f-droid install [Was: Re: Can't connect FTP server to pc]

[Andrew]

This feature has been removed from the Play Store version of Total
Commander at Google's request.
Install a third party installer app from us or a third party.

You can install first the f-droid app to install f-droid packages.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-Droid

I've said #1 many times, so it's bothersome to have to repeat it.
But it's important for people to realize the status of that app.

#1.
The F-Droid app is deprecated. Not the site. But the Android app.
I've spoken to the F-Droid developers themselves and it's well
documented on XDA so the main takeaway is do not use the F-Droid app.

Use the F-Droid Basic app instead.
<https://f-droid.org/packages/org.fdroid.basic/>

Note: It's kind of like Truecrypt versus Veracrypt, where there's
nothing known to be wrong but that the developers have abandoned it.

#2.
It's quite common for the Google Play Store version of a great app
to be restricted in ways that the F-Droid repository app is not.

Examples abound such as OSMAnd+, NetGuard, SimpleMobileTools pro, etc.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.faircode.netguard>
<https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/releases>

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.osmand.plus>
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.osmand.plus/>

<https://play.google.com/store/search?q=simple%20mobile%20tools%20pro&c=apps>
<https://search.f-droid.org/?q=simplemobiletools>

#3.
My suggestion is to never use either app because it's trivial to
just download the desired F-Droid-hosted APK from your PC which
automatically puts it onto your Android phone (in so many ways
it's not funny so I won't delve into any of them in this post).

Suffice to say that the installation itself on Android automatically
saves every installer APK onto your Windows PC app archive.

#4.
My suggestion is to never use the Google Play Store client to
obtain apps from the Google Play Store, but to use a FOSS client.
You get the exact same app (literally, because it is the same app).
But with a much better GUI. These Google Play Store clients abound.

The Google Play Store client that I use is this one.
<https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore/-/releases>

#5.
My suggestion is to COMBINE two GUIs (whether or not you use my
previous suggestion), to add the Google Play Store search GUI
which is so fantastic that I'd put it in the top five best apps.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=scadica.aq>

With that Google Play Store repository search GUI (based on
Github open source code) you can search for ANYTHING (and I
mean anything). None of which the Google Play Store clients do.

[Andrew]

You can also do it with FTPUse but I prefer WebDAV for the reliability
but as far as I can tell, the main difference between them is the
port.

All I ever do is connect the Samsung A12 to a USB and then open up file
manager and go to Samsung direstory DCIM and copy them to my computer.

Yup. That's what almost everyone does. And what they've always done.
Me too, if that's what I want to do. Nothing wrong with USB file transfer.

The difference is I partition and all my data and photographs are
on my E: partition so I never had to copy to C.

A partition isn't the same thing as a drive, but I get what you mean.
I agree, the drive letter is completely under your personal control.

The reason the (arbitrary) drive letter matters to me is I have
scripts which copy files and those scripts expect the same drive letter.

Although, I find I have to use two WebDAV servers though to see the entire
(non-rooted) Android phone for read/write (one for the external sdcard).

So my Android phone is actually mounted on Windows as _two_ drive letters.
No big deal though, as there are many free SMB/CIFs, WebDAV & FTP servers.

Another answer might be to try to copy the files to a flash drive and then
see if he can copy from the flash drive to where he wants the photographs.

There are so many good ways to copy between Android & Windows, that it's
not funny. I can probably come up with a dozen ways, all of which work.

While "FTP" & "SSH" might be some of those ways, they'd be last on my list.

I have not tried this because I have never had any complications copying
files from my phone to my computer and also photographs I took with my
camera that are on my computer to the phone. What he wants to do can be
performed without the complication of FTP.

Agree.
I have no idea why he's doing what he's doing but he must have a reason.

[Andrew]

If I start the app "primitive ftpd" on my tablet, it displays
the used IP address (for example 192.168.178.97) and the used
port (default: 12345).

In addition to "mounting" as a drive letter (which I do with WebDAV),
there is also "mapping" Android over FPT as a drive letter.
https://www.ferrobackup.com/map-ftp-as-disk.html

Others like Paul would know more than I do because there is a difference
between mapping a "network drive" and mounting as a "drive letter".
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/map-an-ftp-drive-windows
http://www.turbo-ftp.com/docs/Map_FTP_server_as_a_Local_Disk_Drive_on_Windows/
https://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/map-ftp-server-as-local-disk-with-ftpuse/
https://www.ryadel.com/en/map-ftp-server-folder-windows-drive-letter-using-ftpuse/
https://www.wintips.org/map-ftp-to-local-drive-letter-windows/

Permanent drive letters are particularly nice when scripts are written
although I think it was you (or maybe someone else?) who once wrote a
script that figures out the drive letter automatically of a USB stick
(which I had used for years).

Back to mounting versus mapping, I'm not sure the difference but others
who know more than I do about Windows can help explain which is what.
https://cloudmounter.net/mount-webdav-as-local-drive/
https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

Regarind "mapping" vs "mounting" a drive, there are also cloud-mounting
solutions, but I don't use them, so again, others will know more than I do.
https://www.netdrive.net/

[Andrew]

Good idea. Can you give me an example of how to do that?

It's not only a "good idea" but it's one of the "best ideas" on
Windows to *mount* your Android phone as a drive letter over Wi-Fi.

That way you can save DIRECTLY to Android (or to Windows).
You can copy DIRECTLY to Android (or to Windows).

It has been described and discussed a thousand times already
on both the Android and Windows newsgroups, so I'll just summarize.

There are very few things you can do that have no cons, only pros.
This is one of them as I can't think of a single thing bad about it.

Here's what I'd recommend you do...
1. Install any free WebDAV server on Android, for example one of these.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zq.webdav.app_free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theolivetree.webdavserver
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=slowscript.httpfileserver
2. When you set it up, that determines the Windows "Net Use" arguments
For example, the default root is always "DavWWWRoot".
The default port is usually "8080".
There is no default user, so you can set that up to anything.
It doesn't have to be the user/password on Windows.
The IP address is whatever the phone's IP address is.
Generally if you do this every day, then you want it to be static.
3. Here's an example command assuming those arguments were set above.

Net use Z: \\192.168.1.160 (which port?) \Mountpoint /USER:slauf password
Should that work?

a. The port is set up when you set up the free WebDAV server
b. The username & password are optional
c. But if that's what you set them up as, then that will work

There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows

Here are some that popped up from that search.
https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

[Fokke Nauta]

Post by Andrew
Here's what I'd recommend you do...
1. Install any free WebDAV server on Android, for example one of these.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zq.webdav.app_free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theolivetree.webdavserver
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=slowscript.httpfileserver
2. When you set it up, that determines the Windows "Net Use" arguments
For example, the default root is always "DavWWWRoot".
The default port is usually "8080".
There is no default user, so you can set that up to anything.
It doesn't have to be the user/password on Windows.
The IP address is whatever the phone's IP address is.
Generally if you do this every day, then you want it to be static.
3. Here's an example command assuming those arguments were set above.

Net use Z: \\192.168.1.160 (which port?) \Mountpoint /USER:slauf password
Should that work?

a. The port is set up when you set up the free WebDAV server
b. The username & password are optional
c. But if that's what you set them up as, then that will work
There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
Here are some that popped up from that search.
https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!
Great!

Fokke

[Andrew]

Post by Fokke Nauta

Post by Andrew
There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
Here are some that popped up from that search.
https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!

Glad WebDav worked for you to mount Android as a drive letter on Windows.
Nothing is as reliable as USB but you don't get a drive letter with USB.

If SMB wasn't so problematic overall, that would be probably a good choice.

I've tried every method possible, and for mounting Android to Windows
as a drive letter over Wi-Fi, there's nothing else more compatible.

There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.

[Fokke Nauta]

Post by Andrew

Post by Fokke Nauta

Post by Andrew
There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
Here are some that popped up from that search.
https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!

Glad WebDav worked for you to mount Android as a drive letter on Windows.
Nothing is as reliable as USB but you don't get a drive letter with USB.
If SMB wasn't so problematic overall, that would be probably a good choice.
I've tried every method possible, and for mounting Android to Windows
as a drive letter over Wi-Fi, there's nothing else more compatible.
There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.

Well, once again, thanks very much. I'm happy that this works, and I
learned again something. Didn't know about WebDav.

Fokke

[Andrew]

Post by Fokke Nauta

Post by Andrew
There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.

Well, once again, thanks very much. I'm happy that this works, and I
learned again something. Didn't know about WebDav.

Glad it worked - but did you use DavWWWRoot or an Android directory?

I've always had syntactical problems specifying Android file specs
so I've always given up by mounting its root instead of a deeper folder.

As for the other ways, here are instructions for FTPUse for those who wish
to try it out, but if you've mounted with WebDAV already, no need for this.
https://www.ferrobackup.com/map-ftp-as-disk.html

For others to take a look at, these are other mounting solutions I tested.
NetDrive http://netdrive.net/
SFTPNetDrive https://www.nsoftware.com/sftp/netdrive/
DirectNetDrive http://www.directnet-drive.net/
MTPDrive http://mtpdrive.com/download.html
LibMTP https://sourceforge.net/projects/libmtp/
FTPDrive http://www.killprog.com/fdrve.html
WebDrive https://webdrive.com/download/
And probably a few other methods I've tested, as that's all from memory.

I wish I could find a good Android SMB to Windows tutorial as CIFs is just
about the only possible solution out there that has a chance to be better.

The reason I have so much trouble setting up a basic SMB client on Android
to work with the native Windows CIFs server is I don't know Windows well.

[Andrew]

Post by Andrew
Glad it worked - but did you use DavWWWRoot or an Android directory?

Yes, I used DavWWWRoot. And no password.

Thanks for confirming, as it's not intuitive that every WebDav server uses
the same keyword for the home folder, where there is no folder actually
called "DavWWRoot" (just like there is no folder actually called "root").

In the beginning I tried to mount a specific folder of Android onto Windows
over WI-Fi as a drive letter with WebDav, such as the internal sdcard
folder /storage/emulated/0/Download or such as the external sdcard folder
/storage/xxxx-xxxx/DCIM (where the xxxx-xxxx is the uniquely formatted
volume identification label of the micro sd card which - if you're smart -
you'll format on Windows so that you can set it to a rememberable value).

After a while, I just gave up and used the keyword "DavWWWRoot" instead.

Since it mounts the top level (slash) directory, it's more clicks.
But an advantage is that it's the entire phone.

Once again, thanks for the information.

Were you able to get the entire phone (both sd cards) mounted using a
single WebDav server? Some WebDav servers have multiple ports, but most
only have one port assignment.

Usually I use two different WebDAV servers to mount both sd cards (one
WebDAV server per sdcard) but then I have to deal with two different GUIs.

It would be nice to figure out the best way to mount both sdcards (internal
and external) without having to deal with multiple WebDAV servers.