Back Up?

mooncosmique · 18 Aug 2019, 18:32

Sorry if I am missing something here, but I searched thru the forums and there is little information on how to backup UTouch. Since this OS is meant to be an alternative phone OS, backing up and restoring would seem to me to be of primary importance. I see that some contributors have been attempting to create address backups, this seems not quite deep enough. I would also expect to be able to sync notes, test messaging, photos, music, etc.

So again, maybe I am missing something obvious but if my phone were to get, stolen, broken, frozen... I would hope to be able to store all the data somewhere and retrieve/ re-install with little difficulty. It doesn't have to be OTA or cloud based, just a way to back up and restore

Please let me know what backup methods are available or that other users are employing

Thanks

A Former User · 18 Aug 2019, 18:39

This post is deleted!

Lakotaubp · 18 Aug 2019, 18:50

@mooncosmique Try this https://forums.ubports.com/topic/1683/migrate-data-from-device-to-device also if you use evernote you can sync that with the native notes app. I must admit I just copy music and photo and video files to a laptop every so often.

TotalSonic · 20 Aug 2019, 08:38

The best method I have found so far is automated backups is via a NextCloud account - either with your own server, or using a third party cloud service like owncube.com (which offers a free 5gig option to get started with) - and using the excellent UBsync app (available in the Open Store). For backing up contacts currently you need to do a manual export to a vcf file - and then back that up. Calendar sync can be easily setup to caldav also to a Nextcloud account.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

mooncosmique · 27 Aug 2019, 02:15

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am trying to not use an Android phone but it's pretty convenient, even without using Google apps. But I am an Ubuntu / Open Source fan so I am trying to get as many of the same features as I can.

I thought about Evernote, that way I could toggle between phones as well as back up. Don't know it well but it seem pretty ubiquitous and I'm sure I could learn it.

The .vcf option has already worked out for me as far as getting contact info to my phones, but I can't see a way to create a .vcf in UT. Could you please give me some directions as to how to? That would be an acceptable way for me to store and recover contact info.

I'll check out UBsync, I hadn't seen it yet in the store.

Again, thanks for your help

normandc · 27 Aug 2019, 04:16

@mooncosmique said in Back Up?:

The .vcf option has already worked out for me as far as getting contact info to my phones, but I can't see a way to create a .vcf in UT. Could you please give me some directions as to how to? That would be an acceptable way for me to store and recover contact info.

Hi,

As far as I could find on the forum, you have two ways to back up your contacts (other than from a terminal) :

Backup the SQLite database file in /home/phablet/.local/share/evolution/addressbook/system/contacts.db
Open the Contacts app, and manually select all your contacts - press and hold on one contact entry in the list to reveal checkboxes (this will be tedious if you have many, I haven't found a way to make multiple selections), then click on the Share icon in the top bar. You'll be asked to select an application to share with, choose the Files app. Next navigate to where you want to save and confirm, a ubuntu-contacts.vcf file will be created.

Source: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/1661/how-to-copy-contacts-from-tablet-to-phone-without-surrendering-them-to-google
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/603/restore-ut-ota-15-data-backup-meizu-mx4-to-ubports-ota-2-nexus-5

tera · 27 Aug 2019, 11:59

@normandc Once you have the checkboxes displayed in the Contacts, there is an icon Top Right that can be used to select all Contacts fyi

normandc · 27 Aug 2019, 22:05

@tera
Thanks, I didn't know this icon was to select all!

mooncosmique · 28 Aug 2019, 05:20

Ok - saving the contacts to a vcf file worked. Finding how to access the contact checkbox was a complete stumble upon. Thanks for the tip on the select all box. Plus, I am so old school it took me a second to recognize the share button, not something I often use.

On the other hand, I discovered that Dekko mail won't send attachments or access my contact list. I really like UT but there are some things that don't work that surprise me.

Lakotaubp · 28 Aug 2019, 05:26

@mooncosmique JFI There is a hackathon starting on Friday for Dekko2 to help improve the app https://gettogether.community/events/1915/ubports-hackathon-dekko-2/

AppLee · 28 Aug 2019, 08:54

@mooncosmique
Dekko has no contact feature yet.
But if you hope it can access your phone contacts, then I think it goes against confinement.

What I hope will be done some day is a local contact storagr for Dekko and the ability to sjare contact information between the apps.
But this is a lot of work... meanwhile I'm grateful for the emails I can read and write.

normandc · 28 Aug 2019, 14:02

@mooncosmique said in Back Up?:

On the other hand, I discovered that Dekko mail won't send attachments or access my contact list. I really like UT but there are some things that don't work that surprise me.

I just tested attachments in Dekko 2, I was able to send a picture taken with the camera. Not sure why it wouldn't work for you.

I'm using the 16.04/rc channel on an OnePlus One device, but I think with the recent OTA-10 update on stable, rc and stable should be currently mostly identical (sure to soon diverge I assume). I may be mistaken though, I'm still new to UT.

tera · 28 Aug 2019, 16:42

@normandc Same here but noticed i need to start Dekko first before sharing files fwiw...

spyphi · 31 Aug 2019, 14:15

For the backup there are two usefull tools available on UTouch with the command line:
syncevolution allows you to synchronize your calendar, contact and tasks with any sync-ml or webdav server.
rsync allows you to copy or synchronize all your files to a remote destination.
Another way is to enable ssh on your device and access it from your PC to backup your files.

mooncosmique · 14 Oct 2019, 17:05

Hi

Just getting back to this. I am trying to use UT as my main phone now, it is missing a lot of features my other phones had but seems to be more stable than my most recent android attempt.

How do I enable SSH on the phone? I am fairly competent with the CLI so I should be able to figure it once I get started.

Thanks

A Former User · 14 Oct 2019, 17:40

@mooncosmique You can use the UT Tweak Tool to enable ssh (and a lot more).

AppLee · 14 Oct 2019, 18:34

@mooncosmique Or you can use adb to add your public key to the authorized_keys2, I think that's what I did.

advocatux · 14 Oct 2019, 23:55

@mooncosmique another way to do it is following these instructions http://docs.ubports.com/en/latest/userguide/advanceduse/ssh.html

vokaliz · 18 Oct 2019, 05:09

@mooncosmique , hello! You can use TWRP. If you have it, go to the backup directory and make backup all your system. Backup will be save on phone disk space. If you want make only contacts backup go by the link /home/phablet/.local/share/evolution/addressbook/system/contacts.db
and copy this file to pc.