Paratext-Lite Question

Question

We are working on getting a tablet to test/demo Paratext-Lite (and other SIL Android Apps). I’m planning on getting the Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Plus (https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/android-tablets/yoga-tab-3-series/Lenovo-Yoga-Tab-3-Plus/p/ZZITZTBYT3L )
and really looking forward to the large battery (9300 mAh), which will be very helpful in PNG.

Then I noticed this statement: “Yoga Tab 3 Plus does not support xfat or ntfs files systems.” Is that ok for Android/Paratext-Lite?

Thank you,

SIL+LSS+PNG

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Answer 1

SIL+LSS+PNG:

Next question, does Paratext-Lite do S/R to USB or SD Card?

Yes, there is an option to do a S/R to USB or a SD card.

Please be aware:

1. Detecting the USB device might be problematical on some devices. (but do a More -> Submit feedback , with the usb device inserted, and we will fix it if we can)
2. Newer versions of android only allow writing to specific parts of the usb filesystem. (which is different from where Paratext has always looked.) The very latest versions of Paratext 8.0 have been updated to look in both places, but if one does a S/R to usb from Paratext first, then the location will have to be moved before PTLite can use it. (PTLite does display a message informing you of this)
   Perhaps the easiest thing to do is make sure you S/R to usb from PTLite first. (Then Paratext will use that location)

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Comments

Thanks for your advice hindlemail.

What if we don’t have any projects on PTLite to do a S/R first? I’m testing on an older Nexus 7 tablet with Android 5.1.1. The ES File Explorer app can read/write to the USB, so that seems to be working. But PTLite says “No projects available” (on the USB).

I suppose I could try to receive the project from the Internet first. I’ll see if I can get that to work.

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SIL+LSS+PNG:

What if we don’t have any projects on PTLite to do a S/R first?

In general:

After you S/R to usb from PT, move the “Shared Paratext 8 Projects” folder from the root of the USB drive to “Android/data/org.paratext.ptlite/files”

So it exists at:
“Android/data/org.paratext.ptlite/files/Shared Paratext 8 Projects”

As long as your PT 8 is up-to-date, PT 8 should happy continue doing S/R to that new location.

However given the problem report I received from you, it looks like, PTLite isn’t managing to identify the usb stick in your device. (I realized that I have just been using a fat32 formatted usb stick for testing, and so I’m going to try some other types)

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Answer 2

What does it support? Just fat32? or Linux file systems? This
could be important information to know!

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Answer 3

I assume this is talking about what filesystems it supports on its external media (eg. sd card, or possibly external usb harddrive)

This shouldn’t be a issue for Paratext-Lite, unless attempting to S/R to sd card / usb device which is formatted in a unsupported way (ie. exfat or ntfs), rather than fat32.

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Comments

hindlemail it looks like you’re correct. The Yoga Tab 3 Plus cannot read exfat or ntfs USB devices or SD cards.

See
https://forum.xda-developers.com/thinkpad-tablet/general/lenovo-yoga-tab-3-plus-microsd-exfat-t3554358 and
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Android-Yoga-Series-Tablets/Yoga-Tab-3-PLUS-MicroSD-card-formatted-in-FAT32-Ridiculous-Files/td-p/3580999.

Next question, does Paratext-Lite do S/R to USB or SD Card? I haven’t seen it yet (which is one of the reasons we’re getting a test tablet), so don’t know.

If you can only use a USB flashdrive or SD card as fat32 (and not NTFS), we might want to pass on this tablet. I can imagine users who are not tech-savvy having trouble. I can also imagine users who ARE tech-savvy having trouble.

Thanks,

SIL+LSS+PNG

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Answer 4

I tested a usb stick formatted with FAT, NTFS, and Ext4 on a Samsung Galaxy Tab A (2016).

The USB stick only mounted (was usable) when it was formatted as FAT.

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Comments

Yes, it seems I am learning more about Android and its capabilities and limitations. Many Android devices are unable to read NTFS and even exfat. There are some apps that can help, but it would seem that then ONLY those apps could read the NTFS/exfat drive (i.e., they wouldn’t be accessible by other apps like PTLite).

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