App basics...

[DroidRick]

OK I'm going to cut right to the chase here.
The FAQ didn't answer any of these questions.

-What are the files needed to run any Android app?
-Where are they stored on your phone (exact folder location)?
-Where are their associated data files stored on the phone (exact folder location)?
-Why are the Skype files nowhere to be seen on your phone? Where is this app hiding?

TIA

 

[sitlet]

-What are the files needed to run any Android app?

I'm not sure what you mean by this. You dont "need" any files to install an app. You search for it on the Market, the phone downloads the install file and installs it.

-Where are they stored on your phone (exact folder location)?

That completely depends on the app. Some apps are stored on the internal memory, and cannot be accessed unless you are rooted. Some apps can be installed on the sd card. Where they are on the card completely depends on the app, but most apps will just create a folder on the SD card with the app's name. Some apps will install on the internal memory, but store extra data on the card.

-Where are their associated data files stored on the phone (exact folder location)?

They are stored in the System folder in your internal memory, but again, you cannot access this without being rooted.

-Why are the Skype files nowhere to be seen on your phone? Where is this app hiding?

Again, completely depends on what phone you have. If Skype was installed on your phone from the factory, you wont be able to access it.

 

[DroidRick]

Thanks for helping out Sitlet.
I don't know how you quite managed to do it, but despite addressing all of my questions, I still don't have any satisfactory answers.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. You dont "need" any files to install an app. You search for it on the Market, the phone downloads the install file and installs it.

Yes but if "The Market" ever stops carrying a certain app, which does happen from time to time, you are up a creek.
That is why I'd like to know where the necessary files to install/run an app are located on your phone. So I DON'T have to depend on The Market, when I may wipe out my internal drive.

...Some apps are stored on the internal memory, and cannot be accessed unless you are rooted. Some apps can be installed on the sd card. Where they are on the card completely depends on the app, but most apps will just create a folder on the SD card with the app's name. Some apps will install on the internal memory, but store extra data on the card.

OK, let's focus on apps that are stored in 'internal memory'.
I happen to have an app that I believe can access these files (despite my phone not being rooted). Are they located in \system\app and are the files
xxxxx.apk and xxxxx.odex?
Are these the only files required to run an app?
If they are copied onto a phone and placed in the \system\app folder, will the phone:
a) realize they are there
b) run the app as if it had been installed as a 'Market' download?

They are stored in the System folder in your internal memory, but again, you cannot access this without being rooted.

As mentioned above, I believe I have an app that can access them on my un-rooted phone.

Again, completely depends on what phone you have. If Skype was installed on your phone from the factory, you wont be able to access it.

Skype was NOT installed on my phone from the factory.
I downloaded it from the 'Market'.
And it is hiding somewhere on my phone now.

TIA

 

[Gigglephart]

If your phone is NOT rooted you will probably not be able to find it as it is on the system memory.
Unrooted will only allow you to see the SD card.

To install a file from SD card you would move that file usually a APK to the SD card and use a file manager to "run" it (tap on it). I know to install some files in ZIP form you must restart phone into BOOT mode and install from the Boot Menu *again Rooted and usually running a Boot Manager*

Probably be easier to get a explanation or answer to your questions if you are just specific on what you are trying to do. LOAD SKYPE for instance go HERE.

 

[DroidRick]

Thanks for helping out!
OK now I'll get more specific.

If your phone is NOT rooted you will probably not be able to find it as it is on the system memory.
Unrooted will only allow you to see the SD card.

Well I guess I'm a really lucky guy because I found an app that allows me to get at the SD card! (I am not rooted)
I just demonstrated this to myself now by digging down to the /system/app folder, copying some .apk and .odex files to my external sdcard, and then transferring them to my desktop computer!!!

To install a file from SD card you would move that file usually a APK to the SD card and use a file manager to "run" it (tap on it). I know to install some files in ZIP form you must restart phone into BOOT mode and install from the Boot Menu *again Rooted and usually running a Boot Manager*

Probably be easier to get a explanation or answer to your questions if you are just specific on what you are trying to do. LOAD SKYPE for instance go HERE.

OK I will explain more now.
If you go to the Skype site you will find that you only have one option
to install Skype.
You click on a link and it will install to your phone, the same as if you installed from 'The Market'.

This is fine if Skype will guarantee that you will FOREVER be able to download this app to your phone. But they can't!
They just terminated the Skype downloads to Windows Mobile phones and other ones early last year, with no prior warning. They also pulled the plug on Nimbuzz with no warning late last year.

THIS IS THE REASON that I'd like to have my own BACKUP copy of the Skype .apk file (and any other program file needed top run/install the app)
sitting on my desktop computer and on a burned CD disk.

So far, searching the internet I have not found a single person who has mentioned where/how we can get these Skype .apk files to save to our phones/desktop (not install them, just save them).

I hope it's clear now what I'd like to do.

And also I will repeat what I said earlier, I can not find any of my installed Skype files on my phone. Can you, and if so where are they stored?

TIA

 

[snapper.fishes]

In Eclair, all apps are stored under /system/app. You can access this folder on a non-rooted phone using ES File Manager. I believe that Astro can also do the same job.

Starting from Froyo, developers can dictate where they want an app to be stored. Most of the time (if not all) they are stored in /data/app, which is only accessible with rooted explorer or adb, hence you need a rooted phone. You can download an app called "Android Mate" to help you locate elusive apps. It's a launcher. Long click on a program and select properties. The location will be shown there.

For market apps, the only file you need to install an app is the apk file itself. However, the apk file does not contain any data, so all your game saves/settings/etc. will not be restored. Titanium backup can restore data, which I suspect is simply things in the /data/data folder. Check it out.

All system apps, i.e. pre-installed apps are in the /system/app folder. They are also the only apps that come with .odex files. Odex files are optimisation files that optimises the application of the hardware of your phone. Custom roms do not have odex files because all their apps are deodexed, a process that puts the odex file in the apk file. In addition, some system apps requires (multiple) lib files which are stored in /system/lib. It can be difficult to identify which ones are needed since lib files can have completely different names.

You cannot download apk files from the market. Why? Copyright. It cannot be done. But you can copy them from the /data/app folder if you have a rooted phone (if you are still on Eclair, you don't need to be rooted). Is this illegal? I am not sure. But distributing apk files of paid apps certainly will be.

 

[DroidRick]

Thanks Snapper for your comprehensive answer!
This is really helpful for me.

Rest assured I am not attempting to do anything illegal.
I simply would like to have a backup of Skype that's all (and my other apps/data as well).

Since I upgraded to Froyo a couple of weeks ago it seems I'll have to root my phone in order to get to Skype.

I understand that your warranty is voided if you root.
But I thought I read that you can un-root.
If you can, and you do it, is your warranty back in the business again?

 

[sitlet]

I understand that your warranty is voided if you root.
But I thought I read that you can un-root.
If you can, and you do it, is your warranty back in the business again?

Yep, all you have to do is unroot and flash a stock rom, and your phone will be just like new.

 

[mjn]

Is there a way to choose where the app is installed(by choose I mean SD or internal memory, not talking different folders).

I ask because I just installed an app on my rooted phone, the app has many toggle widgets(widgetsoid). A few of these switches arent working so in reading about the app it say s DO NOT install on SD card. I looked and its installed to the SD, all I did was install from market.

My first thought was to connect to the phone to a pc as a disk drive making the sd unavailable, then reinstall this app from market. But I thought I would check here first.

I would also like to know for the future.

 

[DroidRick]

Snapper there was one question I asked that you missed:

... located in \system\app and are the files
xxxxx.apk and xxxxx.odex?
Are these the only files required to run an app?
If they are copied onto a phone and placed in the \system\app folder, will the phone:
a) realize they are there
b) run the app as if it had been installed as a 'Market' download?

Or in other words, does Android need to register the files somewhere to know they are there (like Windows), and simply copying these files to the \system\app folder alone, won't allow them to run?
For example, where would the icon to launch this app come from?

TIA