Android: External Storage Support (using Storage Access Framework)

[markuskreusch]

@Francewhoah copied from https://github.com/cryptomator/cryptomator/issues/482

Basic Info

This is a

• feature request.

I'm using

• Android: Android 7.1.1
  ROM: LineageOS 14.1
  App URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cryptomator.beta
  App updated: March 30, 2017
  ROM: LineageOS 14.1
  Device: Samsung Galaxy S5
  Rooted: Yes
  External storage: Flashdrive connected to the device via its USB port

I'm running Cryptomator in version: 0.4.1 from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cryptomator.beta

Description

Creating a new vault on Android _internal_ storage works great :) I searched but found no option to create a vault on _external_ storage. How do we do that? I tried to navigate outside the internal storage directory but found no way to do that. I also try to select another volume, the external storage, but also found no way to do that. By "external storage" I mean a removable storage media such as SD card or flashdrive connected to the Android device via its USB port.

If that feature is not yet available for Android then this ticket is a suggested new feature. We would be happy to contribute testing and documentation.

[markuskreusch]

We currently plan to allow another way to create "local" vaults für android >= 5.0. On such devices we can use the storage access framework to allow access to other storage media (if access is provided by the OS). This way it may be possible to access an external flashdrive - but actually I do not know if an external flashdrive is available this way.

[Francewhoa]

Thanks markuskreusch :) Sounds great.

I can confirm that the storage access framework method worked with other apps with my device and OS. Other app such as at _Ghost Commander File Manager_.
That other project is also open source. Maybe some of its code could be use.

[Francewhoa]

For others facing the same challenge but not familiar with Storage Access Framework (SAF) there is a developer documentation at https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/providers/document-provider.html

[soydelbierzo]

Hi, this will be an awesome feature

I'm using

Android: Android 7.1.1
ROM: Google official
Device: Nexus 5x
Rooted: No
External storage: Flashdrive connected to the device via its USB-C port

External storage works fine with other apps like ZArchiver.

Thanks in advance.