Frequently Asked Questions
General
1. What is this "Base folder"?
2. I don't see "xyz" app when I select share/send?
3. The app's icon show up when I open my image viewer app.
4. Can I revert back to a pre-v0.3.2 release?
5. In addition to OI File Manager, can you support another file manager?
6. What is system apps?
Backup & Restore
1. Are there folders where backuped files should not be kept?
2. Where to keep the backuped files?
3. Does it backup data of apps?
4. What are "Protected" apps?
5. Why can't I restore apps?
6. What is the different between package Delete and Purge?
7. Why uses Package Name and Version Code as backup name?
8. Why not use App Name and Version Name as backup name?
9. I want to move my backup folder to a new location.
10. Can I prevent a version backup from being purge?
11. How do I restore all my apps on my new phone?
12. I can't find the backup files after inserting my SD card from my old phone to my new phone?
13. How can I migrate my existing apk files to AppWererabbit?
14. Why some apps does not show the "Backuped" indicator after I performed a batch Backup?
Move Apps (App2SD)
1. What is App2SD?
2. Do I needs a rooted device for App2SD?
3. How do I know if my device support App2SD?
4. I don't see the "Move to SD card" button on the App info screen.
5. After moving "xyz" app to SD, it stop working.
6. Why is the install location of AppWererabbit changed to internalOnly?
7. What is the 3 different panel?
8. Why is the "On SD Card" panel always empty?
Cache Cleaner
1. What is a cache?
2. Do I needs a rooted device to clean cache?
3. Is it safe to clear the cache?
4. Which is the best method to clear cache?
5. 1-Tap cache cleaning not working.
What is this "Base folder"?
All folders AppWererabbit uses for storage are located under the "Base folder".
The location of the folder is user definable, for devices with a true SD card, it is preferred to define it there.
Note:
- Don't point the "Base folder" to the root of the SD card storage, but a folder on the SD card storage.
- Remember, if the base folder is located on the system internal storage, the content would be erased after a factory reset.
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I don't see "xyz" app when I select share/send?
AppWererabbit may not actually perform the share or send action, but the action is handle by others app installed on your device,
if you don't see a particular app, install it from Play Store.
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The app's icon show up when I open my image viewer app.
The problem is with the image viewer app, it is not observing the Android convention to "hide" media files in folders with the ".nomedia" file.
Please report it to image viewer app's developers, so they may fix the problem.
Note:
- As of v0.3.2, the icon's filename changed to "icon" from "icon.png".
- If icon images still show up on your image viewer app, you may needs to refresh your viewer's thrumbnail cache.
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Can I revert back to a pre-v0.3.2 release?
Yes, but no icon would show up on the "Backuped Apps" screen.
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In addition to OI File Manager, can you support another file manager?
Any file manager that support below intent is launchable.
- intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
- intent.setData(Uri.parse(<starting folder location>));
If your favourite file manager is not listed, email the developer of the file manager with your situation, and request if they would support the above intent.
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What is system apps?
System apps are applications pre-installed by the device manufacturer.
Note:
- These applications cannot be uninstall by AppWererabbit, because they are installed in a section of the storage that AppWererabbit cannot access.
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Are there folders where backuped files should not be kept?
Anywhere that would interfere with the system is a bad location, "/" for example. The best place is on an external storage like SD card.
See "Base folder" for more information.
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Where to keep the backuped files?
The best location is a folder on SD storage, the SD storage is usually located at "/mnt/sdcard". On some phones, GSII for example,
this may not point to a real SD card storage. The backup folder can be changed to anywhere, just ensure the backup folder is
writable by the app, and not in a location that would interfere with the system.
See "Base folder" for more information.
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Does it backup data of apps?
No, it only backup the application file (apk).
The data of apps are usually stored in private folders, and app like AppWererabbit have no read/write access to these folders.
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What are "Protected" apps?
"Protected" means the app is "Copy Protected" to prevent the apk file from being copied, therefore, the app cannot be
truely backup, instead, only information regarding the app is backup to facilities restore from Play Store.
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Why can't I restore apps?
By default, a phone can only install apps from Google Play Store. To install from third parties sources, goto
"Settings"->"Security", enable the "Unknown sources" setting, then you can restore apps from SD card.
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What is the different between package Delete and Purge?
Delete remove all backup information associated with the package, while
Purge remove only those version backup not marked as "Retain".
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Why uses Package Name and Version Code as backup name?
- "Package Name" is a good choice, because it is unique for every apps from Play Store.
- "Version Code" is a good choice, because it is unique for each release of the same app from Play Store.
- Both uses filesystem friendly characters set.
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Why not use App Name and Version Name as backup name?
- "App name" is not ideal, because some apps uses identical name, "Angry Birds" for example.
- Both could contains characters not valid for filename.
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I want to move my backup folder to a new location.
Use follow steps.
- Use a "file manager" or "file explorer" app to move the current application "Base folder" to the new location.
- Update the application "Base folder" preference to point to the new location.
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Can I prevent a version backup from being purge?
Yes. Any version backup marked as "Retain" is ignore during purging.
To mark a version backup as "Retain".
- goto the "View versions" screen.
- tap on the version you like to retain.
- select "Toggle retain" to change its retain status.
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How do I restore all my apps on my new phone?
Below steps assume both phones support a true SD card storage, and the application "Base folder" is located on the SD card storage,
if not, then you will needs to do a manual copy of the application "Base folder", the minimum to copy is the app list under the app list export folder.
(1) on the old phone, export the app list to the SD card storage.
(2) transfer the SD card to the new phone. (if phones does not support a true SD card storage, do a manual copy here)
(3) install AppWererabbit on the new phone (manual install from SD or via Play Store).
(4) after install, point the application "Base folder" to the required folder.
(5) import the app list exported from step 1.
From this list you can either
(a) install the apps from Play Store, or
(b) if a backup is available, install from SD.
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I can't find my backup files after inserting my SD card from my old phone to my new phone?
Ensure on your old phone, the application "Base folder" is really pointing to a folder on the external SD card storage,
otherwise, your backup files is actually stored on your phone's internal storage memory, and not on your SD card storage.
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How can I migrate my existing apk files to AppWererabbit?
After configured the "Base folder", use the Import APK function to import the apk files.
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Why some apps does not show the "Backuped" indicator after I performed a batch Backup?
AppWererabbit skip over any apps already backuped. You can confirm this by trigging a single app backup, which will prompt user to confirm if a backup already exists.
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What is App2SD?
App2SD is a Android system function that move an app from the system internal memory to the external SD card storage.
There are two main advantages with more free internal memory.
- Allow more apps to be installed.
- The system slow down when internal memory is low.
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Do I needs a rooted device for App2SD?
No, but below criteria are required.
- Only apps specifically written to support this function can be moved to the SD card storage.
- An Android device with a true SD card storage installed.
- App2SD was added to Android from 2.2 (aka Froyo), specific support depends on the actual device's implementation.
Note:
- Not all version of Android 3.0 or above support App2SD, this is not the fault of AppWererabbit, but a system constraint.
- If you still want App2SD, your only option is to "ROOT" your device, and install an apps2sd app for rooted devices, google for more information if you still interested.
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How do I know if my device support App2SD?
The easiest way to know is first ensure your device have a true SD card installed, then from AppWererabbit, find an
app with "App2SD" status, then goto the "App info" screen of this app, if you see the "Move to SD card" button on the App info
screen then your device support App2SD.
Note:
- Not all version of Android 3.0 or above support App2SD, this is not the fault of AppWererabbit, but a system constraint imposed by the device manufacturer.
- On some devices, the "Move to SD card" button is shown, but does not actually support App2SD. So confirm your devices really have support by doing a move.
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I don't see the "Move to SD card" button on the App info screen.
AppWererabbit only notify if an app support App2SD, and provide an UI to facilitate easy access to the Android system
"App info" screen. Actual support is dependent on the specific device.
Note:
- Not all devices support App2SD, for example, Galaxy Nexus does not support this, because it does not have a true SD card storage.
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After moving "xyz" app to SD, it stop working.
Not all apps can be moved to SD, this is an Android limitation.
Apps using below features should not be installed on external SD storage.
- Services
- Alarm Services
- Input Method Engines
- Live Wallpapers
- Live Folders
- App Widgets
- Account Managers
- Sync Adapters
- Device Administrators
- Broadcast Receivers listening for "boot completed"
More information here.
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Why is the install location of AppWererabbit changed to internalOnly?
AppWererabbit uses some of those features that Android suggest not to move to SD.
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What is the 3 different panel?
On Phone
On SD Card
- Listed applications are those you installed.
- Listed applications are currently installed on SD card storage, but can be moved back to internal storage.
- Developers allows them to be moved to SD storage. See How do I know if my device support App2SD?
Phone Only
- Listed applications are those you installed.
- Listed applications are currently installed on internal storage, and cannot be moved.
- Developers insisted applications be install on internal storage only.
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Why is the "On SD Card" panel always empty?
See On SD Card.
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What is a cache?
A cache is a mechanism of storing data, so that future request for that data can be served faster, thereby improve application performance.
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Do I needs a rooted device to clean cache?
No, but the function is dependent on availability of corresponding Android system functions, especially for 1-Tap cache cleaning.
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Is it safe to clear the cache?
It is safe.
This app provide three methods to clear cache.
- Manually via the app info screen provided by the Android system.
- Manually via 1-Tap cleaning, this clean all apps cache in 1-Tap of the delete button.
- Automatically clean all apps cache at set intervals.
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Which is the best method to clear cache?
The best method depends on your needs, but the automatic method is the simplest, just pick the most appropriate interval for your needs, and let the system do all the works.
Note:
- As the "Automatic" and "1-Tap" cleaning depends on the Android system, after an OS upgrade, check everything is still working as expected.
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1-Tap cache cleaning not working.
There is a bug in Android 4.0.1 and 4.0.2, this is fixed by Google in 4.0.3.
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