Hello!
I want to extract and inspect some of the apps that are preinstalled on every WP8 device (calculator, camera, marketplace etc. ) In order to do so, I installed WP8 SDK, deployed Hyper-V emulator and mounted the final .vhd disk image as described in this article:
martani.net/2012/11/delve-into-windows-phone-8-emulator.html.
Now I am able to browse the phone file system without any restrictions, but it seems that there are no .xap's there.
So my question is: Where are all the preinstalled (system) apps stored? Can you please point me in the right direction?
calculator, camera, marketplace etc. are part of OS.
Good, but as I wrote, I have the OS image and I can browse the system files (WP8 is pretty much like a normal Windows OS, eg. in System32 folder I have a lot of shared asseblies etc.). I just don't know the location where all of the installed apps are stored, but they must be somewhere.
I can't believe no one did this before...
quad muffin said:
Good, but as I wrote, I have the OS image and I can browse the system files (WP8 is pretty much like a normal Windows OS, eg. in System32 folder I have a lot of shared asseblies etc.). I just don't know the location where all of the installed apps are stored, but they must be somewhere.
I can't believe no one did this before...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they aren't .xap's , they are just a bunch of .dll's and .exe's , as told here already they are part of the OS.
C:\Programs\<APPNAME>, for example C:\Programs\Calc7. Note that just the install locations though, there aren't any XAPs. At least, that's the case on 8.0; 8.1 made some formerly part-of-the-OS apps updatable short of a system update, so they *might* have .XAP (or, more likely, .APPX) files now.
GoodDayToDie, thanks for clarification. I finally found what I was looking for. Thanks!
BTW: The fact that these .exe's and .dll's are part of the system doesn't change the fact that they are still normal x86 PEs (at least on the emulator). We can then disassemble them using our favorite disassembler eg. IDA PRO or something.
Yep (the ones on the phone are ARM THUMB2, of course, but still otherwise normal Win32 PE files). You'll find that their dependency tree is a bit weird though; WP8 implements the Win32 API but it changed library names and moved a bunch of APIs around.
Related
Well I did google, I always here people talking about JfV and whatnot, but I can't seem to find a definitive resource letting me know exactly what it is and what it does? I know where to find it and see the instructions on how to install it, but noone seems to ever say what it has/does.
Another question I have is about auto starting apps. On Android, is it possible for me to set an app to auto start when i boot my device? this would be useful for some of the apps i use like Hello IM, twidroid, email, etc. I don't post much here but I'm hoping you guys can help me out and get me settled with Android and the G1. Thanks
- Q
The JesusFreke builds are edits of the official builds with root access along with a couple of useful applications like a terminal. Root lets you take advantage of some things like tethering and gives you control to edit and break your phone at your hearts desire.
Autostart seems to be app specific. My weather app autostarts and stays in the background but others don't. Not sure how to make them do it but maybe someone else know.
+1
welcome. JF's modified roms also add auto rotate for your browser and multi-touch which is nifty.
Lite Glossary...
I've seen a lot of questions like this and I vaguely remember someone trying to give a quick explanation in another thread but I couldn't find it.
So here's my attempt to clear some things up based on terminology.
Android OS - Like Windows Mobile but based on Linux, using a Java based front end.
Linux - Open Source operating system used instead of Windows XP/Vista, Mac OSX etc... it's free (as in beer).
Root (as in access)- root is like the administrator account on a windows machine. It allows you to have complete access to the underlying OS of a linux or *nix based machine.
Root (as in location)- the 'root' of a folder or drive is the top most area of that location. In windows, C:\ is the 'root' of your hard drive. The 'root' of your SD card just means you haven't moved into any subfolders.
JFV1.## - Is a specific Version of a JesusFreke ROM. JesusFreke is a developer on this website that has graciously spent his time to modify the G1 OS to allow us to have root access to our phones. This gives us the ability to explore and modify our phones via a command line. It allows for the use of themes, native backup functionality, manually selecting which apps can utilize root access, auto-rotate screen, multi-touch in browser, moving applications/caches to the sd card and I'm sure some other things I'm forgetting.
That's all I can think of right now. Maybe I'll add more later.
skri11a said:
I've seen a lot of questions like this and I vaguely remember someone trying to give a quick explanation in another thread but I couldn't find it.
So here's my attempt to clear some things up based on terminology.
Android OS - Like Windows Mobile but based on Linux, using a Java based front end.
Linux - Open Source operating system used instead of Windows XP/Vista, Mac OSX etc... it's free (as in beer).
Root (as in access)- root is like the administrator account on a windows machine. It allows you to have complete access to the underlying OS of a linux or *nix based machine.
Root (as in location)- the 'root' of a folder or drive is the top most area of that location. In windows, C:\ is the 'root' of your hard drive. The 'root' of your SD card just means you haven't moved into any subfolders.
JFV1.## - Is a specific Version of a JesusFreke ROM. JesusFreke is a developer on this website that has graciously spent his time to modify the G1 OS to allow us to have root access to our phones. This gives us the ability to explore and modify our phones via a command line. It allows for the use of themes, native backup functionality, manually selecting which apps can utilize root access, auto-rotate screen, multi-touch in browser, moving applications/caches to the sd card and I'm sure some other things I'm forgetting.
That's all I can think of right now. Maybe I'll add more later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the nice overview! I'm going to go ahead and do my G1 first thing in the morning (I don't wanna do it at night while I'm a tired mess and end up bricking it ) The auto-rotate is something I wished the G1 had. Does the autorotate in JesusFreke's rom go multiple directions? or is it just the 2 directions like on the default android rom?
And does it work for every app at all times? I know that the functionality exists in the phone as one of my apps implements the auto rotate feature, as well as several games in the android market that utilizes the accelerometer for gameplay. Would be cool to be able to roate my phone at any time using any app (espcially the browser). Thanks for any more help. And I already head RC33. Does that mean I have to downgrade or has an easier method arisen for RC33?
JF's roms V1.41 and up have autorotate in the browser. DroidSans has the app for root users that impliments autorotate for the rest of the phone except your stock picture viewer. both rotate to the same landscape direction like when you open the keyboard.
Don't forget the ability to move apps to your SD card
No, the auto-rotate only goes landscape like 13bjunkie said and he is also right that you need to download DroidSansTweak to actually activate the feature, accept for the browser (once you have root, of course).
It doesn't work on all apps at all times. Apps/games can disable the feature.
You will have to downgrade to RC29 still... Just follow the sticky in the development forum and you can't go wrong. Just follow it to the letter or all bets are off.
Just got my wife a Lumia 520 and i noticed it does not have a file manager... is this normal?
I'm used to have file manager on Android so this is quite lame...
Also any idea on how to add musics (MP3/WMA) on the ringtones?
Thks
So... the Internet has these things called "search engines" which you can use to find all manner of cool things. You should really try using one of them.
1: Yes, it's normal that there is no file manager built into WP8. There wasn't one in WP7, either. This is not news. Know what you're buying...
2: There are apps (both on the Store and on this forum) which add very limited file browsing and management capability. However, the OS is extremely restrictive of app permissions - moreso than your typical Android build - so most of the filesystem is unreadable and all but a tiny portion of what's left is read-only.
3: Did you even read the little info sheet that comes with your phone? You would save us all a bunch of time if you did. Connect the phone to your computer using USB. It will appear as an MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) device. You can use this to copy media files (including songs and ringtones) to the phone, as well as copying other media files (such as pictures or video you took) from the phone to the PC. If you're running Windows, it will also offer to install an app to make synching easier. Pretty much every OS has tools for working with MTP devices, including all desktop-oriented Linux distros I've ever tried.
Think of the apps as the file browser. An app that can manipulate a certain file type will show you all of that type of file on your phone. Coming from android you will have to rework your way of using your phone. And SKY DRIVE is your friend. And I'm glad you posted your question because I for one have used and love wp8 although I use my note 2 as my daily. I love people that say search for the answer yet give a long drawn out sarcastic answer anyway.
1.No file browser.
2.Use apps for manipulation of said files
3.Sky drive is your friend. It COULD be said it's wp8s file manager.
4. Have fun!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
You can hook your phone to your PC and use the Windows Phone app for desk top, this will let you browse your files as far as music, ringtones, pictures and videos; I'm not sure if it includes documents but it the closest to what you are looking for because system files are off limit like the guys just explained.
What I don't understand is if you can view your files from your PC why can you do the same from the phone? Oh well maybe one day like in an update; this would be cool for browsing for files on your SD card...
GoodDayToDie said:
So... the Internet has these things called "search engines" which you can use to find all manner of cool things. You should really try using one of them.
1: Yes, it's normal that there is no file manager built into WP8. There wasn't one in WP7, either. This is not news. Know what you're buying...
2: There are apps (both on the Store and on this forum) which add very limited file browsing and management capability. However, the OS is extremely restrictive of app permissions - moreso than your typical Android build - so most of the filesystem is unreadable and all but a tiny portion of what's left is read-only.
3: Did you even read the little info sheet that comes with your phone? You would save us all a bunch of time if you did. Connect the phone to your computer using USB. It will appear as an MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) device. You can use this to copy media files (including songs and ringtones) to the phone, as well as copying other media files (such as pictures or video you took) from the phone to the PC. If you're running Windows, it will also offer to install an app to make synching easier. Pretty much every OS has tools for working with MTP devices, including all desktop-oriented Linux distros I've ever tried.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so i appreciated the help but i don't really explain well in the OP.
I apologize for the way i wrote the OP, i was frustrated after unsuccessful search for a way to work around the limitations of the OS...
I did not know that the WP7 and 8 did not add an file manager, but the other part i did know :/ so no need to be so sarcastic in your reply (last time a used a Windows based phone it add windows mobile and it did have file explorer much like other OS's).
What i really meant was if anyone knows a way to work around the OS locks on the file system and of course an file explorer that uses it... But after more search i find none
I'm still pretty happy with the lumia 520... just frustrated that i cant add files were i wanted.
Yeah, that exact question has been asked before. People are working on it. Part of the reason I wrote my webserver app was to facilitate deeper exploration of WP8 in the hopes of finding a way to unlock more permissions. So far, no dice. The OS is still young, however.
With that said, from a "what can I do with it" perspective, it's best to think of WP8 as being like iOS: until or unless "jailbroken", everything runs with extremely low permissions.
GoodDayToDie said:
Yeah, that exact question has been asked before. People are working on it. Part of the reason I wrote my webserver app was to facilitate deeper exploration of WP8 in the hopes of finding a way to unlock more permissions. So far, no dice. The OS is still young, however.
With that said, from a "what can I do with it" perspective, it's best to think of WP8 as being like iOS: until or unless "jailbroken", everything runs with extremely low permissions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok thanks for the info .
After some research i got the idea that WP8 as worst than iOS in terms of restrictions :/...
Thats really a shame because this Lumia 520 hardware its really nice for the price. It will be awesome wen someone is able to root it.
Still i will keep using Android on my personal phone... (this one was bought for my wife).
sinister1 said:
You can hook your phone to your PC and use the Windows Phone app for desk top, this will let you browse your files as far as music, ringtones, pictures and videos; I'm not sure if it includes documents but it the closest to what you are looking for because system files are off limit like the guys just explained.
What I don't understand is if you can view your files from your PC why can you do the same from the phone? Oh well maybe one day like in an update; this would be cool for browsing for files on your SD card...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far i can't move files (wma and MP3) to the inner folders on the ringtone folder... and the custom ringtone option does not let me chose other files than the one it came from factory
Not really a big bummer but it just seems a stupid limitation...
"Inner folders"? I just dragged files to Phone\Ringtones and they appeared at the top of the list, under "Custom". I didn't even need to resize them or change the genre, as WP7 required.
GoodDayToDie said:
"Inner folders"? I just dragged files to Phone\Ringtones and they appeared at the top of the list, under "Custom". I didn't even need to resize them or change the genre, as WP7 required.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i tried every folder on the phone (that are available to the user) and the OS still does not let me choose custom musics for ringtones... :/
Exnor said:
Well i tried every folder on the phone (that are available to the user) and the OS still does not let me choose custom musics for ringtones... :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music files should go into the music folder and ringtone files go into the ringtone folder, this is what I did; I put in an SD card and created Folders on it with the same name as the ones on the internal storage and placed all my music and ringtone files there, when you go to ringtones it shows up under custom, if your talking about alert tones for MMS or SMS then you are out of luck other than ringtones the only thing you can change is your alarm tones.
This is a big mistake by MS by not allowing users to use customer tones form email and SMS or MMS their are customers that are actually returning their phones and exchanging them for Android and even iPhones because of this and other limitations. Users have been asking for this since 2011 on MS's very own suggestion page (check it out here) and MS hasn't even responded or given a hit to fixing this issue.
For you guys who know me well and see that I bring this subject up a lot, I apologize but MS needs to wake up and stop trying to restrict even the simplest of tasks.
1. Connect the phone via USB. An MTP device, with the phone's name, will appear (for example, in Windows Explorer).
2. Open the phone device. You will see a "drive" called "Phone". There may be a second volume called "SD card".
3. Open the Phone volume. You will see the following folders: Documents, Music, Pictures, Ringtones, Video.
4. Open the Rintones folder. It should not have any sub-folders.
5. Copy the music you want to use, as MP3 or DRM-free WMA (I think DRM-free AAC/M4A also works), into this folder.
6. On the phone, go to Settings, then Ringtones+Sounds, and tap on the box under Ringtone.
7. Scroll to the top of the list. There will be a header "Custom", under which the music you added to the Ringtones folder will be listed (by title metadata, not file name).
8. Tap the Play icon beside a song if you want to see how it sounds as a ringtone, then tap the song you want to use as your ringtone.
If this doesn't work, be very, very specific about what step looks wrong (i.e. is not as described) and what you see instead. Also, be specific about the kind of music you're trying to use. I have tested using 128Kbps (constant bit rate) stereo 44.1KHz MP3 and WMA files of up to about 4:40 long.
sinister1 said:
Music files should go into the music folder and ringtone files go into the ringtone folder, this is what I did; I put in an SD card and created Folders on it with the same name as the ones on the internal storage and placed all my music and ringtone files there, when you go to ringtones it shows up under custom, if your talking about alert tones for MMS or SMS then you are out of luck other than ringtones the only thing you can change is your alarm tones.
This is a big mistake by MS by not allowing users to use customer tones form email and SMS or MMS their are customers that are actually returning their phones and exchanging them for Android and even iPhones because of this and other limitations. Users have been asking for this since 2011 on MS's very own suggestion page (check it out here) and MS hasn't even responded or given a hit to fixing this issue.
For you guys who know me well and see that I bring this subject up a lot, I apologize but MS needs to wake up and stop trying to restrict even the simplest of tasks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok i'm gonna try with an SD card and i will post my results. Thks for the tip :good:
GoodDayToDie said:
1. Connect the phone via USB. An MTP device, with the phone's name, will appear (for example, in Windows Explorer).
2. Open the phone device. You will see a "drive" called "Phone". There may be a second volume called "SD card".
3. Open the Phone volume. You will see the following folders: Documents, Music, Pictures, Ringtones, Video.
4. Open the Rintones folder. It should not have any sub-folders.
5. Copy the music you want to use, as MP3 or DRM-free WMA (I think DRM-free AAC/M4A also works), into this folder.
6. On the phone, go to Settings, then Ringtones+Sounds, and tap on the box under Ringtone.
7. Scroll to the top of the list. There will be a header "Custom", under which the music you added to the Ringtones folder will be listed (by title metadata, not file name).
8. Tap the Play icon beside a song if you want to see how it sounds as a ringtone, then tap the song you want to use as your ringtone.
If this doesn't work, be very, very specific about what step looks wrong (i.e. is not as described) and what you see instead. Also, be specific about the kind of music you're trying to use. I have tested using 128Kbps (constant bit rate) stereo 44.1KHz MP3 and WMA files of up to about 4:40 long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep did all that ...
The only thing i did not try yet is to create a subfolder in the Ringtones folder like i've read somewhere... i will try to do all the processes again and try other tips and i will post my results as soon as i can.
Thks for the help
GoodDayToDie said:
1. Connect the phone via USB. An MTP device, with the phone's name, will appear (for example, in Windows Explorer).
2. Open the phone device. You will see a "drive" called "Phone". There may be a second volume called "SD card".
3. Open the Phone volume. You will see the following folders: Documents, Music, Pictures, Ringtones, Video.
4. Open the Rintones folder. It should not have any sub-folders.
5. Copy the music you want to use, as MP3 or DRM-free WMA (I think DRM-free AAC/M4A also works), into this folder.
6. On the phone, go to Settings, then Ringtones+Sounds, and tap on the box under Ringtone.
7. Scroll to the top of the list. There will be a header "Custom", under which the music you added to the Ringtones folder will be listed (by title metadata, not file name).
8. Tap the Play icon beside a song if you want to see how it sounds as a ringtone, then tap the song you want to use as your ringtone.
If this doesn't work, be very, very specific about what step looks wrong (i.e. is not as described) and what you see instead. Also, be specific about the kind of music you're trying to use. I have tested using 128Kbps (constant bit rate) stereo 44.1KHz MP3 and WMA files of up to about 4:40 long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Finally i got it to work...
Like i've said i've done the above (like you suggested) the 1st time and repeated and nothing happen.. so i reset the phone!
Copied just one file to the ringtone folder and success it worked (!). I don't know why it did not the other times ... Now my wife can copy her musics and put hers ringtones as she like.
Here is my device info in case its usefull for anyone:
model: Lumia 520
MMN: RM-914_eu_portugal_281
OS version: 8.0.10211.204
HW rev:1.0.0.0
Firmware rev: 1030.6408.1309.0003
Thanks for the help guys
OS is young and the questions you posted, really needs to be solved. MS has put too much restrictions in OS but I think it will open some APIs and remove some restrictions in WP blue update due in early 2014. I only need limited file explorer to manage my personal files, a good Music & Video app(VLC is coming) and a notification center, that's it. All would be well for me to jump the ship from Android.
Btw, try Kirik file browser. It gives you some limited accessibilities on SD card.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Vishwal said:
OS is young and the questions you posted, really needs to be solved. MS has put too much restrictions in OS but I think it will open some APIs and remove some restrictions in WP blue update due in early 2014. I only need limited file explorer to manage my personal files, a good Music & Video app(VLC is coming) and a notification center, that's it. All would be well for me to jump the ship from Android.
Btw, try Kirik file browser. It gives you some limited accessibilities on SD card.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree. MS still as lot to do on this OS... But for people who don't need more computing options its a good choice (i think i like it better than iOS...).
Thx for the tip, i've already try it does help a little.
So far besides the OS limitations my biggest disappointment is the store... there is not enough programs to satisfy my needs :/ But like i stated before i'm happy with the device (actually my wife is lol since its her that uses it).
Switching from Android... hmm no. I don't see myself switch to WP or iOS (btw i have iPod touch 4th gen) for so many reasons, but to start the integration with my Google account and services.
I had a Qtek back in 2k3 (actually was a job phone) and used Windows Mobile (or was it CE?? cant remember) and back then i love it. But the "updated" Windows OS for mobile does not give me the same experience. Android so far is my favorite (gonna give a try to Ubuntu touch since i use Ubuntu at work... lets see how it performs).
The whole thing is that WP8 is designed to protected installed apps _from other installed apps_. Any data an app writes, is completely off limits to any other application. So a file manager would be compeltely pointless. If someone would create one, you could create files and maybe even download files in the folders you created.... but no other app would ever see that data.
this makes programs that can download data (Windows File sharing, FTP clients, etc..) to be played by another program (music player, video player, etc..) impossible.
I do agree though that WP8 needs to create a single 'unmanaged, unprotected data pool' where all apps can write / read, probably organized by folders just so people understand it.
If an app then wants to write data there, it knows it got no protection and is on its own. But if an app wants to write personal data (appointments, messages, contacts, that kinda of thing) it can write it in it's own data store like WP8 is now and the data is protected from every other possible app.
If they will do this for Blue... I don't know. I haven't seen it on a list anywhere yet.
Well, you can ask the OS to open a file (the equivalent of ShellExecute on Win32) and that can be used as a form of inter-app communication and file passing (sending a file from a file browser to the media player is possible, for example). The trick is that it's a blind push; there's no way to ask for the file back, or query what files there are. Also, the other app needs to choose to download the file.
There are Capabilities in the WP8 security policies which could be used to make a decent file browser, at least for the basic stuff (media libraries, documents, a "common area" on the file system, etc.). However, we cannot currently sideload any application which uses them, and I very much doubt MS would let us publish such an app through the store (although it might be worth trying...)
GoodDayToDie said:
Well, you can ask the OS to open a file (the equivalent of ShellExecute on Win32) and that can be used as a form of inter-app communication and file passing (sending a file from a file browser to the media player is possible, for example). The trick is that it's a blind push; there's no way to ask for the file back, or query what files there are. Also, the other app needs to choose to download the file.
There are Capabilities in the WP8 security policies which could be used to make a decent file browser, at least for the basic stuff (media libraries, documents, a "common area" on the file system, etc.). However, we cannot currently sideload any application which uses them, and I very much doubt MS would let us publish such an app through the store (although it might be worth trying...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am fairly certain the current situation will probably change with WP8.1.
if wpdev voice website is an indication of their intentions for wp8.1, things will look very nice soon enough.
I don't know if anyone voted for new features for WP8, but if you did, you should get mail from admins that file manager is now available.
Check it here:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/f...ons/3365632-add-file-manager-to-windows-phone
Also I've got mail for disabling auto rotation:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/f...tions/suggestions/2282917-disable-auto-rotate
Anyone know what is all that about? If it's on some new update, it wouldn't say it's available now.
head0 said:
I don't know if anyone voted for new features for WP8, but if you did, you should get mail from admins that file manager is now available.
Check it here:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/f...ons/3365632-add-file-manager-to-windows-phone
Also I've got mail for disabling auto rotation:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/f...tions/suggestions/2282917-disable-auto-rotate
Anyone know what is all that about? If it's on some new update, it wouldn't say it's available now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great news.
In addition to the update on uservoice (http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/file-manager-coming-to-windows-phone-8-2-12-2013/)
there is a report that it will be coming in WP8.1 in Q2 2014 http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/file-manager-coming-to-windows-phone-8-2-12-2013/
I'm on android but I will definitely check back on WP when this happens.
CSMR said:
Great news.
In addition to the update on uservoice (http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/file-manager-coming-to-windows-phone-8-2-12-2013/)
there is a report that it will be coming in WP8.1 in Q2 2014 http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/file-manager-coming-to-windows-phone-8-2-12-2013/
I'm on android but I will definitely check back on WP when this happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And what you gonna do with the jpg file, move/copy where if only the hubs can open it? Useless feature.
djtonka said:
And what you gonna do with the jpg file, move/copy where if only the hubs can open it? Useless feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If MS implemented this feature so that the file manager would only show "hubs" and only allow you to move things in folders within these hubs, they would have to be real idiots.
A file manager means having user documents accessible by programs. Pretty much if you have one, you have the other. And ordinary people understand what a file manager is, so the request is always for a file manager, even though having a user documents folder accessible by programs is more important.
CSMR said:
If MS implemented this feature so that the file manager would only show "hubs" and only allow you to move things in folders within these hubs, they would have to be real idiots.
A file manager means having user documents accessible by programs. Pretty much if you have one, you have the other. And ordinary people understand what a file manager is, so the request is always for a file manager, even though having a user documents folder accessible by programs is more important.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I have previously stated to all the QQ threads on this forum, windows phone does not need a file manager like windows 8 has.
As long as third party apps can asociate with the files they need to open, we will be fine, because developers can detect files on the phone very easily using the Microsoft API. The biggest problem is not the lack of a file manager, is the lack of permissions to allow third party apps to open files which are restricted by the system, like mp3 files.
If apps had full access to SD cards and the user file system, everybody would be happy.
Given how the API seems to be building around, this file manager will be restricted to hubs and third party apps will still not be able to open whatever files they want to.
On the other hand, they might give us a SDK update, but there are no news on the developer site...
Oh, I still disagree with that, quite a bit in fact.
Even leaving it limited to the "user" parts of the phone, there's lots of obvious cases for a file browser / manager.
* A simple one would be to provide an easy way to correct problems like duplicated files, renaming documents, copying a music file to the "ringtones" folder, and so on. Plus of course the ability to categorize and organize files using folders. Basically, the stuff you can do from a PC over USB.
* A little bit more advanced, but still pretty useful and obvious, would be the ability to open files (into whatever app the user wants) from a central location, rather than needing to go to the app first and hope that the app has a way to open the file. This is especially obvious when one considers downloaded files, which currently can only be opened once (by the app that you select at that time, which must then copy the file locally if it wants to keep it; no other app will be able to access that file unless you download it again).
* Another important need is to provide something that functions like the SD card for phones which don't have one. For an OS that doesn't require the presence of such a card, WP8 has a number of features which you can only use if you *do* have one. Example: using the standard MTP over USB access, if I want to add ebooks to my phone, I have to copy the ebooks to the SD card, then go into the e-reader app and tell it to load the books from the card. If I don't have a card, I'm screwed; there's no other way except to open them one at a time as email attachments or something similarly stupid. A universally accessible folder (even if it was read-only to third-party apps) for such content would make a lot of sense.
For those of you who say this feature would be useless, go and find a particular ringtone on your phone and share it with someone via Bluetooth, message, email or however you want heck use Skydrive and then come back and tell me if you can even navigate to the ringtones folder using Xbox Music.
---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:40 PM ----------
sinister1 said:
For those of you who say this feature would be useless, go and find a particular ringtone on your phone and share it with someone via Bluetooth, message, email or however you want heck use Skydrive and then come back and tell me if you can even navigate to the ringtones folder using Xbox Music.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any one
From what I read on WPCentral, this was a mistake being marked as complete, so false alarm regardless.
P.S. I am in the camp of wanting a file manager/explorer.
Sadly, true. You can see that on the uservoice site directly... :-/
They will probably give a full file manager with windows phone 9 or something.
That's right.
The forum admin says that the thread's were mistakenly marked as accomplished.
Way go MS.Nice idea for fixing problems. ;(
Sent from my Windows Phone 8S by HTC using Tapatalk
I take it that no response to my question above means it's not possible to do on WP, Okay how about downloading a pdf file from an email or SkyDrive? The reasons for a native file explorer on WP is so obvious. Not everyone carries a tablet or laptop computer with them at all times just to be able to explore, rename, save or copy files on their phone.
I don't know anything about rooting phones was just curious if maybe someone could take this exploit and use it for good use and we would be able to root our phones. I used a program called Quadrooter By Checkpoint and we are vulnerable to CVE-2016-2059 (Elevation of privilege vulnerability in Qualcomm networking component) and CVE-2016-2504 (The Qualcomm GPU driver devices allows attackers to gain privileges via a crafted application, aka Android internal bug 28026365 and Qualcomm internal bug CR1002974.). I'm on Marshmallow with the latest updates.
The article is here
http://thehackernews.com/2016/08/hack-android-phone.html
That is interesting, im not a developer, so im no help, only to test if someone comes up with something. 5.0 OF3.
Quadrooter is a menace, yes, in short time, around 2 months, the gpu may be destroyed only installing unchevked apks.
They are doing a new kind of apk, that i am searching how to forbid these "new" apk model, named as multi dex system.
This is running binary codes inside the cache of the app.
For example:
The telegram.apk is all disabled, the system is capting that all relative to trlegram.apk, is not running.
When you never imagine, a notification, appears on the bar, showinh a new message, but, why?
The app is disabled, but the cached-dex no.
This is a serious menace, because these cached codes are "temporary".
If some "cached dex" is executing, the ram memory goes down, and the system, does not captures this dex running.
Imagine another worst thing:
Any cached dex is programmed to copy and send some victim's bank password for determinated site, in background, on where the system will never shows the relathive dex process at least the relative apk that created this dex.
Be carefull only with the apks thst you install, and never use if is multidex .
You can check if is multidex or not before installing, if haves zipped or jar classes , don't install.
Or the device may be burned.
That is all
Sent fro SomeFon
Hello,
As usual with all my 'new' phones, I struggle with file explorer as I prefer to sideload my apps (I'm not Google's best friend) via desktop / usb / micro-sb / install. This seems to coincide with Google's view that micro-sd card is not Google's best friend either, and it seems (am I wrong?) that with each new OS variant, it's a steeper and steeper uphill struggle with Android v. external storage. I managed, in the end, to take it under control in Android 6, but under Android 12 in my new G50 I've failed miserably. Basically, every (about 5 - 6) file manager / browser apps I installed (from apks put directly in internal memory), fails to see the micro-sd. I formatted and then formatted again inside my phone (my desktop can see it, G50 can see it in settings (storage), Storage can 'see it, but those apps can't see what is actually inside. I have a vague idea it's about 'permissions', but I did check that those file manager apps have permission for 'file and media' and no other permissions have been denied, so I've hit the wall here.
Interestingly (perhaps 'obviously'), VLC player can browse (and play) sound files on the card, even though it's got exactly the same permissions. Presumably some photo browser would be able to access images on the card, so why is that such a struggle with file managers?
In fact, I wouldn't mind the built-in file browser ('Files'?), if it wasn't for the fact that it's an abomination to start it. I can see it in settings (as system app), but I can't create a shortcut to it (home screen), because it's not listed in the app drawer (presumably, as it's a system app). So, to get to any files on micro-sd, I need to go through a very convoluted route of:
Settings > Storage > choose storage > Files.
On top of which, it is a truly HORRIBLE file browser in terms of features and interface. Yes, there's the google files app, which also can access micro-sd card, but I generally disable all Google apps, unless I absolutely have to.
Is there anything else I can do about it, or is that 'it', i.e. this is baked in and no replacements will work? (short of google files and rooting, presumably, but I can't root G50, because I do need a couple of banking apps and one or two others, which won't work on rooted handset).
Regards,
N.
Welcome the the Gookill nightmare of scoped storage. Some more work arounds.
Google hates expandable storage as it conflicts with their lame cloud everything strategy. Like MS they want to ram cloud down our throats.
I run 2 Samsung N10+'s one on Pie the other Q so I don't have to deal with this bs.