Not all files in the Download folder are visible in Windows Explorer

[MonkeyForce9]

Good morning,

I am new to Android so I may be overlooking something, but my Googling has resulted in nada. I'm usually pretty good at wording searches to find something, but not finding anything makes me concerned that this is an unusual problem or something so simple it should be obvious to me.

Anyway... I have a Nexus 7 (2013). Here's my issue:

I downloaded two files from Chrome, an apk and a zip, and they were saved in the "Download" folder.
I saved a QuickOffice xlsx file to the "Download" folder. (No other option)
I view the "Download" folder in a local File Manager and all three files are visible.
I plug in Nexus 7 to my PC via USB and view the "Download" folder in Windows Explorer. I only see the apk file. Naturally, I expected to see all of the files and feel like I should be able to.

What do I need to do to have access to all files in the "Download", and other folders for that matter?

Thanks!

 

[NoraMelua]

You should be able to see the files, there is nothing obviously wrong with your setup. The only thing that comes to my mind is that MTP connections in Windows can be flaky. Try to restart your tablet while it is still connected to the PC and see if the files show up after that.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[GSDer]

Welcome to the forums!

I view the "Download" folder in a local File Manager and all three files are visible.

You're sure they were all in the same directory? I thought Chrome had its own Download folder (independent of the system Download folder).

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk

 

[MonkeyForce9]

That worked. Thanks!

It appears that I'm going to have to restart every time to see new files though. That makes using my Nexus an impractical solution for taking notes at work. (No Wifi). Any possible long term fix?

 

[MonkeyForce9]

That's an excellent question and I tried to investigate that. On the Nexus, I can see all files when navigating to the following folders:

/storage/emulated/0/Download
/storage/emulated/legacy/Download
/storage/sdcard0/Download
/sdcard/Download

My guess is that there are symbolic links or mounting going on here. Restarting it works, so somethings having an issue refreshing the contents of which ever folder is the really folder.

 

[NoraMelua]

That worked. Thanks!

It appears that I'm going to have to restart every time to see new files though. That makes using my Nexus an impractical solution for taking notes at work. (No Wifi). Any possible long term fix?

That's strange, I've never seen a behavior like that. But I think I have a similar, probably related problem: When I create a folder on my tablet (using Solid Explorer) the folder will either be invisible in Windows Explorer or it will show up as a single file, not a directory. I never found a solution for that.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[cab2]

Have you tried using ES File Explorer's FTP server? You'll get a wireless connection. I don't think it's worth plugging/unplugging cable for routine file transfer, because apparently the micro-USB has a limited life.


...But as for cable plug-in, I had a similar problem in Linux, I noticed that the PC's file manager occasionally doesn't refresh, but plugging/unplugging cable fixes it.

 

[MonkeyForce9]

Hi cab2, I don't have a wifi available at work, so I have to do sneaker net.

Based on the info and suggestions from this thread which lead me to other info gathering (thanks), I found a work-around. It has to do with an index not being update when file activity occurs or, at the very least, a periodic update. Restarting the tablet kicks off the reindexing which also can be triggered by some apps out there. I downloaded an app called Rescan SD and ran it after creating a new file on the tablet as well as copying a new file to it. The rescanning updated the index for the Windows Explorer view; however, when I use QuickOffice to open a file the folder contents have not updated: the file copied isn't there as well as files that I've deleted are still listed.

What I'm doing here isn't rocket surgery and I wouldn't think that it is that uncommon, so I'm baffled on why the indexing isn't trigger per folder after updates. The Rescan app does a full re-indexing of the "sdcard" path, so as I fill the tablet, the time it takes to rescan is going to take longer and longer.

Again, I'm new to Android and starting with the recent KitKat, so maybe it's a glitch introduced with this version or... [insert other hypothesis here].

 

[cab2]

Hi cab2, I don't have a wifi available at work, so I have to do sneaker net.

Based on the info and suggestions from this thread which lead me to other info gathering (thanks), I found a work-around. It has to do with an index not being update when file activity occurs or, at the very least, a periodic update. Restarting the tablet kicks off the reindexing which also can be triggered by some apps out there. I downloaded an app called Rescan SD and ran it after creating a new file on the tablet as well as copying a new file to it. The rescanning updated the index for the Windows Explorer view; however, when I use QuickOffice to open a file the folder contents have not updated: the file copied isn't there as well as files that I've deleted are still listed.

What I'm doing here isn't rocket surgery and I wouldn't think that it is that uncommon, so I'm baffled on why the indexing isn't trigger per folder after updates. The Rescan app does a full re-indexing of the "sdcard" path, so as I fill the tablet, the time it takes to rescan is going to take longer and longer.

Again, I'm new to Android and starting with the recent KitKat, so maybe it's a glitch introduced with this version or... [insert other hypothesis here].

There's no need to restart your tablet. You can go to ES File Explorer's "LAN" tab, refresh, login to your PC and transfer the files directly.

 

[PCnoob]

please help here..

http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...ituation-please-read-details.html#post5365951

 

[GSDer]

please help here

Have you tried using the 'Downloads' app to look for it?
If you used a browser to download the file, check the browser settings - it'll usually show the path the file was downloaded to.
What file manager are you using?

 

[PCnoob]

Have you tried using the 'Downloads' app to look for it?
If you used a browser to download the file, check the browser settings - it'll usually show the path the file was downloaded to.
What file manager are you using?

Hi.

Thanks for the reply.

I have not used a 'Downloads' app to look for it, that's actually the first time I've heard anything like this.
If you mean 'Downloaded apps', I didn't find anything there either.

I have used chrome and on the top right hand corner looked for settings, but there is no information on any downloads..

I know on the computer, to go to downloads on chrome you just type Ctrl+J, so I even tried copying the link - "chrome://downloads" onto my phone and yet won't do anything.

What do you mean by file manager?

 

[B. Diddy]

It would be best to continue the discussion in that other thread you started, since this thread is for the Nexus 7: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...ituation-please-read-details.html#post5365951

What GSDer was referring to is the Downloads "app" in the App Drawer that is a basic interface allowing the user to see what files have been downloaded recently.

 

[GSDer]

Look for the 'Downloads' app in the Apps Drawer and open it.

If the file is not in there, go to Settings -> Storage & USB and at the bottom you'll see the 'Explore' option.

You can use that as a file manager to look around for that file. If you don't see it you can use the 'Search' (magnifying glass, in the upper right) feature to look for it.

 

[PCnoob]

Thanks for the reply.

I looked on appstore, but there were too many, does that matter or can I just download any?

"If the file is not in there, go to Settings -> Storage & USB and at the bottom you'll see the 'Explore' option."
I have no option for "Storage & USB"

 

[GSDer]

I guess I assumed that you had a Nexus 7; the current version of the OS has that item in the Settings page. Yours might be named 'Storage' or something very similar, and may have an 'Explore' item within it.

Anyway, you're correct that there's a bazillion file managers in the Google Play Store - you could try this one
File manager
https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ls?id=pl.mkexplorer.kormateusz&token=mFDK8ofq
It has a Search option that should allow you to look for the file that you downloaded.