Update and folders

Questions and Discussions about G-Stomper
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riche
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 10:38 am

Update and folders

Postby riche » Wed May 22, 2019 3:44 pm

Ok so I am a little worried about the new filing system used by Android 8+ after update.
I use G-stomper on both Android 7 and 8 devices and copy files between these devices regularly.

I assume the private, isolated storage introduced for Android 8 is the folder found here:
Internal memory\android\data\com.planeth.gstomper\files\gstomper

Originally (and for Android 7 and lower) files stored here:
Internal memory\ gstomper
- These files remain there on Android 8+ after update.

On my Android 8 device the new private storage space is there... but has no content.
All sample packs and pattern sets etc are still in original location.
When loading patterns or samples G-Stomper defaults to new private storage.
I see i can navigate to original storage but find this cumbersome.
Can I just MOVE all content of original foulder to new location?
Will sample pack updates update to new private folder system?
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planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Update and folders

Postby planet-h » Fri May 24, 2019 5:52 am

Hi Riche

Yes, that's correct, the new folder location for G-Stomper Studio is ...
"/sdcard/Android/data/com.planeth.gstomper/files/gstomper"
... while the old one was ...
"/sdcard/gstomper".

We have considered to copy the data automatically, but this would have been a high risk, as the gstomper folders can contain a huge amount of data.

riche wrote:Can I just MOVE all content of original foulder to new location?

Yes, you can do that. Just keep in mind that if you ever "uninstall" the G-Stomper Studio app, then its private, isolated storage will be cleaned up as well. So be sure to always back up your data before uninstalling the app.

riche wrote:Will sample pack updates update to new private folder system?

No, add on packs have no longer access to the G-Stomper app folders.
New and updated sample packs will work differently.
The packs do no longer copy the files anywhere. They "provide" them directly to the G-Stomper apps instead.
You'll find a detailed explanation in the updated Add-On Pack docs at:
https://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/docs/html/G-Stomper_UserManual_AddOnPacks.html

Hope that makes it clearer.

Please take note that this change was forced by the new, upcoming Android versions. It was never our idea or intention to go that way. Accessing files in the "shared" storage (the whole /sdcard) will be only possible over the System Files Picker in the future. The currently existing External Storage Permission will be deprecated in Android Q, and it will be completely ditched in Android R. It is clear that this change might be confusing in some ways, and the fact that we count to the first who go that way makes it even more difficult. But it is also clear that without any doubt Google will force every developer either to use the private, isolated storage, or to use the System Files Picker to access "shared" files anywhere on the storage (outside of the isolated sandbox).
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riche
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 10:38 am

Re: Update and folders

Postby riche » Fri May 24, 2019 12:03 pm

Ok... This all seems to make things a tad more tricky...
My main concern now is sample packs - loading samples and browsing sounds...
I liked to go to a sample pack folder and grab a sample and then using the < > buttons "browse" samples in the folder.
This on Android 8 does not work unless you have moved samples to private storage.
You say in future new and updated sample packs wont be loaded... Just available... Sorta confused here?
This worries me as i have quite a lot of add on packs some (all?) were updated automatically recently... So where are they and are they different to the ones i moved to private storage?
If sound samples get updated what should i do with original ones in private or original storage if THEY are NOT updated?
Hmmm... Should i delete original gstopmer folder once i have moved stuff to private storage? - this will avoud possible future confusion....
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planet-h
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Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Update and folders

Postby planet-h » Fri May 24, 2019 12:27 pm

riche wrote:Ok... This all seems to make things a tad more tricky...
My main concern now is sample packs - loading samples and browsing sounds...
I liked to go to a sample pack folder and grab a sample and then using the < > buttons "browse" samples in the folder.
This on Android 8 does not work unless you have moved samples to private storage.

This is correct.
But you can easily copy all data from a new pack to the private folders using the system files picker (which offers a copy function).
As soon as you have the samples there, you'll be able to use them the old way.

riche wrote:You say in future new and updated sample packs wont be loaded... Just available... Sorta confused here?

The sample packs do no longer have an install button when you start the app, that's all. Once you've installed the apk from the play store, the samples and kits will be available immediately. If you just want to use them from where they are ... with the system files picker.... or if you want to copy them to wherever you want them to, is your own decision.

riche wrote:This worries me as i have quite a lot of add on packs some (all?) were updated automatically recently... So where are they and are they different to the ones i moved to private storage?

At the end, it's just samples and soundsets, and those have not be changed. The only thing that have changed are the sample pack apps.
I understand the confusion, but we had to make a cut at some point ... without touching existing data. Moving existing data would have been a violation of your privacy.

riche wrote:If sound samples get updared what should i do with original ones in private or original storage if THEY are NOT updated?

No, only the sample pack apps and everything direct inside those apps will be updated.
Not updated are samples that you have manually copied from the old folders or from any other folder or pack.

riche wrote:Hmmm... Should i delete original gstopmer folder once i have moved stuff to private storage? - this will avoud possible future confusion....

This is something I cannot answer. It is your data, and only you know what to do with it.
If you want a recommendation, then I'd say make a backup to a DVD or similar, then move whatever you want to keep to the private folders, and then delete the remaining files that you do not want to keep.

Hope that helps
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riche
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2017 10:38 am

Re: Update and folders

Postby riche » Fri May 24, 2019 1:00 pm

Ok thanks... Just copied ALL from original to new private storage.
Backing up to USB drive...
Then will delete original folder which seems redundant now ...
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planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Update and folders

Postby planet-h » Fri May 24, 2019 3:21 pm

riche wrote:Ok thanks... Just copied ALL from original to new private storage.
Backing up to USB drive...
Then will delete original folder which seems redundant now ...

That's exactly what I would do.
Btw. one of the cool things you get with the new System Files Picker is that you can copy your files easily directly from the private, isolated storage to your Google Drive cloud storage. Google Drive (and probably other clouds storage services as well) is very well integrated in the System Files Picker. Furthermore you can search for files by typing some part of its name, and you get a recent file list, and the the System Files Picker gets improved by google with every release. The latest version in the Android Q BETA comes with a very handy preview function for example.
fernandi
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:07 am

Re: Update and folders

Postby fernandi » Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:39 am

Excellent topic!
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planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Update and folders

Postby planet-h » Tue Jun 18, 2019 7:55 am

Btw. based on this post and other questions we got over other channels, I've added this global post:
Important Note about using Shared/Isolated Storage and the new File System Handling

The post provides a brief explanation why the file handling had to be changed.
It furthermore provides a set of links to the relevant answers in the official FAQ, which will show you ways to get your old files into the new folders.
These answers should explain all aspects around the new file handling.

If there is still something missing, please let us know.

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