Android Data folder restrictions on Android 11

Lumbeeslayer · 12-15-2021, 12:40 PM #1

I'm trying to copy a texture pack folder over, but due to the Android 11 restrictions put in place in that directory, I can't copy anything over! I'm using the Sony Xperia Pro-I. I tried different file manager apps, but they all failed to copy the texture pack over. This ticks me off, Google is becoming more like Apple now with taking away user control! Windows, Linux, MacOS are so far ahead and in terms of user freedom than mobile OS's! Is there no way around this issue without rooting my brand new phone???

**mbc07** · 12-15-2021, 07:19 PM #2

There's two workarounds at the moment: connect the phone to a computer via USB and use it to transfer the files, or use the built-in system file manager (it's the only app which retains full access to the Android folder on Android 11 and newer). You can launch it via the shortcut available in the Dolphin app (Settings => Config => User Data => Open System File Manager)...

Lumbeeslayer · (This post was last modified: 12-15-2021, 09:10 PM by Lumbeeslayer.)

(12-15-2021, 07:19 PM)mbc07 Wrote: There's two workarounds at the moment: connect the phone to a computer via USB and use it to transfer the files, or use the built-in system file manager (it's the only app which retains full access to the Android folder on Android 11 and newer). You can launch it via the shortcut available in the Dolphin app (Settings => Config => User Data => Open System File Manager)...

I forgot to mention, unfortunately I had already tried transferring from my PC via USB, but the file doesn't get copied, not even a single byte. Seems like the Android OS isn't even allowing access to the directory via USB. Access via Dolphin also is a failed option, I get the error "Sorry, Dolphin couldn't find the system file manager on your device". Sony switched from using their own File Manger app to Google's "Files by Google", stupid decision on them! Anyways, opening the Google File Manager app itself, navigating to Internal Storage>Android>Data shows nothing, the folder is hidden even within the "Files by Google" app! This is ridiculous! For a $1,800 Phone, it shouldn't be such a pain to use!

**mbc07** · 12-15-2021, 10:57 PM #4

(12-15-2021, 08:25 PM)Lumbeeslayer Wrote: Access via Dolphin also is a failed option, I get the error "Sorry, Dolphin couldn't find the system file manager on your device".

There was a bug in Dolphin which prevented launching the DocumentsUI (the system file manager) even when it existed on the device, it got fixed on 5.0-15615. That version isn't available on the Play Store yet, if you don't want to wait, you can download the APK from our website, but keep in mind it can't be installed on top of the Play Store version (you'll need to uninstall it first).

Other alternative is using the Activity Launcher app, it'll list all activities from all apps installed on your device, locate the "Files" app (not Files by Google, that's a different app) and launch the "com.android.documentsui.files.FilesActivity". That will launch the DocumentsUI app, it's the only one that retains full access to the Android folder (at least for now)...

Lumbeeslayer · 12-16-2021, 10:56 AM #5

(12-15-2021, 10:57 PM)mbc07 Wrote: There was a bug in Dolphin which prevented launching the DocumentsUI (the system file manager) even when it existed on the device, it got fixed on 5.0-15615. That version isn't available on the Play Store yet, if you don't want to wait, you can download the APK from our website, but keep in mind it can't be installed on top of the Play Store version (you'll need to uninstall it first).

Other alternative is using the Activity Launcher app, it'll list all activities from all apps installed on your device, locate the "Files" app (not Files by Google, that's a different app) and launch the "com.android.documentsui.files.FilesActivity". That will launch the DocumentsUI app, it's the only one that retains full access to the Android folder (at least for now)...

Shoot! I was able to copy it over using the Activity Launcher to launch the "Files" app, however, I had to move the texture pack down 1 directory at a time until I was finally able to move it to the texture pack load folder because if I copied or move it, the directory would be hidden, unfortunately Android OS ended up deleting the file after a while! The best solution to this whole Android 11 file restriction issue is to have Dolphin create its configuration/settings folders outside the Android Data folder, what's the timeline for an update like this to happen?

**mbc07** · 12-16-2021, 02:18 PM #6

(12-16-2021, 10:56 AM)Lumbeeslayer Wrote: The best solution to this whole Android 11 file restriction issue is to have Dolphin create its configuration/settings folders outside the Android Data folder, what's the timeline for an update like this to happen?

Well, it won't happen.

Dolphin used to store the user folder under Internal Storage => dolphin-emu, but since November, new apps and updates to existing apps on the Play Store must target API 30 (Android 11). By targeting API 30, the app must comply with Scoped Storage, so it can only read/write to specific locations and that's why Dolphin now defaults to Android => data => org.dolphinemu.dolphinemu. You can read more about that on this progress report and on this wiki page...

notmiguel · 12-16-2021, 11:21 PM #7

(12-16-2021, 10:56 AM)Lumbeeslayer Wrote: Shoot! I was able to copy it over using the Activity Launcher to launch the "Files" app, however, I had to move the texture pack down 1 directory at a time until I was finally able to move it to the texture pack load folder because if I copied or move it, the directory would be hidden, unfortunately Android OS ended up deleting the file after a while! The best solution to this whole Android 11 file restriction issue is to have Dolphin create its configuration/settings folders outside the Android Data folder, what's the timeline for an update like this to happen?

Just use ES File Explorer to copy the folder

Shady Guy Jose · 12-17-2021, 06:30 AM #8

(12-15-2021, 08:25 PM)Lumbeeslayer Wrote: I forgot to mention, unfortunately I had already tried transferring from my PC via USB, but the file doesn't get copied, not even a single byte. Seems like the Android OS isn't even allowing access to the directory via USB. Access via Dolphin also is a failed option, I get the error "Sorry, Dolphin couldn't find the system file manager on your device". Sony switched from using their own File Manger app to Google's "Files by Google", stupid decision on them! Anyways, opening the Google File Manager app itself, navigating to Internal Storage>Android>Data shows nothing, the folder is hidden even within the "Files by Google" app! This is ridiculous! For a $1,800 Phone, it shouldn't be such a pain to use!

Let's hope @JosJuice sees this. This is the same issue I had a while back (the USB part), so it's clearly not limited to OnePlus. I checked AetherSX2's scoped storage folder too, and it doesn't have the same issue, so it seems to be a Dolphin problem... Right now, I have it working with legacy external storage, but we should still try to figure out what's wrong...

**JosJuice** · 12-17-2021, 06:45 AM #9

(12-17-2021, 06:30 AM)Shady Guy Jose Wrote: Let's hope @JosJuice sees this. This is the same issue I had a while back (the USB part), so it's clearly not limited to OnePlus.

Yep, I'm reading every post here. Still not sure what's causing the issue, though.

(12-17-2021, 06:30 AM)Shady Guy Jose Wrote: I checked AetherSX2's scoped storage folder too, and it doesn't have the same issue, so it seems to be a Dolphin problem...

Now that is very interesting!