Help may i know where widgets and app store datas?

[Gaia]

Hi to all

i'm new

may i ask you ?
may i know where widgets and apps store their datas?

i know i can move an app from the internal sd to the external sd

but for example Yahoo Weather or 1Weather (one of my favorite widget ) where does they store their datas (pictures , gill animated photos and so on )?

and may i know the different between apps and widgets ?


thanks

 

[Hadron]

Welcome

I'm afraid it's not simple. Some apps store data files on SD (or the internal storage emulating an sd card), but in general an app's internal data is stored in /data/data/<app package name>. You need to be rooted to look at that area, and moving apps to SD does not move that. Since you mention a weather app, it's common for such an app to store graphics it uses for the widget on /sdcard, but the current weather data will be in /data/data. It is however possible that the whole lot is in /data/data.

In fact when you say "I know I can move an app from internal to external" that raises questions, because since 4.0 most devices don't allow that (it was only standard in 2.2 and 2.3, though some manufacturers added it back for some of their devices, and it only ever moved part of the app anyway). Also moving apps with widgets to SD (i.e. real SD, not the emulated "internal" sd) will break the widgets - they may work for a while, but they'll fail the next time you reboot.

As for the difference between apps and widgets, they are not really different things. A widget is a live or interactive image on the homescreen, showing live data provided by an app (a clock, weather display, calendar, etc) or allowing interaction with an app (e.g. controlling a music player). Some apps do nothing except provide a widget, some do not have widgets at all, and some apps have a "normal" app and a widget (e.g. a calendar app may provide a widget which lets you display your calendar on the homescreen, and if you click on that opens the calendar app, but you can also use the calendar app even if you don't use the widget). So a widget is an interactive or updating tile, as opposed to a static icon, provided by an app.

 

[funkylogik]

Glad you explained that one mate

 

[Gaia]

Welcome

I'm afraid it's not simple. Some apps store data files on SD (or the internal storage emulating an sd card), but in general an app's internal data is stored in /data/data/<app package name>. You need to be rooted to look at that area, and moving apps to SD does not move that. Since you mention a weather app, it's common for such an app to store graphics it uses for the widget on /sdcard, but the current weather data will be in /data/data. It is however possible that the whole lot is in /data/data.

In fact when you say "I know I can move an app from internal to external" that raises questions, because since 4.0 most devices don't allow that (it was only standard in 2.2 and 2.3, though some manufacturers added it back for some of their devices, and it only ever moved part of the app anyway). Also moving apps with widgets to SD (i.e. real SD, not the emulated "internal" sd) will break the widgets - they may work for a while, but they'll fail the next time you reboot.

As for the difference between apps and widgets, they are not really different things. A widget is a live or interactive image on the homescreen, showing live data provided by an app (a clock, weather display, calendar, etc) or allowing interaction with an app (e.g. controlling a music player). Some apps do nothing except provide a widget, some do not have widgets at all, and some apps have a "normal" app and a widget (e.g. a calendar app may provide a widget which lets you display your calendar on the homescreen, and if you click on that opens the calendar app, but you can also use the calendar app even if you don't use the widget). So a widget is an interactive or updating tile, as opposed to a static icon, provided by an app.

Hi Hadron
thanks a lot!!
for your exhaustive answer

my device is not rooted

about

"I know I can move an app from internal to external"

i was able (i guess) to move to external sd viber , telegram,airdroid (not other applications)


seeing " Some apps store data files on SD (or the internal storage emulating an sd card), but in general an app's internal data is stored in /data/data/<app package name>. You need to be rooted to look at that area, and moving apps to SD does not move that." and seeing that when i uninstall an application ( i clean cache and data and after i unintall them ) they leave always folders and files , a program like clean master is almost useless ,isn't it ?

because it can't remove files from the internal sd (or the internal storage emulating an sd card)

i'm right ?

thanks you so much again and sorry for my poor english

 

[Hadron]

Clearing an app's cache and data is a good thing to do before uninstalling it, but that only clears the stuff on /data/data. There's a little app called "SD Maid" that you can use to find folders that have been abandoned on the sd card (real or "internal").

Clean Master is a piece of crap that will slow your phone down while collecting your personal data. They also use dodgy techniques to distribute it (e.g. adware that downloads it without you asking). Seriously, delete it and anything else by Cheetah Mobile.

 

[Gaia]

Clearing an app's cache and data is a good thing to do before uninstalling it, but that only clears the stuff on /data/data. There's a little app called "SD Maid" that you can use to find folders that have been abandoned on the sd card (real or "internal").
.

hi
thanks
so sd maid can clean files in the internal and sd external menory even the device is not rooted,can't it?

and for example an application like airdroid ,i have the option to move in the sd , does it move to the external real sd ?

cheers

 

[Hadron]

SD Maid can clear "internal SD" easily enough. "External" SD without root probably depends on Android version - I'd expect 4.4 not to work because of the security model used in that release (only the app that created a folder can write to it).

I've actually not used Airdroid, but if the partition is called /sdcard or /sdcard0 that is "internal" (i.e. internal storage pretending to be an SD card). It depends on your android version (and, with an older device, manufacturer), but /sdcard1 would be a physical sd card.