My Android Phone allows you to run two separate copies of installed applications and a second space where you can run a different profile for apps (Think a Personal or work persona). The stock file manager clearly captures a range of personal and usage data and information for ad targeting. I’m therefore looking for an alternative open source File manager that I could use that allows me to access files in both profiles as the stock one does. Any ideas?

  • Nate@programming.devEnglish
    5·
    3 months ago

    Im not sure if it’ll work for your use case, as I don’t have my phone setup like that, but Material Files should be able to do what you’re looking for. I’m able to access my termux directory with Add storage > external storage, so if you can see the files in both in the system picker it should work here.

    • abeorchOP
      1·
      3 months ago

      Yeah Ive tried Material Files but didnt seem to get access to tge second space. I think its.either my phone isnt rooted or Material Files doesnt have access to the Second Space storage.

      • rasakaf679
        1·
        2 months ago

        Just make material files as second space storage app two apps. It can access the second space storage

  • TheAnonymouseJoker
    2·
    3 months ago

    You will have to install the file manager of your choice, and then, in Shelter, pick the app from “main” list and clone it to work profile/second space. Not sure, but if you use Insular, maybe it works in similar way. You will not be able to access files in both main and work storage with same installed app, unless you have an SD card slot in phone, which provides a common space. OTG USB storage will not work like SD card for this purpose.

    • abeorchOP
      2·
      3 months ago

      Ah… I guess the Xiaomi File Manager has some elevated privileges that us mere users camt have.

      • TheAnonymouseJoker
        1·
        3 months ago

        Probably just that it is installed as a system app, so things are smoother with it. That said, there is a hack I invented, that does work, but is cumbersome yet reliable. You need to have RAR app for it (made by WinRAR officially).

        Basically, you copy files from work to main profile by “sharing” them via share menu to RAR, minimising the “compress files” screen, and in main profile, navigating to the temp folder of RAR app (internalmem/Android/data/com.rarlab.rar-- somewhere inside) and copying file over to Downloads or any folder, before going back and cancelling the “compress files” screen in RAR app. The problem is you can only copy/share 1 file at a time, so if you want to share multiple files from work profile, ZIP them within work storage as 1 file and then share that 1 file.

        Since I have the SD card, I put files in it to copy to work profile using file manager I install/clone in work profile. But if you have a model without SD card slot, maybe cloning RAR to work profile and replicating the hack in reverse way could work out.

        You do not have all these problems when rooted, but many apps these days do not like a rooted device.

        • abeorchOP
          1·
          3 months ago

          Sounds interesting. I saw elsewhere that the way was to configure a FTP server in the second space and then connect to it from the first space. Might have a look at that as an idea. Not sure how i feel about wandering around with that running while I connect to wifi but then I guess that would be why i put everything through my VPN right?

    • abeorchOP
      1·
      3 months ago

      Thanks.heaps. Im a bit stuck trying to make Amaze work accessing files in the second space so any tips appreciated

      • merde alors@sh.itjust.works
        14·
        3 months ago

        i started using amaze relatively recently because i had similar issues with other file apps. I didn’t have to tinker with amaze as installing it solved my problem.

        sorry, i have no tips 🤷