Share Ubports Folder On Local Network?

Peter Gamma

Is there no straightforward solution to read and write files on a Ubports phone from a PC? In Windows 10 it is so easy to have a network shared folder. I am ready to change to a Ubuntu PC for this purpose. From a Ubuntu machine, can I read and write to an Ubports shared folder according to this instruction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-PSSd-U610

Or more precise. Is it possible to share a Ubports folder with a Ubuntu PC?

Keneda

@peter-gamma
Long topic short answer, no you cannot, easily, do that.
There is a smb possibility in file manager, but bugged in its state and you must do some tweaks with terminal to make it work.
Search forum for those.

You can also use FTP as a workaround., an app is available in open store.

Peter Gamma

@keneda File sharing between Linux phone and PC seems to be tricky. I will probably let go all discussed options and use a monitor mouse and keyboard as shown here for the PinePhone:

https://youtu.be/yBeza4UNOm8

Does this also work with other Ubports phones?

Keneda

@peter-gamma
Can't tell.
For monitor over usb, device need to have displayport over usb capacities prior to OS being able to use it.

Peter Gamma

@keneda Thanks. No general rule? I managed to connect a HDMI monitor to my Samsung Galaxy S5 KitKat 4.4. with keyboard and mouse, so I think it is worth to try this setup with a Ubports device, too.

arubislander

@peter-gamma You are encouraged to try. But success is by no means guaranteed.

Do report back with your experiences.

spctrl

@peter-gamma I connect over sftp. Maybe not straightforward for a first setup, but once it's set up, I can just select my phone from my laptop's file explorer and I'm in. If it can't connect because ssh on the phone is down, I can enable it from the UT Tweak Tool.

To get this, enable SSH on your phone (this is the maybe-not-so-straightforward part)[1]. Once done, you can connect over sftp. On KDE you can just add it to your file explorer. Pretty sure Gnome also has that option, unsure about windows.

[1] https://docs.ubports.com/en/latest/userguide/advanceduse/ssh.html?highlight=ssh

Peter Gamma

Thank you both for your answers:

@arubislander: I I suppose Syncthing will solve my problem the easiest way. I use my phone since many years man.y for writing. There are thousands of files on my SD card which I don t want to loose. My main motivation to choose a Linux phone was that I expected an improve in file access possibilies. This is there, but mainly for progammers. Syncthing is also available for Android, and there are apps available to control mouse and keyboard in Android. Therefore I don t see a reason why to use a Ubports phone instead of an Android phone. Softmaker office on Android is as the desktop app.

The PinePhone has at least the option to write to the external SD card, and internal and external SD card can be acessed over Jumpdrive. This seems to me another easy solution.

@ pctrl : Thanks four your detailed instruction. Happy that this option works for your you. I saw some videos about SSH. It seems a bit too big for my application. It also seems that not many use their phone in that way, else it would be better implemented.

I also thought about a Rasperri Pi with Ubuntu desktop to get all the options, but it is not so handy. But I eventually will carry around such a device with an image of home assistant for sensor data acquistion, which is only available for Rasperri PI.

Thank you for your support .

Peter Gamma

I usually don t code, as you can see on my GITHUB page:

https://github.com/PeterGamma

Linux phone developers, make file access from PC to Linux phone easier .

arubislander

@peter-gamma I am genuinely confused. I can simply connect my UTouch phone (Meizu Pro 5) via USB, unlock the device and have access to the Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos and Music folders both on the internal storage and on the SD card. What does not work for you?

cliffcoggin

@arubislander I was wondering the same thing. I can easily read files on UBT phone from computer, but have never tried to write to those files.

arubislander

@cliffcoggin Writing works as well as reading.

Keneda

@arubislander
It is way more convinient not to have to connect phone to the computer to share files, that's why samba is so good when it works, just need to use wifi.

arubislander

@keneda Quite so, but OP seems to be implying that even that is not possible for them.

Peter Gamma

@arubislander Thanks for sharing your experience.

The reason why it does not work for me is simple since I don t have a Ubports phone available. I stuck in the process of unlocking the bootloader of a Xiaomi phone and it was very difficult, and I don t know whether it is worth to continue. I have now also a Fairphone 3 available which hopefully is easer.

I have listed the options which I know which are possible to connect a phone to a PC on my personal website:

for Ubports phones:

https://petergamma.org/file-access-from-pc-to-ubports-linux-phone/

for (Ubports) PinePhones:

https://petergamma.org/file-access-from-pc-to-linux-pinephone/

Thanks for sharing these information. To connect a Linux phone to a PC with a network shared folder or to connect a phone SD card as a network drive to a Windows or Ubuntu Desktop network the same way it works on a PC would be highly desirable. But I am happy to know what is possible.