Help Lets talk about the file system on Galaxy 5

[Cremaster]

I have been exploring my files on my phone. I have used several file explorers and they all show different file structures. Can someone explain this.

 

[scary alien]

Welcome to our AndroidForums, Cremaster .

Can you elaborate a little bit on what differences you're seeing (screenshots perhaps)?

Pretty sure the differences will simply be in how the file explorers are presenting the information/layout/structure to you.

There are some confusing aspects of the "SD card" for devices that don't have a true external storage (micro SD card, etc.) and where you're "SD card" is actually part of your /data partition (usually /data/media).

 

[Crashdamage]

I think what you're referring to is file listings like these and what the difference is between them:

1. /mnt/sdcard/
2. sdcard
3. Storage/Emulated/0

They're all the same. That is, all 3 are different paths to the same storage space. The different paths are provided for compatibility with various apps.

 

[funkylogik]

Isn't there even /legacy or is that something different?

 

[scary alien]

Isn't there even /legacy or is that something different?

Yep! Among other "views":

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Scary Alien>adb shell
* daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
* daemon started successfully *
shell@hammerhead:/ $ cd /sdcard
cd /sdcard
shell@hammerhead:/sdcard $ touch where-am-i.txt
shell@hammerhead:/sdcard $ su
root@hammerhead:/mnt/shell/emulated/0 # find / -name 'where-am-i.txt' 2> /dev/null
/storage/emulated/legacy/where-am-i.txt
/storage/emulated/0/where-am-i.txt
/mnt/shell/emulated/0/where-am-i.txt
/data/media/0/where-am-i.txt
1|root@hammerhead:/mnt/shell/emulated/0 # ll /sdcard/where-am-i.txt
-rw-rw---- root sdcard_r 0 2015-06-29 13:24 where-am-i.txt
root@hammerhead:/mnt/shell/emulated/0 #​

 

[funkylogik]

Waaaay over my head good brother.... You should know I ain't that bright

 

[lunatic59]

Scary's trying to scare you.

Let me 'splain ... no there is too much. Let me sum up.

He opened an ADB schell on his Windows PC, created a file on the virtual sdcard and then listed all the locations in can be found from. Then to further confuse you, he showed the properties of the file.

 

[Crashdamage]

@Funky:
Translation:

1. He started the adb shell program on a Windows 7 machine to access the phone and gain root access to it.
2. He changed the directory 'cd' to /sdcard.
3. He created 'touch' a new text file 'where-am-i.txt' for the results of his query (coming up).
4. He did 'su' (superuser) to become root. The command prompt changes from $ (user) to # (root).
5. He did a search 'find' for /emulated.
You see several results.
6. He saved the output in /sdcard/where-am-i.txt, the file created earlier.

Linux isn't hard. It just takes practice like anything else.

 

[Cremaster]

Welcome to our AndroidForums, Cremaster .

Can you elaborate a little bit on what differences you're seeing (screenshots perhaps)?

Pretty sure the differences will simply be in how the file explorers are presenting the information/layout/structure to you.

There are some confusing aspects of the "SD card" for devices that don't have a true external storage (micro SD card, etc.) and where you're "SD card" is actually part of your /data partition (usually /data/media).

Thanks Alien and the rest of you guys that have responded. As that was my first post I assumed that I would not be allowed to post pix. I will get a few up.

I think that the file structure has lots of short cuts and these are represented by folders that do not indicate that they are short cuts. Someone has indicated this and I was suspecting such. I will post a few screen shots tonight.

 

[funkylogik]

All I heard was bla bla bla guys sorry and thanks for trying to explain quantum physics to a monkey but if I EVER need to know any of this stuff I'll put on my clever spectacles and ask again lol.
Cheers guys

 

[funkylogik]

Thanks Alien and the rest of you guys that have responded. As that was my first post I assumed that I would not be allowed to post pix. I will get a few up.

I think that the file structure has lots of short cuts and these are represented by folders that do not indicate that they are short cuts. Someone has indicated this and I was suspecting such. I will post a few screen shots tonight.

And I have a feeling you have it in a nutshell mate

 

[Cremaster]

 

[lunatic59]

Yep all the same files/folders. Just different ways of getting there. It's like when you give directions to your house ... there's the most direct, the easiest to follow, the least amount of traffic and the one you give to your grandfather who will probably get lost anyway.

 

[funkylogik]

^^^^now THAT made perfect sense

 

[EarlyMon]

The shortcuts exist to support legacy apps dealing with the evolution of Android.

In the beginning, there was only the sd card and that's all there was to it.

Phones got more complicated and the Android access methods that developers use have changed and expanded over time to deal with that.

Rather than making the developers change their apps with every new generation the phone makers simply add more shortcuts.

 

[scary alien]

^^^^now THAT made perfect sense

[edit: sorry for not elaborating or following-up sooner guys, I stepped out for lunch (Mexican) and shopping (hardware store ) with my wife and daughter ]

 

[lunatic59]

Would now be a good time to discuss how the file system changed with 4.x and the virtualization of volumes? Or the difference between shortcuts and symlinks? Or how much technojargon it takes to make funky's head explode?

...and shopping (hardware store ) with my wife and daughter

They sell shoes at the hardware store?

 

[funkylogik]

[edit: sorry for not elaborating or following-up sooner guys, I stepped out for lunch (Mexican) and shopping (hardware store ) with my wife and daughter ]

Mmm wish we had Mexican here and a daughter!
You're a lucky lucky man (bit too clever for my liking but we could probably be buds in real life)

 

[Cremaster]

Thanks again guys. I have another question but I will start a new thread. I had peanut-butter sandwich today, btw. No time for Mexican. Which file manager/viewer do you thing is most useful?

 

[funkylogik]

Can't find new thread can you link it please buddy?
PS have you tried a peanut butter sandwich with grated cheese? (thank me later)

 

[lunatic59]

I think this is the thread.

Not going to comment on the sandwich.

 

[EarlyMon]

Thanks again guys. I have another question but I will start a new thread. I had peanut-butter sandwich today, btw. No time for Mexican. Which file manager/viewer do you thing is most useful?

I use X-plore, same as you.

Put in two cents in the other thread.

Here's two more - there's always time for Mexican!!

 

[funkylogik]

I think this is the thread.

Not going to comment on the sandwich.

Lmao cheers mucker and don't knock it...... All I'm sayin....