8 ms·

It's not just mirroring of your remote storage, you can also upload local files manually, turn on auto-upload for some directories (the main use case is uploadi

by GTP 1y ago

It's not just mirroring of your remote storage, you can also upload local files manually, turn on auto-upload for some directories (the main use case is uploading pictures) ant there was recently work being done to enable two-way-synchronization for directories that the user would like to sync. IMO it makes sense to let the users give it access to all the files on the phone, if they whish to do so.

llm_nerd 1y ago
For those scenarios, structured storage fits the bill. The app requests folder permission and the user, using system UIs, grants permissions on the folders they want to enable. >it makes sense to let the users give it access to all the files on the phone It doesn't even pretend to be a backup app, and further the permission we're talking about is limited to external storage (though that is a nebulous term on many Android devices where internal storage is split-brained on being internal and partly external). Further saying "let the user decide" works great in theory and with a considered, rational userbase. In reality it means that everyone just says sure to everything, and soon all of the user's data is exfiltrated and everyone is whining that Google/Apple/et al should have forseen this.
- GTP 1y ago
  > For those scenarios, structured storage fits the bill. The app requests folder permission and the user, using system UIs, grants permissions on the folders they want to enable. I see your point, but why isn't this the case for document management apps? Also, Nextcloud can be extended with plugins, some of them falling in the document management category. > Further saying "let the user decide" works great in theory and with a considered, rational userbase. Nextcloud is mostly used by people that like to self-host their services, so in this case we fall into the rational userbase category.
  - Arnt 1y ago
    It is what e.g. Simple Gallery does. It works well. Nice API. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.gallery.pro https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobi... or on github.
    - GTP 1y ago
      What are you referring to? Looking at that link, I see little overlap with what Nextcloud offers. There's a lot more in it than just a pretty gallery.
      - Arnt 1y ago
        The overlap is precisely that part which matters: The directory access portions. Both need to ask the user to choose which directories to access, and access all the files in those directories. What they do after opening the files is very different, and irrelevant. FWIW I use both Nextcloud and that gallery app.
    - deng 1y ago
      FYI: The Simple Mobile Tools suite was acquired by an ad network and is pretty much discontinued, see https://www.androidauthority.com/simple-mobile-tools-acquisition-3391041/ https://www.androidauthority.com/simple-mobile-tools-acquisi... Use the Fossify fork instead: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.fossify.gallery https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.fossify.ga...
      - Arnt 1y ago
        It seems I escaped, by paying the original developer €1 a long time ago. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.gallery.pro https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobi...
- tecleandor 1y ago
  The problem lies that in newer Android versions (11 or higher) you cannot give permissions to arbitrary folders, it's only "shared folders" or "all the files" [0][1] (It's also explained in TFA) I'm sure they would happily allow you to select the folders you want to give permissions to, but I think that's not possible anymore. So if you want to sync a local data folder that stores, for example, the tracks you record with your GPS, you cannot do it without full access unless your GPS app allows you to select a shared folder to store its data. 0: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage 1: https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/13/nextcloud_play_store_complaint/ edit: restructured a confusing sentence
  - izacus 1y ago
    You're misrepresenting things I think. You can select any file you could before on shared external storage. You can't select private app directories which were always off limits from other apps just like on iOS.
    - tecleandor 1y ago
      From what I see (and what I've experienced on different sync apps when upgrading Android versions, although I'm not a developer, just a user), access to /Android/data and /Android/obb changed on Android 11: --- [0] On Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE intent action to request access to the following directories: - The root directory of the internal storage volume. - The root directory of each SD card volume that the device manufacturer considers to be reliable, regardless of whether the card is emulated or removable. A reliable volume is one that an app can successfully access most of the time. - The Download directory. Furthermore, on Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE intent action to request that the user select individual files from the following directories: - The Android/data/ directory and all subdirectories. - The Android/obb/ directory and all subdirectories. --- [1] On Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT intent action to request that the user select individual files from the following directories: - The Android/data/ directory and all subdirectories. - The Android/obb/ directory and all subdirectories. --- 0: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/documents-files#document-tree-access-restrictions 1: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/documents-files#document-access-restrictions --- edit: fixed readability and a link

by GTP 1y ago

llm_nerd 1y ago

For those scenarios, structured storage fits the bill. The app requests folder permission and the user, using system UIs, grants permissions on the folders they want to enable. >it makes sense to let the users give it access to all the files on the phone It doesn't even pretend to be a backup app, and further the permission we're talking about is limited to external storage (though that is a nebulous term on many Android devices where internal storage is split-brained on being internal and partly external). Further saying "let the user decide" works great in theory and with a considered, rational userbase. In reality it means that everyone just says sure to everything, and soon all of the user's data is exfiltrated and everyone is whining that Google/Apple/et al should have forseen this.

GTP 1y ago
> For those scenarios, structured storage fits the bill. The app requests folder permission and the user, using system UIs, grants permissions on the folders they want to enable. I see your point, but why isn't this the case for document management apps? Also, Nextcloud can be extended with plugins, some of them falling in the document management category. > Further saying "let the user decide" works great in theory and with a considered, rational userbase. Nextcloud is mostly used by people that like to self-host their services, so in this case we fall into the rational userbase category.
- Arnt 1y ago
  It is what e.g. Simple Gallery does. It works well. Nice API. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.gallery.pro https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobi... or on github.
  - GTP 1y ago
    What are you referring to? Looking at that link, I see little overlap with what Nextcloud offers. There's a lot more in it than just a pretty gallery.
    - Arnt 1y ago
      The overlap is precisely that part which matters: The directory access portions. Both need to ask the user to choose which directories to access, and access all the files in those directories. What they do after opening the files is very different, and irrelevant. FWIW I use both Nextcloud and that gallery app.
  - deng 1y ago
    FYI: The Simple Mobile Tools suite was acquired by an ad network and is pretty much discontinued, see https://www.androidauthority.com/simple-mobile-tools-acquisition-3391041/ https://www.androidauthority.com/simple-mobile-tools-acquisi... Use the Fossify fork instead: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.fossify.gallery https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.fossify.ga...
    - Arnt 1y ago
      It seems I escaped, by paying the original developer €1 a long time ago. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobiletools.gallery.pro https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplemobi...
tecleandor 1y ago
The problem lies that in newer Android versions (11 or higher) you cannot give permissions to arbitrary folders, it's only "shared folders" or "all the files" [0][1] (It's also explained in TFA) I'm sure they would happily allow you to select the folders you want to give permissions to, but I think that's not possible anymore. So if you want to sync a local data folder that stores, for example, the tracks you record with your GPS, you cannot do it without full access unless your GPS app allows you to select a shared folder to store its data. 0: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage 1: https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/13/nextcloud_play_store_complaint/ edit: restructured a confusing sentence
- izacus 1y ago
  You're misrepresenting things I think. You can select any file you could before on shared external storage. You can't select private app directories which were always off limits from other apps just like on iOS.
  - tecleandor 1y ago
    From what I see (and what I've experienced on different sync apps when upgrading Android versions, although I'm not a developer, just a user), access to /Android/data and /Android/obb changed on Android 11: --- [0] On Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE intent action to request access to the following directories: - The root directory of the internal storage volume. - The root directory of each SD card volume that the device manufacturer considers to be reliable, regardless of whether the card is emulated or removable. A reliable volume is one that an app can successfully access most of the time. - The Download directory. Furthermore, on Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE intent action to request that the user select individual files from the following directories: - The Android/data/ directory and all subdirectories. - The Android/obb/ directory and all subdirectories. --- [1] On Android 11 (API level 30) and higher, you cannot use the ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT intent action to request that the user select individual files from the following directories: - The Android/data/ directory and all subdirectories. - The Android/obb/ directory and all subdirectories. --- 0: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/documents-files#document-tree-access-restrictions 1: https://developer.android.com/training/data-storage/shared/documents-files#document-access-restrictions --- edit: fixed readability and a link