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    Setup a shared folder between UT and Waydroid

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Unsolved Waydroid
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      • C Offline
        captainfunk
        last edited by captainfunk

        Hi everyone 🙂

        I've tried to setup a shared folder between UT and waydroid so I can easily and quickly share files without using the terminal. I want to be able to use easily this share folder in the graphical app Files of Ubuntu Touch.

        I've kinda followed this link : https://docs.waydro.id/faq/setting-up-a-shared-folder

        So i have first created two directories : ~/shared and ~/.local/share/waydroid/data/media/0/shared
        Then I have done the commands :

        sudo mount --bind ~/shared ~/.local/share/waydroid/data/media/0/shared
        sudo chown phablet:phablet shared
        
        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ ls -l | grep shared
        drwxrwxr-x 2 phablet phablet  4096 juin   7 01:04 shared
        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ 
        

        It only works for one file, then the permissions automatically change to 1023 and I'm not authorised to continue sharing files :

        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ ls -l | grep shared
        drwxrwxr-x 2    1023    1023  4096 juin   9 23:14 shared
        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ 
        

        So I have to do the chown command again for every file...

        Furthermore, if I check the id command then I don't see which user is 1023 :

        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ id
        uid=32011(phablet) gid=32011(phablet) groups=32011(phablet),4(adm),5(tty),20(dialout),24(cdrom),27(sudo),30(dip),44(video),46(plugdev),105(systemd-journal),1001(radio),1002(bluetooth),1003(android_graphics),1004(android_input),1005(audio),1013(android_media),1015(sdcard_rw),1021(gps),2001(android_cache),3002(android_net3),3003(android_net),3004(android_net2),9997(android_nvram)
        phablet@ubuntu-phablet:~$ 
        

        And finally if I reboot UT I have to also re-do the mount --bind command...

        I would like to make this shared folder persistent without having to re-do those commands every time, any ideas ?

        Thanks 🙂

        Google Pixel 3a XL - 20.04 Stable (OTA-9)

        developerbaymanD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • C captainfunk marked this topic as a question
        • developerbaymanD Offline
          developerbayman
          last edited by

          Does Ubuntu touch have a "autostart” feature?....if it already does not exist that could be a clickable....auto start clickable apps or run scripts.....surly someone did this already?

          AppLeeA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • AppLeeA Offline
            AppLee @developerbayman
            last edited by

            @developerbayman said in Setup a shared folder between UT and Waydroid:

            Does Ubuntu touch have a "autostart” feature?....if it already does not exist that could be a clickable....auto start clickable apps or run scripts.....surly someone did this already?

            Not sure what you put behind "autostart feature", but Ubuntu Touch uses systemd to start services at boot time.

            developerbaymanD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • developerbaymanD Offline
              developerbayman @AppLee
              last edited by

              @AppLee a lot of distros usually have a settling app to auto start stuff initiated by the desktop after boot Linux mint, Ubuntu....most distros and windows have one simple add program/script button add the path to the file or script and starts after desktop boots

              C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • C Offline
                captainfunk @developerbayman
                last edited by captainfunk

                @developerbayman
                Making a little script and make it autorun on startup could be a workaround to avoid doing the mount --bind command every time I reboot the phone but I don't know how to do this.
                Still, for each file that I want to copy into the shared folder I have to do the chown command again and again, that's the most problematic thing

                Google Pixel 3a XL - 20.04 Stable (OTA-9)

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • developerbaymanD Offline
                  developerbayman @captainfunk
                  last edited by

                  @captainfunk try this

                  #!/bin/bash
                  #
                  # Usage:
                  #   To install and set up:     ./waydroid_shared_folder.sh --install
                  #   To perform mount only:     ./waydroid_shared_folder.sh --mount (used by cron)
                  #   To perform chown only:     ./waydroid_shared_folder.sh --chown (used by cron)
                  #   To uninstall:              ./waydroid_shared_folder.sh --uninstall
                  #   To display help:           ./waydroid_shared_folder.sh --help
                  #
                  
                  
                  # --- Configuration ---
                  # Define the paths for the shared folders.
                  # ~/shared is the folder on your Ubuntu Touch host that you will use.
                  SHARED_DIR_HOST="$HOME/shared"
                  # ~/.local/share/waydroid/data/media/0/shared is the corresponding folder inside Waydroid.
                  SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID="$HOME/.local/share/waydroid/data/media/0/shared"
                  # The primary user on Ubuntu Touch.
                  USER_PHABLET="phablet"
                  # The name of this script, used for cron job identification.
                  SCRIPT_NAME=$(basename "$0")
                  # The absolute path to this script, essential for cron to execute it correctly.
                  SCRIPT_PATH="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &> /dev/null && pwd)/$SCRIPT_NAME"
                  
                  # --- Functions ---
                  
                  # Function for logging messages to stdout with a timestamp.
                  log() {
                      echo "$(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') - $1"
                  }
                  
                  # Function to create the necessary shared directories if they don't exist.
                  create_directories() {
                      log "Creating shared directories..."
                      # Create the host shared directory.
                      mkdir -p "$SHARED_DIR_HOST"
                      # Create the Waydroid internal shared directory path.
                      mkdir -p "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"
                      if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                          log "Directories created successfully."
                      else
                          log "Error creating directories. Please check permissions or disk space. Exiting."
                          exit 1
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to perform the bind mount operation.
                  perform_bind_mount() {
                      log "Attempting to bind mount '$SHARED_DIR_HOST' to '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID'..."
                      # Check if the Waydroid shared folder is already mounted to avoid errors.
                      if mountpoint -q "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"; then
                          log "Folder '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' is already mounted. Skipping bind mount."
                      else
                          # Use sudo to perform the bind mount, linking the host folder to the Waydroid folder.
                          sudo mount --bind "$SHARED_DIR_HOST" "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"
                          if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                              log "Bind mount successful."
                              # Immediately set initial permissions after a successful mount.
                              set_folder_permissions
                          else
                              log "Error: Bind mount failed. This could be due to incorrect paths, Waydroid not running, or insufficient sudo permissions."
                              log "Ensure Waydroid is running and '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' exists inside its 'data/media/0' structure."
                              exit 1
                          fi
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to unmount the shared folder.
                  unmount_folder() {
                      log "Attempting to unmount '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID'..."
                      # Check if the folder is currently mounted before attempting to unmount.
                      if mountpoint -q "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"; then
                          # Use sudo to unmount the folder.
                          sudo umount "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"
                          if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                              log "Unmount successful."
                          else
                              log "Error unmounting folder. This may happen if files inside are in use."
                              log "You might need to manually unmount or reboot if it persists."
                              exit 1
                          fi
                      else
                          log "Folder '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' is not mounted. Skipping unmount."
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to set the ownership of the shared folder and its contents.
                  set_folder_permissions() {
                      log "Setting permissions for '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' to '$USER_PHABLET:$USER_PHABLET'..."
                      # Use sudo and the -R (recursive) flag to ensure all files and subdirectories
                      # within the mounted shared folder are owned by the 'phablet' user.
                      # This directly addresses the issue of Waydroid changing ownership.
                      sudo chown -R "$USER_PHABLET":"$USER_PHABLET" "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"
                      if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                          log "Permissions set successfully."
                      else
                          log "Error setting permissions. Check sudo permissions or ensure the path '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' is valid."
                          exit 1
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to add cron jobs for persistence and continuous permission management.
                  add_cron_jobs() {
                      log "Adding cron jobs for persistence and continuous permission management..."
                      # Get current crontab, add new entries, sort, remove duplicates, then set new crontab.
                      # @reboot: Executes the script with '--mount' option every time the device reboots.
                      # * * * * *: Executes the script with '--chown' option every minute to correct permissions.
                      (crontab -l 2>/dev/null; \
                       echo "@reboot /bin/bash \"$SCRIPT_PATH\" --mount"; \
                       echo "* * * * * /bin/bash \"$SCRIPT_PATH\" --chown" \
                      ) | sort | uniq | crontab -
                      if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                          log "Cron jobs added successfully."
                          log "They will run from this script's current location: $SCRIPT_PATH"
                          log "IMPORTANT: Do NOT move or rename this script after installation, or the cron jobs will fail."
                          log "You can verify the cron jobs by running: crontab -l"
                      else
                          log "Error adding cron jobs. This could be a cron service issue."
                          exit 1
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to remove cron jobs added by this script.
                  remove_cron_jobs() {
                      log "Removing cron jobs related to this script..."
                      # List current cron jobs, filter out lines containing this script's path, and set the new crontab.
                      crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v "$SCRIPT_PATH" | crontab -
                      if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                          log "Cron jobs removed successfully. You can verify by running: crontab -l"
                      else
                          log "Error removing cron jobs. You may need to manually edit your crontab (crontab -e)."
                          exit 1
                      fi
                  }
                  
                  # Function to display the help message.
                  display_help() {
                      echo "Usage: $SCRIPT_NAME [OPTION]"
                      echo ""
                      echo "This script automates setting up and managing a shared folder between Ubuntu Touch and Waydroid."
                      echo ""
                      echo "Options:"
                      echo "  --install     Performs initial setup: creates directories, mounts the folder,"
                      echo "                sets initial permissions, and adds cron jobs for persistence and"
                      echo "                continuous permission handling. Run this command once to set up."
                      echo ""
                      echo "  --mount       Performs only the bind mount operation and sets initial permissions."
                      echo "                This option is primarily used by the '@reboot' cron job for persistence."
                      echo ""
                      echo "  --chown       Recursively sets permissions for the shared folder and its contents"
                      echo "                to 'phablet:phablet'. This option is used by the periodic cron job"
                      echo "                to automatically correct permissions changed by Waydroid."
                      echo ""
                      echo "  --uninstall   Removes the cron jobs added by this script and unmounts the shared folder."
                      echo "                This cleans up the setup."
                      echo ""
                      echo "  --help        Display this help message."
                      echo ""
                      echo "Important Notes:"
                      echo "  - This script assumes you are running it as the 'phablet' user on Ubuntu Touch."
                      echo "  - It relies on 'sudo' for mount and chown commands. The 'phablet' user typically has"
                      echo "    passwordless sudo access configured by default on Ubuntu Touch."
                      echo "  - After running '--install', a reboot is recommended to ensure the @reboot cron job fires."
                      echo "  - Do not move or rename this script after installation, as the cron jobs rely on its path."
                      echo "  - While '/etc/fstab' is a common Linux method for persistence, it's generally not recommended"
                      echo "    for user-level modifications on Ubuntu Touch due to its read-only root filesystem and OTA updates."
                      echo "    Using user-specific cron jobs provides a safer and more robust solution here."
                  }
                  
                  # --- Main Logic ---
                  
                  # Check if the script is being run as root. It should be run as the regular user (phablet).
                  if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
                      log "Error: This script should NOT be run directly with 'sudo'."
                      log "Please run it as the '$USER_PHABLET' user (e.g., just './$SCRIPT_NAME --install')."
                      log "The script will use 'sudo' internally where necessary."
                      exit 1
                  fi
                  
                  # Check for essential commands required by the script.
                  if ! command -v crontab &> /dev/null; then
                      log "Error: 'crontab' command not found. Please ensure cron is installed and available."
                      exit 1
                  fi
                  if ! command -v mountpoint &> /dev/null; then
                      log "Error: 'mountpoint' command not found. Please ensure it's installed (usually part of 'util-linux')."
                      exit 1
                  fi
                  
                  # Process command-line arguments.
                  case "$1" in
                      --install)
                          log "Initiating installation process..."
                          create_directories      # Create the required host and Waydroid directories.
                          perform_bind_mount      # Perform the initial bind mount.
                          add_cron_jobs           # Set up cron jobs for persistence and auto-chown.
                          log "Installation complete. Please reboot your Ubuntu Touch device for all changes to take full effect."
                          log "The shared folder will now be persistent across reboots, and permissions will be automatically corrected."
                          ;;
                      --mount)
                          log "Executing mount operation (likely from @reboot cron job)..."
                          create_directories      # Ensure directories exist (in case they were deleted).
                          perform_bind_mount      # Perform the bind mount.
                          ;;
                      --chown)
                          log "Executing chown operation (likely from periodic cron job)..."
                          # Only attempt chown if the target directory exists and is mounted.
                          if [ -d "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID" ] && mountpoint -q "$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID"; then
                              set_folder_permissions  # Correct the permissions recursively.
                          else
                              log "Shared Waydroid directory '$SHARED_DIR_WAYDROID' not found or not mounted. Skipping chown for now."
                              log "This might happen if Waydroid is not running or if the mount failed."
                          fi
                          ;;
                      --uninstall)
                          log "Initiating uninstallation process..."
                          remove_cron_jobs        # Remove the cron jobs.
                          unmount_folder          # Unmount the shared folder.
                          log "Uninstallation complete. You may manually remove the '$SHARED_DIR_HOST' directory if no longer needed."
                          ;;
                      --help)
                          display_help            # Show the help message.
                          ;;
                      *)
                          log "Invalid option: '$1'"
                          display_help
                          exit 1
                          ;;
                  esac
                  
                  log "Script execution finished."
                  
                  
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