[Bastiat_Fan]

Yeah, it seems like those suggesting simply moving files to the extSD using the file manager have never actually tried it. Sure, you can move some files, but they become unusable because the internal SD apps won't search the extSD for data files. For instance, if I download a movie from the Google Store and move it to the extSD, I can no longer view it using the Google Movies app or any other app I've tried. And it doesn't take long to use up all of the space if you download tv series to watch on planes, etc. Google needs to change/fix this problem.

[piizzadude]

that is because of the DRM on the movie. I have DRM free movies on my sd card that I play all the time.

Google IS the problem with this one. They want the SD card gone.

[George Catt]

Well, ain't this a pisser??!! Just got my Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 this week, assumed ease of use. Got it specifically to replace my 10" Acer for a trip to S.E.A. next month (space considerations) and to act as a GPS while exploring the back country. Need memory space to store maps and tracks.

I bought a 16 GB SD card just yesterday and now finding this same issue. VERY disappointed in Samsung and Google for not handling this in an appropriate manner. I'm sending my complaint to both entities now.

Much thanks to all who are pushing this issue ahead of me.

George

George Catt

(sometimes in) Kingman, Arizona

[George Catt]

OMG!!!! Just tried to send e-mail via Samsung's customer support site. Doesn't work after going thru all their requested info, typing the message and trying to send,,, the window to display/document the model number of the unit won't open and the message can't be submitted without the info. Samsung is gonna get a call.

BTW, tried getting to them via Face Book too, and the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is not even listed there.

I fear we have purchased an orphan product.

[DybzD]

Hey thanks dude. ur answers really help a lot in my sd card problems than those technicians at Samsung retail outlet. haha (thumbs up)

[Flashfox]

Actually, the real reason why they prohibit this is DRM related. If you can't instal the apps on the ext SD then you can't "share" the app with others. The other reason was that even today, certain uSD cards are flaky.

[Flashfox]

Move it to extSD for storage then move it back to internal when you want to watch it. A pain but a work around.

[dmtchico]

Well, ain't this a pisser??!! Just got my Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 this week, assumed ease of. se. Got it specifically to replace my 10" Acer for a trip to S.E.A. next month (space considerations) and to act as a GPS while exploring the back country. Need memory space to store maps and tracks.

I bought a 16 GB SD card just yesterday and now finding this same issue. VERY disappointed in Samsung and Google for not handling this in an appropriate manner. I'm sending my complaint to both entities now.

Much thanks to all who are pushing this issue ahead of me.

George

George Catt

(sometimes in) Kingman, Arizona

Hi George.

For a map app that displays where you are, try ORUXMAPS. It's totally free and it lets you set it up to store offline MAPS (google, Topo, satellite) to your extsdcard.
Its not a vehicle GPS navigation app, its more of a simple map display that puts an icon on the map showing where you are on the map. Visit their website for help downloading various maps or even using a free program to make downloaded pictures of maps work with it.

As far as using the extsdcard, Samsung made it an available option, now the app developers need to make their apps allow it's use for storing their data (like OruxMaps and Office Suite Pro and Mort music player have done.

Lack of the option to use the extsdcard more is due to lazy app developers, not Samsung. IMO.
Although, in the app developers defense, the internal memory is ALWAYS there, so in their eyes their app is more reliable and will still work even if a user likes to swap sdcards back and forth a lot.

So, bottomline. Shop for apps that allow you to set them up to use the extsdcard for their data/file storage.
And, if you have a favorite app, email them and ask them to add this feature. Some devs are very responsive this way. However, don't expect much of a response from larger corporations that are concerned about digital rights management (DRM). They prefer to use the PROTECTED internal memory.

I edited this post on Feb 2nd for typos and additional info.

Enjoy your tablet. I do.

[DMCea09]

You are crazy thatbappsndont work properly from the sd cwrd I use them all the time on my phone and a previous tablet.

[mfast]

I have had my tablet for a week now and I love it. But the biggest downfall Samsung has did to the Galaxy tablet, is not to let the apps goto the external sd card. Samsung if you're reading this you need to change it please. You need to do an upgrade on the program if not I'll be going to the Apple or something else.

- - - Updated - - -

I have had my tablet for a week now and I love it. But the biggest downfall Samsung has did to the Galaxy tablet, is not to let the apps goto the external sd card. Samsung if you're reading this you need to change it please. You need to do an upgrade on the program if not I'll be going to the Apple or something else.

[Hemant Shah]

I bought a 32 gb sd card for this tablet, and I've noticed, nothing is being put on the sd card at all. From what I can tell from the file manager, Samsung listed the internal memory as sdcard and the external one as extsdcard. As a result of this apps that are suppose to be saving files to the sd card are saving them all to the internal memory in the part labeled as sdcard. Out of all my apps, I only have one that lets me choose the download location. Is there a way to get the apps to save files to the actual external sd card?

I'm currently not rooted, and would prefer not to root the tablet.

Swap your sd cards,
With internal and external

[hide]

★WHY CAN'T YOU HIT THANKS BUTTON IFF AM HELPING YOU
★Does thanking cost any Money,
★NOO!!!! $O Just Hit THANKS I Helped You

Time is LIFE,
SPEND IT WISELY
[/hide]

[dmtchico]

You are crazy thatbappsndont work properly from the sd cwrd I use them all the time on my phone and a previous tablet.

Try it on a device with Android 3 or higher (not rooted) and tell us all how it works for you.
Yeeesh!

[kennythewise]

You can use your external sdcard to install your applications and games(gameloft,glu,ea...) with huge data cache and this works pretty well but there are 2 conditions to do so...first your tablet needs to be rooted and second you need to download an application called directorybind. With this application you can bind any directory you want to the external sdcard it will move the data from the internal memory to the external sdcard and it will mount the new directory with a link to the one from the internal memory and this works perfectly. With my class 10 32g sdcard my games seem to load faster too enjoy your tablet now

[Morte Descovich]

quoting
01-31-2013, 10:21 AM
dmtchico "Lack of the option to use the extsdcard more is due to lazy app developers, not Samsung. IMO."

Before fingers get pointed, please understand that Android App Developers are at the mercy of the SDK API given to them, and that the request to create a directory & files for External Public Storage is sent to ~/storage/sdcard0.
(symbolic link equivalent to ~/sdcard and ~/mnt/sdcard0)
i.e. assuming we have set the write permission in the app manifest (this request for app permissions is what you see before you install an android app)
we check that the 'external storage' is mounted for read/write
if (Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED.equals(Environment.getExternalStorageState())) {
and then to retrieve the value of the Pictures subdirectory on 'external public storage',

In API Level 8 or greater, use getExternalStoragePublicDirectory(), passing it the type of public directory you want, such as DIRECTORY_MUSIC, DIRECTORY_PICTURES, DIRECTORY_RINGTONES, or others. This method will create the appropriate directory if necessary.
If you're using API Level 7 or lower, use getExternalStorageDirectory()


This is in the SDK, there is nothing developers can do to change that, they can only work around it by hard coding specific mountpoints for every OEM who chooses to mount the EXTERNAL sdcard on a separate mountpoint, such as /storage/extSdCard for Samsung Galaxy S3 on Android v4.1.2
That obviously requires knowledge of all OEM's way of handling storage naming conventions, at all variable SDK levels and cutover points of new methods and deprecation.

Please also understand that the point of using the SDK conventions is the antithesis of writing hardcoded workarounds.
Just as an example, Android SDK frowns on hardcoding variable string assignments inside code, it nags developers to put all static values into a strings.xml file and to refer to variables stored in that abstracted file.

Android SDK itself is bad enough with deprecation where developers have to code at least two logic paths for both pre and post deprecated target API levels and also code precompiler directives to avoid getting more warning or error nags in the IDE such as Eclipse...

I have been trawling forums and am still looking for a non-rooted workaround for this, but it seems like hardcoding is the only way, and adding an option for the user to manually choose their own save locations via a directory browser widget in a separate settings activity.
And how many users would know the difference between ~/storage/sdcard0 and ~/storage/ExtSdCard or to know to use it in the first place rather than ~/sdcard or ~/data or any number of other directories?

The Android SDK link even says that this 'external storage' may in fact refer to a partitioned section within internal storage:


NOT Helpful.


Update 2013/04/28 - found this as the best answer for developers to use 'removable' external storage -


This other reference is full of condescension to the developer from some posters who smugly point out that 'external storage' in Google's 'original definition' has never meant 'removable storage'...

They also advise that the 'need' to use removable storage is 'flawed' and
"The devices are fine -- your expectations are not. Please fix your expectations."
WTF? Seriously?

I acknowledge this does not help the OP who just wanted to know how to save files to a 'removable' sdcard rather than to the device's internal 'external' storage, but it should help any developers reading this looking for same solution as I am.

[cfbush2000]

Today I saw a Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 at a great price. I decided to do a little forum reading first.
First, my Toshiba Excite has exactly the same problem. Second, the GT2 isn't much of a bargin at any price with 8 gb and no way to use the ext sd for data storage.
It's a shame.

[rclaw001]

and how does one swap internal to external on a gt p3113

this sysrem has yet to make sense

[rclaw001]

how?