Develop Bugs

[Q] How to change file permissions without using root explorer?

Im new at this, just rooted my phone yesterday . Im trying to download the sprint navigation apk because, well, i like it. Ive read other posts and they all talk about using chmod and i honestly have no idea what that is. If you could tell me how to change system/app folder permissions to read write instead of just read so i can move the .apk in that folder thatd be great

Ignorance1 said:
Im new at this, just rooted my phone yesterday . Im trying to download the sprint navigation apk because, well, i like it. Ive read other posts and they all talk about using chmod and i honestly have no idea what that is. If you could tell me how to change system/app folder permissions to read write instead of just read so i can move the .apk in that folder thatd be great
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download ES File Explorer from the market. Go into settings and root options. Check the Root Explorer box, the HIAPK will already be checked. Then check mount file system. When you are all done, before exiting go back and uncheck mount and root, or you may have trouble running it a second time reading the sd card. Not all have this problem.

You can also just install the Sprint Nav apk conventionally to data. It doesn't have to be in system/app.

Thanks Kenny...worked perfectly. Used it to remove the camera shutter file in system/media/audio/ui so the camera wouldn't make noise when taking pics. It was an r only file.

[Q]Best File Manager/Explorer?

Was wondering what other Galaxy Nexus owners use as a filer manger. Used to use Explorer (not root) on my old phone, but it does not display properly on the GNex.
I am open to the "Icon" style GUI's though I tend to like the list style better. I don't mind pay-for apps.

I use ES file explorer.. I like the GUI and it works fine on the GN

Root Explorer is the best I've found. A recent update made it possible to open most if not all file types from the app. I was using Astro to do that but now that Root Explorer can do i as well it's a one stop shop for me.
There is a new free alternative to Root Explorer called Root Browser. I used it a little a few weeks back on my Droid 3 but it doesn't seem a mature as Root Explorer so I haven't used it since.

Everybody has his own preference but the 3 main ones I've noticed around are
ES File explorer
File Expert
Root Explorer

ES File Exlporer doesn't get to ALL files though does it? I have root explorer , but I can't update.....some crazy mess going on with that app , in the market( only for me though). I am still on version 2.16. Is root browser pretty much the same as root explorer ?

The best File explorers/managers you can get are:
Androzip
because of it's easy-to-use interface and because of it's understandable options
ES file Explorer
This app coninces due to it's colourful interface. It has good and accecable controls, and it barely interfears with anything...
The only thing that bothers me, though, is that you have to multi-select, to delete files/folders...
Root Explorer (File manager)
This app starts automaticly in the root section (filesystem)
You can use this ap, to remount your filesystem, and you can moify the SDcard speed, whilst you're at it...
The only thing that is missing, is the colourfulness in other explorers...
The same goes for speedsoftware's explorer.
It starts in the root section, and you can have a look-see through your OS, you can delete things from your SD card, but you cannot modify your OS.
That's why I would recommend this to beginners/hobby modders...
Those are he main explorers, and they are all together the best you can find.

I'll give another vote for ES File Explorer. Great UI and worked for everything I needed.

familyguy59 said:
The best File explorers/managers you can get are:
Androzip
because of it's easy-to-use interface and because of it's understandable options
ES file Explorer
This app coninces due to it's colourful interface. It has good and accecable controls, and it barely interfears with anything...
The only thing that bothers me, though, is that you have to multi-select, to delete files/folders...
Root Explorer (File manager)
This app starts automaticly in the root section (filesystem)
You can use this ap, to remount your filesystem, and you can moify the SDcard speed, whilst you're at it...
The only thing that is missing, is the colourfulness in other explorers...
The same goes for speedsoftware's explorer.
It starts in the root section, and you can have a look-see through your OS, you can delete things from your SD card, but you cannot modify your OS.
That's why I would recommend this to beginners/hobby modders...
Those are he main explorers, and they are all together the best you can find.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So for replacement of system apps and stuff like that ,root explorer will be my best bet then right
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk

I use Root Explorer, works well for me.

ieisha said:
So for replacement of system apps and stuff like that ,root explorer will be my best bet then right
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the above mentioned work quite well so it's really just a matter of preference. I like the simplistic UI of Root Explorer (+ it's the first file explorer I bought when I first started with Android) so I use it.

My vote goes with ES.
Contrary to some comments above, you can access and modify all files with it (it is root enabled), and you don't need to multi select to delete stuff, you can long press...
The built in text editor and zip manager work with ROM zips and scripts etc, and even apk files. I even use it on my GTV because the built in movie player is compatible with more file formats than any other player for GTV...
And I just love the wifi explorer and cloud storage integration...

danger-rat said:
My vote goes with ES.
Contrary to some comments above, you can access and modify all files with it (it is root enabled), and you don't need to multi select to delete stuff, you can long press...
The built in text editor and zip manager work with ROM zips and scripts etc, and even apk files. I even use it on my GTV because the built in movie player is compatible with more file formats than any other player for GTV...
And I just love the wifi explorer and cloud storage integration...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for pointing that out ! I did not realize I could access the same as root explorer
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk

ieisha said:
Thanks for pointing that out ! I did not realize I could access the same as root explorer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe (its been a while) you just go into ES File Explorer settings and enable the root access feature.

martonikaj said:
I believe (its been a while) you just go into ES File Explorer settings and enable the root access feature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep that's where it was......never knew that LOL. Thanks again
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk

I use the miui file manager on AOKP, best in my opinion
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

ieisha said:
Yep that's where it was......never knew that LOL. Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, no problem.

root explorer

hope this helps
/watch?v=TDGHpfBJbXY&feature=plcp&context=C3c809d0UDOEgsToPDskJrBjnmidzcenE3-6fFv9yw
^youtube link
taken from the xda tv channel
i personally use ES, its free and pretty much fully functional

root explorer ftw.
ES and Astro work but I can't stand the UI.

Simple for me, "explorer" if you're not rooted and "root explorer" if you are. Both apps are by the same dev. Clean, intensive and ad free.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

How to change permissions in the main system folder

Ok, here's the issue I want to copy over and ringtones and have them live in the same area as my current ringtones now I have root and tried to change permissions and u for an error message saying that some system folders and folders on sd cards cannot be changed. Ok......so now what
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app

I think extension of your ringtones have to be .ogg and then change permissions as usual with a root explorer app..
XX
X
X
like that. BUT I'm not quite sure if that's all that is needed.
And, I have tried putting them in as just .mp3 or .wav but they dont show up. SO, Im guessing it has to be .ogg

rastlin said:
Ok, here's the issue I want to copy over and ringtones and have them live in the same area as my current ringtones now I have root and tried to change permissions and u for an error message saying that some system folders and folders on sd cards cannot be changed. Ok......so now what
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to set r/w with a file manager that has root access.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

If you mean copy your ringtones to your system file ( so they work even with USB storage connected ), I actually did that recently; here's some things that might help:
1. For some reason, some apps have trouble making the system R/W, so if one doesn't work, try another one. Root Explorer and FX Explorer always seem to work flawlessly for me, but YMMV. Also, like it's been said, make sure you have system mounted as R/W; some apps might make it seem like it's mounted R/W when it's not.
2. MP3s should be fine, and I believe WAV files worked for me too.
3. This one took me a while to figure out; after copying the files, you have to reboot for them to show up when you're selecting tones.
Anyways, hope that helps.

cannot change frikin permissions
i have used both root explorer and FX explorer (and i prefer the latter of the two) but when i try to change the permissions it basically say "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" even though i do have root i am not too sure why i cannot change the permissions of subdirectories? I know in windows you can make the subdirectories inherent the atributes of the parent directory but unfortunately my lack of linux/unix experience is abundantly apparent. Is there away to force the subdirectories to inherent the attributes of the parent directory, or am i just a dumbass barking up the wrong tree.. OH!, and yes just to state the obvious yes i am rooted....
DIMENSIONAL said:
If you mean copy your ringtones to your system file ( so they work even with USB storage connected ), I actually did that recently; here's some things that might help:
1. For some reason, some apps have trouble making the system R/W, so if one doesn't work, try another one. Root Explorer and FX Explorer always seem to work flawlessly for me, but YMMV. Also, like it's been said, make sure you have system mounted as R/W; some apps might make it seem like it's mounted R/W when it's not.
2. MP3s should be fine, and I believe WAV files worked for me too.
3. This one took me a while to figure out; after copying the files, you have to reboot for them to show up when you're selecting tones.
Anyways, hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much more I can help then. Here's a few things though:
I know that you need to download some kind of additional app from the developer to enable root features in FX Explorer, and I think you might have to enable something in the settings.
When I'm using the app, system R/W seems to apply to the entire /system directory, so it affects the parent directories of the sub-directories that I trigger R/W in.
From what I've read, some people have issues with SuperUser functions working, even when they're rooted, so maybe it's your SU that's causing the issues? I'm not sure what the solution is, but I know people have posted various methods that might work in the forums.

[Q] Unable to Edit System Files Using any File Explorer

So this is a problem I've had basically since day one with my Nexus 7. No matter what file explorer I use, I can not edit anything in the root directories. Unable to save build.prop edits for example. I am assuming it is a permission thing but I have no idea exactly what I am doing wrong or how to fix it. Any help is appreciated.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Are you rooted? If you are - check to see if you are in read only mode in your file manager(s)

Besides requiring root, apps like ES File Explorer need to have root access turned on. Root Explorer needs a directory mounted as R/W.
Best practice, anyway, is to copy a file (especially build.prop) to a regular directory under /sdcard, edit it there, rename the original, then copy back the modified file.

I managed to figure it out. Was using cm file explorer and root browser. Got root browser working by changing permissions on the system folder.
I always copy files into the internal storage before editing. Thanks for the replies.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Can't move some files, can't create some folders

I don't know how else to describe this issue I'm having:
Essentially sometimes I cannot create new folders, either in an explorer app (ES File Manager, Explorer (free, not Root Explorer), or other file manager) or when connected to my computers via USB. Sometimes I can do both. Similarly, sometimes I cannot move files from one directory to another, both using file manager or when connected to computer over USB. It seems random, I think?
An example of this is I downloaded a PDF file from SharePoint using Chrome. The file is downloaded to the /Downloads directory by default. I wanted to move this to a different directory (/Documents), but the cut+paste operation failed. ES File Manager says the operation can't be completed, Explorer just sits there and doesn't say anything. When trying to do the same thing over USB connection, Windows just sits there saying the device is busy, and it'll sit there indefinitely. But an OGG file I downloaded from Dropbox was free to be moved to and from several directories when I was testing file operations.
Basically it's like my device doesn't want to play nice with files and folders. I tried doing a factory reset, but that didn't seem to help. Do you think completely reformatting the phone (as in fastboot format userdata, and a fresh ROM + kernel install) would help? It seems drastic, but at the same time being unable to move files and folders is very strange and likely hard to pinpoint the culprit.
I'm rooted (using traditional SuperSU root) running Pure Nexus 12/01/2015 ROM and ElementalX 0.07 kernel (Enforcing disabled). I doubt any of those 3 factors are the cause of it, but every detail might help, right?
Update: It looks like a permissions issue. Please see post below.

OK an update to this, I discovered that some folders that I thought I had deleted using ES File Manager are still showing up in USB storage when I'm hooked up to a computer. That is to say that what I see using a file manager versus what I see while connected to a computer are different.
Further to this, I am now getting "Permission denied" by the file managers when I try to copy and paste anything from anywhere to any other place. I have booted into TWRP to run Fix Permissions already. It looks like everything now has rwxrwx---, which means to me 770? It should be 775, no?
Any ideas what might be causing this permissions issue?

daver68 said:
OK an update to this, I discovered that some folders that I thought I had deleted using ES File Manager are still showing up in USB storage when I'm hooked up to a computer. That is to say that what I see using a file manager versus what I see while connected to a computer are different.
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For this, I read somewhere that the latest ES File app has a recycling bin for when you delete apps. So, that needs to be emptied too.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

SlimSnoopOS said:
For this, I read somewhere that the latest ES File app has a recycling bin for when you delete apps. So, that needs to be emptied too.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I did indeed clean out the Recycle Bin (and subsequently disabled it), but the problem persists. But thanks for pointing that out!

OK, an interesting discovery:
If I am on my device and using ES File Explorer and if I am in the path /storage/emulated/0/* then I am unable to copy/move files and directories, as I've described above.
If I am on my device and using ES File Explorer and if I am in the path /sdcard/* then I am unable to copy/move files and directories, as I've described above.
If I am on my device and using ES File Explorer and if I am in the path /data/media/0/* then I am able to do anything I damn well please.
Now this makes a bit of sense to me, given the permissions for each directory. For example, when viewing the permissions of a file or folder when in /sdcard or /storage/emulated/0, I can only see the permissions as "Readable: Yes, Writeable: Yes", but I cannot change said permissions. However, when I view the permissions for something when under /data/media/0 then not only can I see the explicit permissions "rw-rw-r--" I can also change it if I wanted to.
I suspect this might be more than just the ROM. Perhaps I did not flash the system.img correctly when I first went through the process? Is this possible?