivate is plugged into the computer it will install it without issues?? and no need for modifying the no-market value settings thru root explorer?

Sticky Needed.

IT WORKS!!!
I tried this program yesterday and can confirm that it works

so its a cleaner way to install apk files into the captivate instead of editing the dbsettings file?? do I just save the apk file to my computer then just plug the captivate into the computer then select the file and run the program?

This lets you sideload any app (.apk file - android app file extension) that you can download on your computer, and it does not require rooting.
You need to download the samsung drivers for the phone (sammy website), upgrade to .net 4 (google search), download the wonder machine program from the beginning of the thread, and turn on usb debugging on the phone (settings>applications>development>usb debugging on)
Download an .apk somewhere on the net (I chose bansai blast as my first one). MOVE THAT FILE INTO THE FOLDER WITH THE UNZIPPED WONDER MACHINE. If you don't then you will get a "loader.bat" not recognized error when you hit go. Next, plug in your phone, pull down the notification tap and mount your sd card to the computer (I know that the instructions on android central say to keep your phone in charge only mode, but then the program will not find your phone if you don't mount the card). On the wonder machine hit choose file, and select the apk file you downloaded (again, in same folder as wonder machine program). Hit ok. Then hit go. It should pull up a dos looking command window and display your serial number (If you have a firewall like zonealarm, be sure to let the program access the net and your trusted zone - serial won't display if you don't) and a "press any key to continue." Do that and it should take a second to say "install successful. press any key..." Check your phone and the app should be in your apps list. Hope this helps, as it took me a while to figure all this out.

droid explorer offers better functionality. still, good find

with droid explorer am I able to copy the dbsettings file directly to my micrsd card then open SQLite from my phone edit and paste back into the origin dbsettings and overwrite it? or does that have to be done thru the comp??

I can confirm too that this program works great.

Sorry for the late responses but here they go:
poulosjr said:
so its a cleaner way to install apk files into the captivate instead of editing the dbsettings file?? do I just save the apk file to my computer then just plug the captivate into the computer then select the file and run the program?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct, plug in your phone, place the apk anywhere on your comp, and browse for the apk thru the app. this then installs the apk directly into your phone.
poulosjr said:
with droid explorer am I able to copy the dbsettings file directly to my micrsd card then open SQLite from my phone edit and paste back into the origin dbsettings and overwrite it? or does that have to be done thru the comp??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With this app you do not have to edit the db, the only down side of this app is that you have to install the apks via your comp.
systoxity said:
droid explorer offers better functionality. still, good find
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right, with this app you lose a bit of flex ability since this method installs via your comp. But for those people who dont want to edit or use the adb push method it could not get any easier. I personally end up installing apks when i am on the road all the time so i prefer the permanent methods on my phones.

this works awesomely!
just make sure to put the .apk's in the same folder as the sideload program

+1 to this. Not the most convenient method but quick if you have your computer with you

i hate logging into windows. I'd love a mac version!
but I do have this on my windows ( i believe it is an androidcentral.com app ) and i used it a lot until i started messing with my phone and learned about adb.

I just wanted to say thanks for the quick guide. I was concerned about messing around with the db settings and screwing stuff up. I have absolutely NO problem installing non-market apps through my pc--thanks a lot dude!

I've been using it. My phone is unrooted. I used it to add 2 apps. A live wallpaper and a need for speed game demo.

Thanks to all of you !!
by following all that you posted I was able to root with super user , save with rom mgr , load wireless tether which was my goal.
Just to update were i screwed up must remember with super user (update zip) put the whole zip file on phone as a stand alone not in any folder . With side loader must be in the same folder as side loader to work , of course with micro net 4 installed, on the pc and debugging enabled , samsung usb driver installed on pc and superuser must installed to use side loader
thanks for all you help !!!

[Q] How do I install HTC IME keyboard?

I'm running Hyperdroid V1.2 on my hd2 and I really miss the HTC_IME keyboard from my last rom. Thanks guys!

You need to find the apk file for it, just Google HTC_ime orGoogle mobilism you'll find it on there, then install it, go to keyboard settings activate it, go to new message press and hold in text box select input method and select HTC_ime
Sent from my HTC HD2 using Tapatalk

So how would I install the apk file? Is there a certain spot in the SD card I need to leave it? Thanks for your help!

THEhomelessONE said:
So how would I install the apk file? Is there a certain spot in the SD card I need to leave it? Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doesn't need to be in a special place on the card, but Its helps to keep all your apk's in a folder for easy finding. Once you've copied the file to your card, you can use any file manager from the market to locate and install the apk. Don't know how much you know but .apk files are to Android what .cab files are to Windows mobile and .ipa files are to Iphone OS. Cheers.

Sounds simple enough thanks guys appreciate it!

reocej said:
Doesn't need to be in a special place on the card, but Its helps to keep all your apk's in a folder for easy finding. Once you've copied the file to your card, you can use any file manager from the market to locate and install the apk. Don't know how much you know but .apk files are to Android what .cab files are to Windows mobile and .ipa files are to Iphone OS. Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if you want to install it to /system/app? If you simply use a file manager to open the apk file won't it install to /cache?
To install to system do I simply adb push it or adb install it?

You can grab the keyboard you want out of/system/app from your old build and then put it into the androidapps folder of your new build and then reboot. Should work, please let me know though
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App

[Q] apk file issue!!

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?
Click to expand...
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

[Q] Installing App without market

Hello folks,
I've got an .apk file on my sd card. To install that app, i need to unmount my SD-Card. Therefor i cannot install my app - which is located on the sd card - anymore. I want to do it without the market. I already tried to move the file with the astro-manager to the mnt folder (which you can still see even you unmounted your sd card). But i couldn't copy the file with astro to this folder.
Any suggestions?

Try AppInstallerV2

You may need to move files .apk to a PC via Wi-Fi.
I do this.
Move. Apk file to pc.
Run ES File Explorer on MINI connection WiFi to PC part to .apk.
Click to .apk.
ES File Explorer to install the files. Apk by way of it to Phone.

Or do it using the adb install command.
Have a look here for ADB Infos.

Upload apk to DropBox, copy link, paste in Browser and install

*ouch* Why didnt i have this idea?
Thanks codiak that worked
i used this command ( just for other users which have the same problem as me )
adb install path/on/windows/myfile.apk

What is ES file explorer.& where can I get it?
Sent from my HTC Liberty using XDA App

popy234 said:
What is ES file explorer.& where can I get it?
Sent from my HTC Liberty using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google? First hit: http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-estrongs-android-pop-znE.aspx
I think it is not pre-installerd, only Astro file manager.

[Q] Viewing nook system files on my computer?

I am a bit stuck... I rooted my Nook Touch using the TouchNooter method. It worked well and I can install apps from the market easily.
But I think I missed a step. I want to be able to access nook system files on my computer and can't seem to figure out how. When connected via USB, I can see the normal Nook folders for adding books and such but none of the system files.
I want to be able to add/remove apk's using my computer. Is this even possible?

The easiest way to do this is copy apk files to your SD card and then use ES File or Root explorer to fin and install them.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium

Even Astro get to install apk, and it's free on market.

While the OP can get Astro she will not be able to see the system files with that. ES File allows access to root files and is free as well.

I have not wifi and any file mangers
I rooted my nook touch.
I have not wifi (unavailable to me)and any file mangers (root explorer &...) how can i install file manager in my nook ?
I want to be able to install apk's using my computer. Is this even possible?

you can install using adb throught wifi. google adb.

I've successfully rooted my touch, and am trying to install Messagease & Instafetch.
Using ES File Explorer, I can't gain access to /system/apps, which is where i'm told they need to go- ES File won't go navigate above the SD card, although I've enabled root access & /system mounting.
i've tried copying the apks to an sd card, but install fails due to non-market issues, although i've enabled installing from non-market sources as well (as far as i can tell, anyway- maybe i have to do that in another place too?).
any ideas what I've done wrong? let me know if i need to post any other info. I'm using LinuxMint.
thanks!
-steve

ypres333 said:
i've enabled installing from non-market sources as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you enable it using Nook Color Tools, you should untick and tick again the checkbox to make it work
Also, it may be possible to access the system partition booting with noogie.img ...

merci mille fois!
sorry for the question, but is rooting a 2nd time with noogie.img a bad idea, or will it just overwrite the image i created with touchnooter?
thanks in advance,
-steve
i may have figured something out: i remade a new image with noogie.img, the rebooted the nook with the sd card in. once the "rooted forever" appeared, I plugged in the USB and 7 partitions showed up on my computer screen. i was able to access the files there and put the messagease.apk and instapaper apps in there that way.
thanks again!