Not using external SD Card

[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

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[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:
Storage Options | Android Developers

NOT Helpful.


Update 2013/04/28 - found this as the best answer for developers to use 'removable' external storage -
How can I get external SD card path for Android 4.0+? - Stack Overflow

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'...
java - File.canWrite() returns false on some devices although WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission provided - Stack Overflow
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?

 

[Matiur Sumon]

samsung galaxy tab 2 sucks ...

 

[Torch6576]

It is confusing as to why Samsung would choose to emulate an sd card (an external removable memory media format) using internal memory then make the actual physically removable sd cards into external sd cards. Doesn't the definition of internal mean inside? Is every app developer supposed to create two separate versions of the same app. One version for all the devices that use the standards in memory media configuration and a second just for Samsung devices. Just because Samsung decided to change things. What was wrong with the usual system memory-internal memory-sdcard configuration we all live by?

 

[bernster123]

I have has the same problem with a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 i.e the tablet tells me there is insufficient memory when downloading an app. My internal memory(sdcard0) is 11GB but I have a 32GB external card (Extsdcard). I have solved it this way:

Use My Files app. Take note of all media-type files by opening up the internal sdcard0 file: Image, Video, Music and if you want to move: Documents. Sometimes the image and video files are under DCIM as Photo and Video. Reproduce these files names by 'Add files' under the Extsdcard. Now return to sdacard and by cutting and pasting you can transfer files from sd to extsd under their respective files. This should mean that the amount of memory used in the internal memory is much reduced (leaving space for apps) while there is some space now taken in the external card.

Now go to Settings under My Files and set the image, video, music and document directories to point at the Extsdcard and not the internal sdcard0. In future all media/document transfers and downloads will end up in the inserted SD card. I have tried playing my inbuilt Music Player and it works well after the transfer.

 

[SHAH WASI]

Samsung galaxy grand Sd card not showing in gallery and music plaryer but its show only in file I want use it in gallery so what I do plz tell me....

 

[Homer_S]

I follow bernster123 right up to "Now go to Settings under My Files and set the image, video, music and document directories to point at the Extsdcard" Can anyone explain this to me? I don't see any such choice in settings. Does this require root?

Thanks,
Homer

 

[Dr Triffid]

In the settings pane, the options for "Select Directories" are for images, video, music and documents. Each of those shows a path that should be something like "storage/sdcard0/DCIM" or /music or /whatever. Tapping one of those options should take you to a screen that presents destination choices of sdcard or extsdcard.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Homer_S]

In the settings pane, the options for "Select Directories" are for images, video, music and documents. Each of those shows a path that should be something like "storage/sdcard0/DCIM" or /music or /whatever. Tapping one of those options should take you to a screen that presents destination choices of sdcard or extsdcard.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

All I see are Show hidden files and Show file extensions.

Homer

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Dr Triffid]

No "Select Directories" below that? Is your card recognized by your device?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Homer_S]

No "Select Directories" below that? Is your card recognized by your device?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

Yes. I can browse to it and launch files from it. I suspect it is something Samsung is saving me from. Like using the SD card they provided a slot for. They might as well just skip it and save me $100. Oh wait, If I was OK with that, I would have gotten an iPad for the same price.

Homer

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Homer_S]

Double checked. The directory selection is on my Galaxy S4 and not on my Galaxy Note 10.1 2014.

Homer

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Dr Triffid]

When you first got the card, did you reformat it through the device?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Homer_S]

When you first got the card, did you reformat it through the device?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AC Forums mobile app

Yes. I did a test with a different card to be sure. Same result. No options to reset directories. Thanks for trying to work through it with me.

Homer

Posted via Android Central App

 

[jenden]

I just got this message from DroidTV regarding this problem:The new KitKat operating system has caused many issues, chief among which for our purposes is the removal of the SD memory storage capability.* We have a new version that should be available next month.* We are working hard to make sure that the next version will address all of the issues causes by this new OS, as well as include compatibility with Chromecast and a few other new technologies and a new User Interface that will bring greater value to users with larger screens.* The release of the next version should coincide with our return to Google Play.* We are anxiously awaiting that day and we expect it to come this month.* Sorry for any delays.