Install on SD card by default

[GoogleCodeExporter]

We should set the option so that My Tracks is installed on the external SD
card by default. This is a new option in Froyo:
http://developer.android.com/intl/de/guide/appendix/install-location.html

Original issue reported on code.google.com by rdama...@google.com on 20 May 2010 at 6:48

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Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 20 May 2010 at 6:50

• Added labels: Priority-Medium

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Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 22 May 2010 at 8:36

• Changed state: Started

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After playing with this for a while, I believe installing to the SD card has 
disadvantages that outweigh the space saving - most specially if the SD card is 
umounted while recording, in which case recording stops and we'd need all kinds 
of hacks to get it going again. Given this, I'm in favor of not doing this, 
feel free to reopen if you have reasons to believe it really should be done.

Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 13 Aug 2010 at 4:06

• Changed state: WontFix

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I can't imagine ever unmounting my SD card while I am hiking, driving, or doing 
any of the other things I would be using My Tracks for. You don't have to 
install to SD by default, but please give us the option! It's so frustrating 
having so many 1MB+ sized apps using all the space on my phone because the 
developers don't trust me to know what I'm doing.

Original comment by pfmil...@gmail.com on 30 Aug 2010 at 11:09

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Unfortunately, adding the option to install on the SD card wouldn't be as good 
as you may think with respect to space usage - databases (which is the largest 
space use in the case of MyTracks) still sit on the internal storage.

Reference: 
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/manifest-element.html#install

Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 30 Aug 2010 at 11:16

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Issue 177 has been merged into this issue.

Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 7 Oct 2010 at 3:31

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I do not really understand why this wont be done - If I had the knowhow to do 
it myself, I would. I think at least an option to store the app on SD should be 
implemented, if not set as default. Even if the space-usage difference will be 
small I still think its worth doing.

Original comment by h.bogs...@gmail.com on 7 Oct 2010 at 4:00

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"if the SD card is umounted while recording,"

when would this ever happen? people that are recording tracks are not typically 
doing other processes on their phone - since we want to conserve battery - 
especially one that would unmount the SD card??

anyway.. for those asking, the App can be stored on the SD card IF your rooted 
you can move it. 

"databases (which is the largest space use in the case of MyTracks) still sit 
on the internal storage."

fine, so build in the option to move it :)

Original comment by gillotti@gmail.com on 7 Oct 2010 at 4:39

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[deleted comment]

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I decided to take matters into my own hand. I downloaded the My Tracks code 
(via Mercurial), set up a My Tracks Android project in Eclipse, added 
installLocation=auto to the manifest file and built a new version of 
MyTracks.apk. I then uninstalled My Tracks on my NexusOne and installed my 
forked version. I checked the application size in the Application Info settings 
dialog before and after I moved My Tracks to my SD card. Here's the storage 
data:
        Installed on Phone       Installed on SD Card
Total       1.77MB                   0.96MB
App         1.72MB                   0.91MB
Data       52.00KB                  52.00KB
Note that this is without any 'tracks' data on the phone. Still, the net 
savings of 0.81MB is nothing to sneeze at. I agree with all the other users 
that say that an unmounted SD card is not going to happen during normal use of 
My Tracks. 
Please reopen this issue. Obviously, public opinion supports this. 

Original comment by cdore...@gmail.com on 8 Oct 2010 at 4:49

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Agreed. Done.

Original comment by rdama...@google.com on 27 Oct 2010 at 4:41

• Changed state: Fixed

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Just to clarify: we are not changing the setting to "preferExternal".  Instead, 
we set it to "auto", which means it's up to the user to decide whether she/he 
wants to move the app to the SD card.

Original comment by ba...@google.com on 27 Oct 2010 at 6:27