Database Users

Shere folder in 4.2

Need help..how to shere folder or application in android 4.2..because i only have limited space for music, picture, and some application like file explorer..
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Use the search, there is already several thousand threads about your exact question *sigh*

lanyinx said:
Need help..how to shere folder or application in android 4.2..because i only have limited space for music, picture, and some application like file explorer..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you referring to a folder that will share files between multiple profiles or something else? Free apps are only stored once, other profile users just go to Play to authorize the app on their profile, but it doesn't download again. Perhaps this thread can help:
How can I access files across users

The only thing I have in my "cher" folder is "Turn Back Time" :laugh:
But to "share", use Dropbox, or the Google or Amazon cloud to store "big" files. Or any explorer app to share with your PC.

[Q] Multiple Users - How to share a folder?

After hearing multiple user support is coming with the latest jelly bean, I decided to buy a Nexus7 (32GB 3G) immediately - will share it with my girlfriend and this way we both can comfortably use gmail for example. First I thought the profiles will not be separated too heavily. The opposite turned out to be true: profiles are completely isolated - apps have to be installed/purchased/configured separately, I can live with that, at least we don't mess with each other's data. But I observed another functionality when connecting to PC through USB - switching a user on the tablet is followed by a plug&play sound on the computer, the "Nexus 7 - Portable Media Player" disappears and reappears with all different files and folders. What you open this way is the user-specific /sdcard folder which points to /storage/emulated/0 for the first user and to /storage/emulated/10 for the second user. Unfortunately this doesn't appear to be a permissions setup to adjust.
But now... where should I copy movies and music so that it's visible for both users? Does anyone happen to have a suitable solution preferably not involving the need to root the device? Thanks.
P.S. -- for those interested in the feature, I forgot to mention, that the overall user experience while switching profiles is very good. It's quick and you'll find your apps running. There are little circles with google avatars on the bottom of the lock screen to pick a user.

With multiuser, there is no need to purchase and install multiple copies of apps. Check the other topics on multiuser.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

rmm200 said:
With multiuser, there is no need to purchase and install multiple copies of apps. Check the other topics on multiuser.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fact is, that in the other account, there is none of my applications visible, only those coming pre-installed. I can find the applications I'm using in my first account in Play market, and it offers me to either INSTALL or BUY depending on if it's paid - a user has no access to applications installed by other users - no speculation, this is how it works for me. Nexus 7 3G, 4.2.1.
The only message that suggests shared application is when I run Settings -> Users -> Add User, this appears: "... Any user can accept updated app permissions on behalf of all other users".

data file sharing to another user
jozin said:
After hearing multiple user support is coming with the latest jelly bean, I decided to buy a Nexus7 (32GB 3G) immediately - will share it with my girlfriend and this way we both can comfortably use gmail for example. First I thought the profiles will not be separated too heavily. The opposite turned out to be true: profiles are completely isolated - apps have to be installed/purchased/configured separately, I can live with that, at least we don't mess with each other's data. But I observed another functionality when connecting to PC through USB - switching a user on the tablet is followed by a plug&play sound on the computer, the "Nexus 7 - Portable Media Player" disappears and reappears with all different files and folders. What you open this way is the user-specific /sdcard folder which points to /storage/emulated/0 for the first user and to /storage/emulated/10 for the second user. Unfortunately this doesn't appear to be a permissions setup to adjust.
But now... where should I copy movies and music so that it's visible for both users? Does anyone happen to have a suitable solution preferably not involving the need to root the device? Thanks.
P.S. -- for those interested in the feature, I forgot to mention, that the overall user experience while switching profiles is very good. It's quick and you'll find your apps running. There are little circles with google avatars on the bottom of the lock screen to pick a user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nexus 7 4.2.2..
example,on first user,just put any file folder to android/data/ then switch to second user,go to android/data you will see that folder,then cut and paste to any folder you want in second user...that the way how I share file folder to second user....

file transfer to second user nexus 7 4.2.2
in first user,go to file manager find android/obb,put any file to obb not data,if no obb in android just make new one,then go to second user,in file manager,open android/obb,you can see your file in it,just cut and paste to any folder you want in second user...

I'm having trouble with this too. I'm running 6.01 and trying to move data between two users on the same phone (Nexus 5x). There is no obb folder, if I create one on one side it doesn't show on the other side. Creating a "share" folder in the Android folder? Same thing.

Can I delete SDCARD(0)?

In the SDcard folder, there's another that says sdcard(0). It seems to have duplicate files of what's in the other. I found this when my space was real low but I don't even have much and its a 16gb. I am the only user on this as well.

Sorry, the folder is just named 0 inside of sdcard.

The short answer is no..you must be on 4.2...
This is the new folder system for the multi-user functionality in JellyBean.
If i understand it correctly, it is an emulated location, not a physical copy...not actually a duplicate. If i were to use Windows terminology, I would call them shortcuts...but that is an oversimplification.
You can search and read up further if you like. Don't delete, and you don't have duplicate files taking up space (storage)
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

tbonezx11 said:
The short answer is no..you must be on 4.2...
This is the new folder system for the multi-user functionality in JellyBean.
If i understand it correctly, it is an emulated location, not a physical copy...not actually a duplicate. If i were to use Windows terminology, I would call them shortcuts...but that is an oversimplification.
You can search and read up further if you like. Don't delete, and you don't have duplicate files taking up space (storage)
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Last night I deleted it and turns out, it was fine. Every app works fine and now I have like 9gb free. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody to do, but I think I chose the wrong option when switching roms and it kept all of my old files. Like I said, they were the same files that I had at the root of the sdcard. They were all duplicates so I had two sets of my picassa photo albums. Two sets of backups of my apps etc... So while it worked for me, if anybody reads this in the future, it probably doesn't apply to you.

Reboot your N7 and see of the sdcard0 comes back again
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

[Q] Sharing apps and media files between users

Hello,
I've tried to search but didn't find an answer...
I've just got my N10. I want to have two profiles: one for myself, the other for my wife.
The problem is the apps I installed on my own user are not shown on my wife user. I don't want to install twice every app. In addition, I don't want to pay twice for payed apps both my wife and I want to use.
Same problem with media files: pictures I took on my user are not available on my wife's user gallery.
So, my questions are:
1. How can I share apps between users?
2. How can I share media files (photos, music) between users?
Thanks in advance!

Sharing apps
Animor said:
Hello,
I've tried to search but didn't find an answer...
I've just got my N10. I want to have two profiles: one for myself, the other for my wife.
The problem is the apps I installed on my own user are not shown on my wife user. I don't want to install twice every app. In addition, I don't want to pay twice for payed apps both my wife and I want to use.
Same problem with media files: pictures I took on my user are not available on my wife's user gallery.
So, my questions are:
1. How can I share apps between users?
2. How can I share media files (photos, music) between users?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, did you find an answer to this? Same problem.

Hi,
1. I've found out that if an app is installed for one user, then when I install it for another user, it doesn't really get installed twice, but uses the same installation. It only makes a separate folder for saving app related data for the other user. In other words - the app is installed only once, but users have their own data, settings, etc.
2. I've also found out that I can define play store on the other user account with my own google account. That means that my wife has her own gmail and all other google things, but the play store on her user is defined with my own google account. By doing that, I solve the payed apps issue - they appear for both of us as already payed and we can just install them on my wife user without paying again.
3. As for shared files (pictures, movies, etc.) - Unfortunately, I didn't find any solution. I still hope that someone can help me with that.

Sharing apps
Animor said:
Hi,
1. I've found out that if an app is installed for one user, then when I install it for another user, it doesn't really get installed twice, but uses the same installation. It only makes a separate folder for saving app related data for the other user. In other words - the app is installed only once, but users have their own data, settings, etc.
2. I've also found out that I can define play store on the other user account with my own google account. That means that my wife has her own gmail and all other google things, but the play store on her user is defined with my own google account. By doing that, I solve the payed apps issue - they appear for both of us as already payed and we can just install them on my wife user without paying again.
3. As for shared files (pictures, movies, etc.) - Unfortunately, I didn't find any solution. I still hope that someone can help me with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply Animor, really helpful.
Para 2 makes sense to implement, particularly when I have purchased apps specifically for the Nexus, at least I don't have to buy them twice!
The shared files problem is a bit of an issue, I should be able to share music and photos without having to double up on valuable storage space. Any fixes for this welcome!

Animor said:
3. As for shared files (pictures, movies, etc.) - Unfortunately, I didn't find any solution. I still hope that someone can help me with that.
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Click to collapse
Try putting a couple files in /data/media/obb/ and see if all users can access them. If I recall correctly, the purpose of that directory is sharing files between users.

Sharing apps
dafunk60 said:
Try putting a couple files in /data/media/obb/ and see if all users can access them. If I recall correctly, the purpose of that directory is sharing files between users.
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Click to collapse
Thanks - I'll try that.

dafunk60 said:
Try putting a couple files in /data/media/obb/ and see if all users can access them. If I recall correctly, the purpose of that directory is sharing files between users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, but I didn't find this directory on my Nexus 10...
However, I've got a solution from another forum:
Directory /sdcard/android/obb/ can be used to share files beteween users. Basically this directory is used by large applications, but it can be also used for sharing files by adding directories or files there.
It doesn't require root, btw. All users have direct access to it.

Maybe put the shared pictures and whatnot in a Dropbox folder you share with your wife?
Not the exact solution you're looking for, but it might fit your specified requirements.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using xda app-developers app

Thank, but using dropbox is not necessary since I've already found a solution.
As I stated in my previous reply, /sdcard/android/obb/ is common to all users, so I just put there everything I want to share.
Thanks all

Answer
Try using 'SendFile'...Its available on the playstore....very simple UI and u can share any type of file between mobiles and PC's....what attaracted me was the fact that u dont need the app to download the files.....

dafunk60 said:
Try putting a couple files in /data/media/obb/ and see if all users can access them. If I recall correctly, the purpose of that directory is sharing files between users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just updated Nexus 4 to Lollipop and got excited with the new "multi-user" feature.
And following your suggestion, I managed to share files between users.

Kit Kat 4.4 and external SD cards

I have read and I like the new restrictions on "external SD card" use. It will prevent a lot of apps from leaving crapola all over your device.
It does not restrict your use of data etc. It just keeps you organized. If you want to uninstall an app and still keep its data, you can simply move the data to a new folder.

mangurian said:
I have read and I like the new restrictions on "external SD card" use. It will prevent a lot of apps from leaving crapola all over your device.
It does not restrict your use of data etc. It just keeps you organized. If you want to uninstall an app and still keep its data, you can simply move the data to a new folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must be stock and unrooted....Kit Kat is a major pain in the rear to root users..

jauger said:
You must be stock and unrooted....Kit Kat is a major pain in the rear to root users..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True - I only root my devices when they are out-dated.
I don't think the 8013 has reached that point yet.
I am still happy with its performance.

But what I am understanding is apps are corralled to their own folders. This implies to me that some I rely on will cease to work. Example:
I use folder sync to keep lecture notes synced between my 10.1 and S4. By my read of KitKat, folder sync will be prohibited from writing to the lecture notes folder.
What about photos? Different apps to adjust photos depending on what I want to do.
And what about ES File Explorer. Won't it become useless?
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk

jauger said:
You must be stock and unrooted....Kit Kat is a major pain in the rear to root users..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry if I may be asking the obvious, but in what way is KitKat a pain for root users?

starbuckk said:
But what I am understanding is apps are corralled to their own folders. This implies to me that some I rely on will cease to work. Example:
I use folder sync to keep lecture notes synced between my 10.1 and S4. By my read of KitKat, folder sync will be prohibited from writing to the lecture notes folder.
What about photos? Different apps to adjust photos depending on what I want to do.
And what about ES File Explorer. Won't it become useless?
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We don't have all the answers, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there will, at least, be work-arounds" for any on these problems.

mangurian said:
We don't have all the answers, but I'd bet dollars to donuts there will, at least, be work-arounds" for any on these problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There aren't. I've had KitKat since weeks after release (S4 GPe). I've been in touch with many developers and made them aware of the issue before it went mainstream. Bottom line, here's the limitation in the simplest of terms.
-An app can read any file on the MicroSD Card.
-An app can only modify contents within a self contained subfolder
So, file managers won't work if stock and unrooted (read only, no writing). FolderSync doesn't work. ES doesn't work (it will tell you that it created/deleted/modified the folder, but then when you refresh, the change never happened).
A good example of how this works would be with a bare bones gallery application. If you store your photos in a random folder within the SD card, the Gallery app can view them. However, if you try to delete a picture, it will only remove from the gallery and remain on the SD card. After a device reboot, it will reappear in the gallery (this also happens with Google Photos and the stock Gallery app).
Another way to do this would be for the gallery app to copy all photos to the gallery subfolder and ignore photos outside of this folder. And if you remove the app? Photos are gone (except what was at the original location). But, this just causes duplication issues.
Lastly, applications can be given permission to read/write to VERY specific ContentProviders and folders. So eventually, you'll have a shared folder called "Pictures" that any gallery application can modify as needed. However, this function is, again, for very specific usage and still prevents file managing apps from doing what they're intended to do.

jaykresge said:
There aren't. I've had KitKat since weeks after release (S4 GPe). I've been in touch with many developers and made them aware of the issue before it went mainstream. Bottom line, here's the limitation in the simplest of terms.
-An app can read any file on the MicroSD Card.
-An app can only modify contents within a self contained subfolder
So, file managers won't work if stock and unrooted (read only, no writing). FolderSync doesn't work. ES doesn't work (it will tell you that it created/deleted/modified the folder, but then when you refresh, the change never happened).
A good example of how this works would be with a bare bones gallery application. If you store your photos in a random folder within the SD card, the Gallery app can view them. However, if you try to delete a picture, it will only remove from the gallery and remain on the SD card. After a device reboot, it will reappear in the gallery (this also happens with Google Photos and the stock Gallery app).
Another way to do this would be for the gallery app to copy all photos to the gallery subfolder and ignore photos outside of this folder. And if you remove the app? Photos are gone (except what was at the original location). But, this just causes duplication issues.
Lastly, applications can be given permission to read/write to VERY specific ContentProviders and folders. So eventually, you'll have a shared folder called "Pictures" that any gallery application can modify as needed. However, this function is, again, for very specific usage and still prevents file managing apps from doing what they're intended to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems like the android team need to add some sort of "firewall" implementation, for apps users WANT their old ability back and still provide their users with this security for the majority of their other apps, it doesnt have to be all or nothing, .......make the most secured option as default, for basic users, while giving the power users the option to "fine tune" it, i.e. the "firewall" analogy

jaykresge said:
There aren't. I've had KitKat since weeks after release (S4 GPe). I've been in touch with many developers and made them aware of the issue before it went mainstream. Bottom line, here's the limitation in the simplest of terms.
-An app can read any file on the MicroSD Card.
-An app can only modify contents within a self contained subfolder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to be clear, if I write an app and want to write (not modify) to an external SD card I must write to the self contained folder.
Is that correct?

mangurian said:
I have read and I like the new restrictions on "external SD card" use. It will prevent a lot of apps from leaving crapola all over your device.
It does not restrict your use of data etc. It just keeps you organized. If you want to uninstall an app and still keep its data, you can simply move the data to a new folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see how you think it doesn't restrict a user's data but keeps the card organised, when I have all my data (a LOT of work PDFs and docs, plus some photos), all nicely filed away and synchronised with my NAS, and other tablets; and now I cannot do this. I cannot organise my content at all (actually I am struggling even to put it on the SD card, except by taking it out out plugging it into a USB adapter into my PC). Until now, I have never had any apps leave crapola on my SD card. I used to be able to save lecture recordings direct to a nice "recordings" file on the SD card. Now it has to put it somewhere obscure (android/data/.somthingrandomthatisapaintofind).

It seems this works on some apps and not on others. For example foldersync doesn't seem to be able to write to the external sd card anymore, nor does X-plore, however, Es file Explorer seems to be fine about it, and happily writes files to the sdcard?! So if ES can do it, why can't the others?

jenacadabra said:
I don't see how you think it doesn't restrict a user's data but keeps the card organised, when I have all my data (a LOT of work PDFs and docs, plus some photos), all nicely filed away and synchronised with my NAS, and other tablets; and now I cannot do this. I cannot organise my content at all (actually I am struggling even to put it on the SD card, except by taking it out out plugging it into a USB adapter into my PC). Until now, I have never had any apps leave crapola on my SD card. I used to be able to save lecture recordings direct to a nice "recordings" file on the SD card. Now it has to put it somewhere obscure (android/data/.somthingrandomthatisapaintofind).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on kitkat for over month now and I don't know what is big buzz about. I did not notice any different behavior from my external card. I can read and write whatever I want using pc explorer. Es works fine. Stock my files is fine too. So can somebody explain problem litte more please?
Type from KitKat bar.

norbarb said:
I'm on kitkat for over month now and I don't know what is big buzz about. I did not notice any different behavior from my external card. I can read and write whatever I want using pc explorer. Es works fine. Stock my files is fine too. So can somebody explain problem litte more please?
Type from KitKat bar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see - you are just using the USB cable I assume. The functionality I have lost is to:
a) wirelessly synchronise multiple pdf/document files in multiple folders and multiple subfolders, whether edited on the Note or on PC (or both).
b) Used a file management app to organise files & folders on my home network between my PC and external SD card. It was even able to wirelessly copy my work direct from the NAS.
None of the apps I used stored any files on my SD card and because they have taken away my access to my SD card I cannot sync my files properly. I realise I could just plug the cable in, but that is not practicable when I am editing 100s of documents in 100s of different subfolders a day - an automatic sync is fantastic. Android is strongly geared towards the "leisure" side of the market and I am going to have to take another look at Windows tablets if they don't fix this (except I would miss the S Pen!)

The_mitch said:
It seems this works on some apps and not on others. For example foldersync doesn't seem to be able to write to the external sd card anymore, nor does X-plore, however, Es file Explorer seems to be fine about it, and happily writes files to the sdcard?! So if ES can do it, why can't the others?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What device are you using that can write to SD using ES? I have the Galaxy S4 GPe (i9505G) and ES cannot do anything with the SD Card.

Have you updated ES? I heard they upated to fix it.
As I understand there is something called storage access framework that is supposed to be the replacement for direct file access.
I haven't seen kitkat. FolderSync is my biggest concern.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk

jaykresge said:
What device are you using that can write to SD using ES? I have the Galaxy S4 GPe (i9505G) and ES cannot do anything with the SD Card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on a Samsung galaxy note 3, with kitkat 4.4.2 and ES file Explorer 3.1.1

Yes, thanks to a post somewhere on XDA I am now using ES file manager, which as you say, will work with the ExtSD on Kitkat (though I still prefer Astro myself).
I still can't sync my content though which is the bigger problem. I used to use SyncMe. A fantastically easy to set up App that would seamlessly sync content across multiple devices (still works fine on my Note 8). I can't find anything to replace this at present.
Sent from my GT-N5100 using xda app-developers app

The_mitch said:
I'm on a Samsung galaxy note 3, with kitkat 4.4.2 and ES file Explorer 3.1.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What ROM are you using? Are you on stock 4.4.2 OTA without root?

jaykresge said:
What ROM are you using? Are you on stock 4.4.2 OTA without root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, stock unrooted Samsung kitkat 4.2.2

The_mitch said:
Yes, stock unrooted Samsung kitkat 4.2.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On my device, ES 3.1.1 allows me to create a folder but I cannot edit or delete the folder. I cannot create, edit, or delete files. If I delete folders, they will initially disappear, but will not actually delete. They reappear upon a refresh.