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Since transferring my photos and app from my previous Samsung S3 to an S5, whenever I try to update metadata after tagging new pictures, after confirming I do indeed want to do this, the progress indicator shows (without any change) and then the following error message:
‘Could not save metadata to all files’
This has happened each time I try it, irrespective of the number of pictures being updated. -
Hello,
Thanks for writing. This is because you are using Android 4.4+ (Kit Kat). Google has removed global write permissions for 3rd party apps (like F-Stop) on SD cards (internal memory works as expected). We do have a workaround we implemented in v3.1+, but it does not work on all devices including the S5 and some Xperia devices.
There isn’t really much we can do. You can use internal storage or try rooting your device, which may help on some devices.
Here is some more info:
http://lifehacker.com/android-kitkat-blocks-some-access-to-micro-sd-cards-1524997895Regards,
Jason Seelye-
Such an imsspreive answer! You’ve beaten us all with that!
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Thanks for your helpful explanation and supporting link, Jason. I totally understand that this is because of decisions made by Google, and outside your control. All a bit frustrating!
I have too many pictures to store in the phone memory, and just wondered whether there might be a workaround where the metadata were kept in a separate database in the phone memory, indexed to the picture files themselves kept on the SD card? Just a thought.
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Hi, this thread is old but I need some fresh info on this. Like several others, I would like to load a large number of photos on my external sd-card and use f-stop to tag them, and, being on KitKat, I’m unable to do so.
As I understand, apps are no longer allowed to write wherever on the external SD-card, but they should be able to write to their own designated folders. So I expect that my F-stop (3.2.1 premium) should be able to create a folder on the sd-card (which is its own and it would have write permissions to it), and should then be able to make changes to the contents of this folder.
However, I am unable to even create such a folder anywhere in extSdCard.
I am using an Xperia Z3 and I see it mentioned that the “fix” from Fstop v3.1 does not work with some Xperia devices. This is the bit I don’t understand. If this indeed due to a KitKat restriction, then logically the problem should not depend on the device and the specific app under consideration. On the same device, Mx Player seems to be able to make changes to files on external sd-card.
So why, then, is F-stop not able to do so? -
Hi, this is an old thread but I need some fresh info on this problem.
Like several others, I need to load a large number of images on my external Sd-card, tag them using F-stop (for exporting afterwards), and being on KitKat, I’m unable to do so.As I understand it, apps on KitKat are no longer allowed to write wherever to the external sd-card, but it does not prevent them from writing to their own designated folders. So, I expect that I should be able to use F-stop (premium v3.2.1) to create a folder on the external sd-card (which would be its own folder with write access), and then be able to edit images that are inside this folder.
However, I am unable to even create such a folder anywhere in extSdCard.
I am using an Xperia Z3 and I see above that the “fix” from v3.1 does not work with some Xperia devices. This here is the bit that I don’t understand.
If this is a global restriction in KitKat, then it should logically not depend on the device and the specific app under question. On the same device, MxPlayer seems to be able to make changes to external sd-card.
So why, then, is F-stop unable to do so?-
Hello,
So, I expect that I should be able to use F-stop (premium v3.2.1) to create a folder on the external sd-card (which would be its own folder with write access), and then be able to edit images that are inside this folder.
Yes, we could add that ability in F-Stop but we chose not support this feature because if F-Stop is uninstalled for any reason, that folder is deleted by the system and you would lose EVERYTHING that is stored in there. Now, you can add this folder yourself using the default file browser or any other app that has write permissions but we do not support it in F-Stop.
If this is a global restriction in KitKat, then it should logically not depend on the device and the specific app under question. On the same device, MxPlayer seems to be able to make changes to external sd-card.
It is a global restriction in Kit Kat but we used a workaround that many other apps used to give some devices write access to their SD cards. It just so happens that this workaround does not work for all devices. I don’t know how MXPlayer managed to find another method for writing to the SD card but I sure would like to know.
I can tell you that we are working with the new APIs in Lollipop and have had some success in writing to the SD card. It certainly isn’t finished yet but it is promising as a path forward.
Regards,
Jason Seelye
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Hi Jason
Thanks for replying. I appreciate the risk of losing all the photos when uninstalling F-stop, and I appreciate you would not want it to become default behaviour. However, understanding the risks, I would want to be able to use the app with it. Can you explain to me how I can use a File manager to create a folder which F-stop can write to?
Good to know that things look hopeful for Lollipop but I for one am going to be very careful before upgrading this time, and would certainly like to not feel crippled meanwhile 🙂
Cheers -
Hello,
Actually, the folder should already be created. You will need to put your media here:
<SDCard_path>/Android/data/com.fstop.photoIf it isn’t for some reason, you need to use a file browser that has write permissions to the SD card. You best bet is the file browser that came with your device since it is a system app.
Let me know how it goes. I don’t have a device to test on at the moment.
Regards,
Jason Seelye -
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Hi,
I have just tested this scenario and it works for me. Couple of notes:
* you need to copy files using F-Stop (which has access to that folder) or built in file manager which can save files anywhere
* since folder “<SDCard_path>/Android/data” usually has “.nomedia” in it, you’ll need to add folder “<SDCard_path>/Android/data/com.fstop.photo” to “Included folders”. Also, when you do that, you’ll need to add your main storage and root of sdcard to “Included folders” too.I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. We can go step by step and try to find where the problem is.
1) What device do you use?
2) What is your sdcard path?
3) Try using F-Stop to copy just one file into “<SDCard_path>/Android/data/com.fstop.photo”
4) If it fails, what is exact path you are copying to?BTW, I use Xperia Z3 also, so this should for you too.
Goran
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My old tablet stopped charging, so I had to replace it with a KitKat one. Sucks so horribly bad. F-Stop was my most used app, a really great peice of work you got there. I have more than 100,000 images on my sd card. Without meta data F-Stop is pretty useless. Not to mention the fact that my file sync app is never going to work. I used to keep the pictures on my tablet and my server mirror images of each other. What about allowing us to set a server address as the place where F-Stop looks for files? I never thought I would say this, but those windows 8 tablets are starting to look pretty good now. Would meta data work if I root the device? Might as well, this shiney new tablet is already a brick as far as I am concerned.
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Hello Arnie,
I feel your pain. Kit Kat really screwed it up for people that actually wanted to use their SD card (who would have thought?). Your best bet right now is to root your device to get full access of your SD card and basically use YOUR tablet the way it should have been anyway. You’ll need to use this app or similar to unlock your SD card once rooted.
We do have server shares on our to-do list but that list is very large at the moment.
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Thank’s for your reply Jason. I know KitKat is hard on dev’s. I’ve been researching the possibility of rooting. Never done it in the past. My new Asus tablet has the intel baytrail proccesor, so less options to root for now. There is a way to do it that I’ve found, but I have to understand the process completely before I attempt it. Asus has put out alot of updates to ease the pain somewhat. Five updates in the past two weeks, and App2sd now works! I doubt that apps writing to sd will happen though. I may have my old tablet repaired (charging port is shot). For now I’m going to just put albums on internal storage, collections of my favorite pictures. It’s not the same as what I’m used to, but that would work for now. I have alot of room at the moment. I love the power of F-Stop for sorting out the best pictures and putting them at your fingertips. Sorting and tagging pictures will probably get done on the PC again.
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Yes, I understand. Rooting is hit or miss and definitely not for everyone. I thought you were able to do it since you mentioned it. Other than that, you can see from earlier responses in this thread about using the F-Stop specific folder to write to files on the SD card.
Good news is that we are close to getting SD writing working using the new Lollipop APIs so hopefully we will have a real fix moving forward.
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I have about 2000 jpegs that I tagged using F-Stop (pro version) before I discoverd that KitKat prevents the tags being saved to the SD card. I’ve checked that I can tag jpegs that are in “<SDCard_path>/Android/data/com.fstop.photo” and save to SD card. Is there a way to now transfer the 2000 jpegs that I tagged in the main part of the SD card to the above folder that will allow the tagged files to be saved to the SD card?
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Hello Rosa,
We actually have it out in beta right now.
To opt-in to the beta do the following (making sure you are using your Google Play profile):
1) Join this community: https://plus.google.com/communities/107303072346629200807
2) Click the beta-opt-in link: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.fstop.photo
3) Go to the Play Store to update to the beta version. It may take up to an hour for Google Play to refresh.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fstop.photo -
Hi, Jason,
When will tags added on PC (Win 7) show when files copied to SD card on Samsung S5 with Lollipop and F-Stop Pro work? I saw the 5/8 post to Rosa about a beta version, but try not to use a beta until it’s stable. How soon will it be good to use?
BTW thanks for putting together this super app. I’ve looked for a couple years for one that would let me sort, rearrange, search and tag like yours does. I have a large collection of flower pictures and this makes it so much easier to find a particular one or group. It’s worth buying the pro version!Mel
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Hello Mel,
This functionality has been available for a very long time. Reading the metadata inside images wasn’t the issue. It was writing new metadata in F-Stop when the file resided on the SD card and the Android OS was Kit Kat. We have since fixed this Google imposed issue when users are running the latest Android OS Lollipop.
If you are still having issues, please send me some sample images that aren’t working to support@fstopapp.com. I will take a look at them to see what is going on.
Also, as of today, the latest and greatest version is the released version on Google Play (4.0.6).
Regards,
Jason Seelye
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