Send/Receive to a Thumbdrive

Question

I’ve got a neat little flashdrive that has a micro USB port in one end and a normal USB port in the other end. When getting a project onto my tablet I’ve basically got two choices:

1. Download from the Internet via Send/Receive
2. Get from Paratext 8 and Send/Receive by thumbdrive

Since I was having issues with Internet Send/Receive, I decided to do it via flashdrive.

I did S/R to the thumbdrive on the computer, then stuck it in the tablet. I got an error message (I had heard something about this previously) saying that Paratext Lite was not happy since the thumbdrive originated in Paratext 8 and had the directory at the wrong location.

So, I really need to ask about the workflow here. The thumbdrive would normally originate from a Paratext PC, and it is unclear to me how to get a new project onto the tablet otherwise.

But for the immediate problem: I tried copying the Shared Paratext Projects folder to
\Android\data\org.paratext.ptlite\files\Shared Paratext 8 Projects

And that hasn’t worked. What do I need to do to get syncing working between devices.

And (a suggestion) If this is so difficult, can’t we just install Chorus Hub on the PC and do Send/Receive that way? Moving directories around shouldn’t be something our users should have to do.

Answer 1

Android device can’t connect to Chorus Hub because it uses (WCF) NetTcpBinding, for its transport. It it used say (WCF) WebHttpBinding, then Paratext Lite could potentially use it.

I agree that getting user to move folder isn’t ideal. (we used to do a copy automatically, but this is no longer allowed on newer android versions).

1. If S/R to usb is used on Paratext Lite first, (after getting project from internet), then it all just works, in Paratext Lite + Paratext.

2. One option might be to have check box on Paratext S/R dialog (when usb is selected), “I want to use with Paratext Lite”. Then Paratext Moves folder + S/R’s/to the Paratext Lite Location.
   Paratext can already understand both locations.

Comments

Good points dhigby.
So, if, as “hindlemail” says, Paratext PC is able to deal with both types of file structures, then why not just have the PT9 development team make the default USB/microSD/external drive folder structure something PT Lite can read, and get rid of the folder structure PT Lite can’t read?

Going from PT Lite to PT PC seems a backwards requirement. PT PC is the standard. So if PT PC is updated to get it working by default in a way PT Lite can deal with, then PT PC to PT Lite data sharing should be seamless.

Answer 2

I tried using a file manager program, and could not get Send/Receive to the thumb drive to work either. It did not recognize the files as Paratext data. Are the data on the Cloud and on a thumb drive really different?

Answer 3

So currently is there any way to get the S/R to work if one started on the desktop with projects and then added PTLite at a later point in time? I recently installed a Bluestacks emulator and have PTLite up and running in it, but have not been able to a S/R.

Answer 4

Someone needs to pass a recommendation to the developers. I think that making the default directory for USB to be \Android\data\org.paratext.ptlite\files\Shared Paratext 8 Projects might solve the problem for all, but is a really ugly place to put the files for people who will never be using Android.

So I like the checkbox in Paratext 8/9: Check this box if you will be syncing with Paratext Lite. Paratext will put the data in a special directory where Paratext Lite can find it.

Comments

dhigby:

I think that making the default directory for USB to be \Android\data\org.paratext.ptlite\files\Shared Paratext 8 Projects might solve the problem for all, but is a really ugly place to put the files for people who will never be using Android.

PT PC could write to the Android folder location, but in the root of the flash stick put a Windows shortcut and a Linux alias to the bottom-level folder (Shared Paratext 8 Projects). That way, a desktop user could click and go straight to that folder.

But I rather think Google have put very little thought into the sharing of files between desktop and Android environments. As you say, why should a desktop user go looking in a folder called “Android”?

BTW, I have more than one app (e.g. ES File Explorer) on my Android that pops up a permission request to access a folder on the flash stick; it also gives me instructions showing me how to pick the root. When I do that, the app can access the whole flash stick.

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dhigby:

Someone needs to pass a recommendation to the developers. I think that making the default directory for USB to be \Android\data\org.paratext.ptlite\files\Shared Paratext 8 Projects might solve the problem for all, but is a really ugly place to put the files for people who will never be using Android.

So I like the checkbox in Paratext 8/9: Check this box if you will be syncing with Paratext Lite. Paratext will put the data in a special directory where Paratext Lite can find it.

That’s interesting, because I thought PT Lite solved this problem quite a while ago. I remember interacting with the developer(s) about it and suggesting they automatically move the Shared Paratext 8 Projects folder on a flashdrive to the Android-specific location. And then PT8 can also do S/R to that Android-specific location (if it finds one). They did this and it worked, in both PT Lite and PT.

SIL+LSS+PNG

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@SIL+LSS+PNG - then android got more restrictive, with newer API’s. Meaning we could no longer even copy files from the root of the usb drive.