Writing on USB disks impossible on Marshmallow

[kinggo01]

So, after spending fair amount of time with 625 different file managers I found out that this just does not work. Even the apps that ask for permission can't get one because we are never presented with this or something like this

but file commander and other show this as a helper

but it leads to nowhere because the chooser from above never opens. There's no way to grant permission, it always end with some error. And the only meaningful one is from x-plorer that tells me this :

"no activity found to handle intent {act=android.intent.action.open_document_tree (has extras)}"

[Kuschelmonschter]

Ah I see what you mean. Doesn't work here anymore either with Marshmallow 😞 .

[kinggo01]

yeah........ and from what I've googled it's most likely another one or two liner just like for DTS passthrough.

They just can't make it right. But to be fair, the blame is mostly on google because they are very persistent in treating external storage as everything but what it actually is, a simple removable storage.

[bobybc]

The same on my 55XD8577

Everything was OK before Android 6 with my USB stick Samsung 128GB

After update all apps can read , but can't write to the stick!

I can't use it as internal storage too...so many bugs were fixed, but some new one itroduced - what a shame!

[Anonymous]

Hi All

I have reported this issue to Sony.

If you have other information that would help Sony diagnose the problem, please post back.  However from what I gather, you guys are saying that there is no way to grant write permissions to attached USB drives??

Cheers

[kinggo01]

Exactly. And I did try A LOT of them. ATM I have 4 of them installed.

So, user can't write to the disk but at the same time system always creates folder Android (with standard data and obb folders inside) so apps can write there. And as far as I can tell, they don't do that, they just create folders but still use internal storage. But if you point an app to write there, it will.

[Jecht_Sin]

I have the same issue. My 49XD8099 came with 6,.0.1 preinstalled. I am using X-plore and I am 99% sure that I managed to have X-plore opening the Android 6 hidden file manager (the one in the pictures in the first post) necessary to allow the writing permission. Then I did some factory resets and when I needed to write on it again the external SD card wasn't writable anymore. With the hidden file manager never opening but getting instead a "toast" notification with an error about something between brackets "{...}" missing.

[bobybc]

I've reported the issue too, but still no  response...

Meanwile the only workaround i found is that on app subfolder of Android/data aplication can write, all other apps can read

So i pointed my torrent client to download files in its app folder on the USB stick, and pointed Kodi to read from there in order to see downloaded movies.

The good think is that internal storage of TV can be accessed with write permissions , thus i pointed my FTP server to write files in /sdcard/Download. I can put some torrent files in a subfolder where Flud listens to, this way it starts to download file on a USB drive.

[Anonymous]

Issue added to the bugs and issues list:

https://community.sony.co.uk/t5/android-tv/android-tv-bugs-and-issues/m-p/2300665#M17009

[Jecht_Sin]

I have narrowed down a bit the issue. My understanding is that the Android 6 built-in file manager, necessary to grant writeable permission, simply isn't there. These are my findings (they are quite technical):

- The file manager is the package "com.android.documentsui"

- If I start the file manager via command line using "monkey"(*) it works on my Xperia X Compact (Android 7.0 but it shoudn't matter):

F5321:/system $ monkey -p com.android.documentsui -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1                                                                                            
Events injected: 1
## Network stats: elapsed time=29ms (0ms mobile, 0ms wifi, 29ms not connected

 - Using the same command on the television I get instead the following:

255|shell@BRAVIA_ATV2:/system $ monkey -p com.android.documentsui -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1                                                                            
** No activities found to run, monkey aborted.

 - Please note the "monkey" command did start other apps. Like this one I used for testing (RAIPlay):

252|shell@BRAVIA_ATV2:/system $ monkey -p it.rainet.androidtv -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1                                                                                
Events injected: 1
## Network stats: elapsed time=59ms (0ms mobile, 0ms wifi, 59ms not connected)

I also tried to install a copy of com.android.documentsui for 6.0.1 I've found in Internet. It did install, asking to install and not to update (that's why I believe the package simply isn't there inour  Android TV 6.0.1), but trying to launch it with "monkey" I've got the same error. So I am not really sure what's going on. Hopefully Sony didn't take it out on purpose to take out the possibility of recording copyrighted material!!

NOTE: (*)"monkey" is a stock Android command to operate with apps. I've just found it in the Internet, so I can't say more about it. I just know it does the job I needed.