Possibility to define directory for auto-backup

[olifre]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. It would be nice to be able to define the target directory for the automatic backup. This allows to backup it as part of other backups via other tools (e.g. Syncthing, rsync etc.). The Downloads directory itself is usually not backup-worthy.

Describe the solution you'd like The possibility to choose the target directory for the backup via GUI.

Describe alternatives you've considered Symlinking will not help with most backup tools, copying manually is cumbersome and hence easily forgotten.

[yanus171]

Since Android 10 the Downloads is the only directory where an app can write files accessible by other apps

[olifre]

There are ways around this again starting with API level 30 / Android 11, see for example this issue on how they solved this in Syncthing: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing-android/issues/1721 I'm using it successfully on Android 12 to sync a backup directory into which other apps (e.g. SMS Backup & Restore, manual backups from FairEmail, photos folder) do their writing ;-).

[yanus171]

This is not a full solution. And it can stop working on any next Android release. The official Google scoped storage restriction includes all folders except Downloads.

[yanus171]

And why the Downloads SUBdirectory is not backup-worthy?

[olifre]

This is not a full solution. And it can stop working on any next Android release. The official Google scoped storage restriction includes all folders except Downloads.

That's sad to hear, I was unaware of this :disappointed: . But of course the Android OS developers' decisions are nothing we can do much against. Up to now, I thought getting access to directories by requesting an SAF permission would be here to stay.

And why the Downloads SUBdirectory is not backup-worthy?

It's usually easier to define a directory tree to backup, and not individual subdirectories (especially for solutions like Syncthing, for which each defined directory is synced separately and needs to be added to all clients). So for now, I am using one Backup directory on external storage, and all apps which have some files to store put their data in subdirectories there via SAF, and Syncthing syncs the full directory tree via SAF. I use the same approach to sync over media files, photos etc.

[yanus171]

What about in app auto backup to file?

[olifre]

What about in app auto backup to file?

I'm not sure I get the question. The in app auto backup uses a subdirectory of the Downloads folder, no?

[yanus171]

The app produces backup file from which you can restore all app content. Why can't you sync this file from Downloads sub directory?

[yanus171]

P.S. if you answer from mail app please don't quote the previous message.

[olifre]

It's of course not impossible to sync a subdirectory of the Downloads folder. However, it means I have to add this as a separate folder (which in Syncthing means setting it up as sync folder on all devices separately, keeping a sync DB etc.). So it is significantly more overhead as compared to just syncing a full directory tree containing the backup data from all my other apps, as I do now, since all other apps I use allow to define the location they store their backups in via SAF, such that I can have a single "backup-worthy" directory tree.

Furthermore, it's unclear to me whether the exception for the Downloads folder will be removed in future Android versions, seeing that getting permissions via SAF for storage directories is now used by most apps and Android 13 also limits access to other folders such as the photos folder.