B4A Library File handling library

A file handling library that includes support for rooted devices. MLfiles will use superuser as well as busybox or toolbox if they are installed. The correct system paths are automatically searched for available superuser packages.

Attached is my file handling library for access to the Android file system. It includes a more complete Samba implementation for remote file access to windows or other samba servers. Below is a list of methods and variables available in the library. There is a simple example app in the zip to demonstrate some of the functions. works on rooted or non rooted devices.

MLfiles is now Version 1.50. MLsmb is now Version 1.51. See the attachments at the end of this post.

From version 1.50 MLfiles and MLsmb are separate libraries. If you are using both in your project, you'll need to check both libraries in the IDE. The jcifs samba library routines add over 300k to the size of an app. By separating the 2 libraries you get to choose when or if to use the samba library (MLsmb) or not.

MLfiles
Author: Jem Miller - Missing Link Software
Version: 1.5

• MLfiles
  Fields:
  • ErrStr As String
    The StdErr interface used by most commands. This should
    contain any error message from the OS.
  • FSerror As String
    The value of stderror is set to this string after each call
    if it is empty, there was no error.
  • HaveBB As Boolean
    True if busybox is installed.
  • HaveRoot As Boolean
    True if GetRoot succeeds.
  • HaveTB As Boolean
    True if toolbox is installed.
  • OutStr As String
    The StdOut interface returned by some commands. This
    will contain what would normally be text output to a linux
    terminal.
  • fsStdOut As String
    Contains the Linux StdOut result of a command. This is
    what you would see in a Linux console if the command
    is successful.
  Methods:
  • Escape (fname As String) As String
    Escapes spaces, "(" and ")" characters in a filename
    returns the original string if already escaped.
  • Exists (Filename As String) As Boolean
    Checks to see if a file exists.
    Filename is the path and filename string
    Returns True on success
  • GetDiskstats (Path As String) As String
    Returns information of the given partition or pathname as a string formatted as
    Size Used Free Blocksize
    each field is separated with a single space.
    For example:
    

    Dim fs as MLFiles
    Dim tmp as String
    tmp = fs.GetDiskstats("/mnt/sdcard")

    In the example above, tmp Might return :
    8G 57M 8G 4096
    If busybox is present, the output will be in bytes for each field.
    Uses Root if available.
  • GetExtSd As String
    Returns the location of the external SD card mount point.
    This is a best guess based upon the standards being adopted in later releases of Android.
    Returns an empty string if not found.
  • GetFileDate (Fname As String) As Long
    Gets the last modified date and time of a file or directory.
    Returns the timestamp in milliseconds.
  • GetFileExt (FName As String) As String
    Returns the file extension (if available) of the file FName
    otherwise returns the entire path and filename sent
  • GetFileType (Fname As String) As String
    Gets the filetype of Fname.
    Returns file type as a String on success or Unknown on failure.
    Returns standard mime types such as:
    
    text/plain
    audio/mpeg
    text/XML
    image/jpeg
    
    as file types
  • GetFreespace (Path As String) As Long
    Returns the available space of the given partition/disk as a Long
    Path is the mount point or directory within a partition
    Note that some partitions are protected and will not return a value.
  • GetGigsFree (Path As String) As Double
    Returns the available space of the given partition/disk in gigabytes
    Path is the partition path or directory within a partition
    Returns the available space on the partition containing the Path in gigabytes.
    Note that some partitions are protected and will not return a value.
  • GetPerms (fname As String) As String
    Example:
    perms = GetPerms(filename)
    Returns a Linux style permission string "rwxrwxrwx" rwx for each of owner, group, and others.
    Use - for no permission, like "rw-r--r--" for owner read write, group read, and others read.
    Works with files or directories.
  • GetRoot
    Attempts to gain root access.
    Sets HaveRoot to True on success
  • GetSymlink (Fname As String) As String
    Gets the target of a symbolic link in string format.
  • IsReadable (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Returns True if file or directory is readable to this user process.
  • IsWritable (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Returns True if file or directory is writable to this user process.
  • ReadTxtFile (Fname As String) As String
    Reads a text file and returns its contents in a StringBuilder.
    Uses Root if available.
  • RootCmd (Command As String, Args As String, StdOut As StringBuilder, StdErr As StringBuilder, useBB As Boolean) As Boolean
    Executes a system command or program through the root adapter.
    Uses standard permissions if root is not available.
    Command - the command to execute
    Args - the arguments to the command
    StdOut - the text that would appear in a linux console
    StdErr - any error text returned by the command
    useBB - use busybox for the command if available
    Returns true on success.
  • Sdcard As String
    Returns the path to the external SD card if present as a string including the ending /
    like /mnt/sdcard/
    returns an empty string if not present
  • SdcardReady As String
    Returns a state string for the external sdcard.
    
    mounted = mounted and ready
    unmounted = card present but unmounted
    bad removal = sdcard removed without closing
    removed = no card present
    nofs = unformatted or unknown filesystem
    shared = mount point is currently shared with usb device
    unmountable = sdcard is present but damaged
    checking = media is being scanned
    mounted read only = sdcard is not writable
  • SetFileDate (Fname As String, Time As Long) As Boolean
    Sets file date and time on Fname to Time in milliseconds.
    Returns True on success.
  • Symlink (Linkname As String, Filename As String) As Boolean
    Creates the symbolic link Linkname from Filename as in Linux/Unix.
    Works on files or directories.
    Returns True on success.
    
    Uses Root if available.
  • Touch (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Creates an empty file with the current date and time.
    Fname is the name of the file to create. If the file exists the datestamp is changed to NOW.
    Returns True on success.
    Uses root if available.
  • WriteTxtFile (Fname As String, Txt As String) As Boolean
    Writes the contents of Txt to the file Fname.
    Fname must already exist or a FileNotFound exception is thrown.
    Uses root if available.
  • chmod (Filename As String, permissions As String) As Boolean
    Sets file permissions for a file or directory. Requires correct user access or root.
    Permissions are as Linux chmod numeric value.
    1 = execute
    2 = write
    4 = read
    
    644 = owner read/write (4 + 2), group read, other read
    755 = owner read/write/execute (4 + 2 + 1), group read/execute, other read,execute
    
    Uses Root if available.
  • cp (Src As String, Dest As String) As Boolean
    Copy a file from Src to Dest
    Returns True on success.
    Uses Root if available.
  • cpr (Src As String, Dest As String) As Boolean
    Recursive copy just like the Linux cp -r
    Copies all files and directories under the Src path to Dest.
    Works with directories, but is meaningless for files.
    Returns True on success.
    Uses Root if available.
  • createZipFile (path As String)
    Creates a backup zip of the directory path
  • dirEntries (Dir As String, Hidden As Boolean) As ArrayList
    Returns a list of formatted directory entries or an empty list on failure. As in :
    d---rwxr-x system sdcard_rw 0 2011-11-13 12:59 LOST.DIR
    Each element is in the form of a space separated string of
    permissions and type (drwxr-xr-x) where the first char indicates a directory, link, or regular file (d, l, or -).
    owner name
    group name
    file size
    date
    time
    file name
    Hidden is a boolean and will show ALL files hidden or not if True.
    Note that this method makes every attempt to fill in a size for symlinks and directories
    This means that you should always get 7 fields.
    Uses Root if available.
  • extractZipFiles (zip_file As String, directory As String)
    Unzips a backup zipfile to directory.
    Creates the destination DIR if needed.
  • extractZipFilesFromDir (zipName As String, fromDir As String, toDir As String)
    Unzips zipName from fromDir to toDir
  • isDir (Path As String) As Boolean
    Returns true if Path is a directory
  • isSymlink (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Returns True if file or directory is a symbolic link.
  • mkdir (Dir As String) As Boolean
    Make a directory and any needed parent directories
    Returns True on success
    Uses Root if available.
  • mv (Oldname As String, Newname As String) As Boolean
    Use to move or rename files or directories from Oldname to Newname.
    Returns True on success.
    Uses Root if available.
  • rm (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Remove (delete) a file or directory
    Directories must be empty
    Returns True on success.
    Uses Root if available.
  • rmrf (Fname As String) As Boolean
    Remove (delete) a directory recursively.
    ALL files and sub-directories will be deleted, EMPTY OR NOT.
    Returns True on success.
    Uses Root if available.
  • zipPeek (zipname As String) As ArrayList
    Opens a zip file and returns the list of its contents
    in a list.
    zipname is the full path and filename to be displayed
    Returns a formatted string of :
    path/Name, compressed FileSize, and DateTime as a single semicolon separated string
  Permissions:
  • android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

The MLsmb library:

MLsmb
Author: Jem Miller - Missing Link Software
Version: 1.51

• MLsmb
  Events:
  • Success (Name as String As , Size as Long As )
  Fields:
  • FSerror As String
  Methods:
  • Escape (fname As String) As String
    Escapes spaces, "(" and ")" characters in a filename
    Returns the original string if already escaped.
  • Initialize
    Initializes internal variables
  • SmbCopy (FromFile As String, ToFile As String, eventname As String)
    Copies a file TO or FROM the Samba server, including samba to samba copying.
    Calls the Success event when completed.
    
    The event contains the filename and file size as:
    
    varname_Success(Name as String, Size as Long)
    
    put any code you need to execute on successful copy in the event sub.
    eventname_Success(Name As String, Size As Long)
  • SmbCredentials (Username As String, Password As String, Domain As String)
    Set the user name, password, and domain for a samba server.
    If set, this record will be passed to the server when the Smb methods are called.
  • SmbDelete (Url As String, SmbFile As String) As Boolean
    Deletes a file on the Samba server
    Returns True on success.
  • SmbIP (host As String) As String
    Returns the IP address of the Samba server
  • SmbList (SmbUrl As String, Pattern As String) As ArrayList
    Returns a list of SmbFile types on the samba server.
    Check the FSerror string to see if authentication failed or is needed.
    SmbUrl = the SMB path to list
    Pattern = an optional wildcard search pattern
  • SmbMove (From As String, To As String) As Boolean
    Moves or renames files or directories on the Samba server
    Returns True on success.
  • mkSmbDirs (Dir As String) As Boolean
    Makes a directory on the Samba server.
    This method will create any missing elements of the new path.
    Returns True on success.
  • smbInStream (Afile As String) As InputStream
    Creates an input stream from the file Afile that can be fed to another object.
    Returns null if not successful.
  Permissions:
  • android.permission.INTERNET
  • android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
• SambaFile
  Fields:
  • TYPE_COMM As Int
  • TYPE_FILESYSTEM As Int
  • TYPE_NAMED_PIPE As Int
  • TYPE_PRINTER As Int
  • TYPE_SERVER As Int
  • TYPE_SHARE As Int
  • TYPE_WORKGROUP As Int
  Methods:
  • CanRead As Boolean
    True is the file or directory is readable.
  • CanWrite As Boolean
    True if the directory or file can be written to.
  • DiskFree As Long
    Returns the free space of this Samba share.
  • GetPath As String
    Returns the SMB path to this file or directory
  • GetServer As String
    Returns the Smaba server name
  • GetShare As String
    Returns the share name
  • GetType As Int
    Returns an Int representing the type of SMB object for this SambaFile from 0 through 6
    TYPE_FILESYSTEM, a regular file or directory
    TYPE_WORKGROUP, A workgroup
    TYPE_SERVER, a Samba server
    TYPE_SHARE, a shared directory
    TYPE_PRINTER, a shared printer
    TYPE_NAMED_PIPE, a named pipe
    TYPE_COMM, a communications device
  • IsFile As Boolean
    True if this is a file and not a directory.
  • IsHidden As Boolean
    True if this file or directory is hidden.
  • IsInitialized As Boolean
  • LastModified As Long
    Returns the modify date of this file
  • Name As String
    Returns the file name
  • Parent As String
    Returns the parent directory
  • ServerIp (Server As String) As String
    Returns the IP address of the server
  • Size As Long
    Returns the file size
  • isDir As Boolean
    Ckecks if this file is a directory.

The jcifs.jar file used in this library is available HERE

There are 2 test projects included in the zip file. One for MLfiles and one for MLsmb.


Version 1.1

• Many small changes have been made for efficiency. The GetRoot has been modified to try different methods of determining if a device has root access available. I added the Escape method in both the files and Samba objects to escape file names containing spaces, "(" and ")" characters. It returns the original string with no changes if nothing needs to be done, otherwise it escapes those characters with the "\" character so that linux and cifs can use the string.
  
  Version 1.2
  Added 2 new methods and changed 1.
  
  Added GetGigsFree(String Path) This returns the freespace of a partition in gigabytes as a double
  
  Added GetFreespace(String Path) This returns the freespace of a partition in bytes as a Long
  
  Changed GetDiskFree(String Path) to GetDiskstats(String Path) It still returns a formatted STRING of values.
  
  Updated the libtest.b4a project.
  
  Version 1.3
  Removed unused parameter from GetFreespace to avoid any confusion.
  
  Version 1.4
  Changed OS calls to look for busybox by default. Samsung and others do not offer common OS calls in their ROMs, but (at least in Samsungs case) they include busybox on the device, which solves this problem.
  
  Version 1.41
  Changed the cp and cpr methods. If the cp command is not present on the OS version, both use native methods to copy the file or do a recursive copy of the directory tree. These methods do not honor root access, so normal permissions are used.
  
  Version 1.42
  Minor change to the GetGigsFree and GetFreespace methods to try to ensure they return accurate results.
  
  Version 1.43
  Actually made version 1.42 changes work. About time!
  
  Version 1.44
  Added the Exists method to test if a file or directory exists.
  
  Version 1.45
  Fixes some zip extraction weirdness. NOTE: The order of fromDir and toDir have been changed! Also the destination directory will now be created if needed in both ExtractFilesFromDir() and ExtractFiles.
  
  Version 1.47
  Added GetExtSd method to find a mounted external (add-on_ sd card. Lots or rewrites and optimizations. The Samba routines are mostly rewritten and are now very reliable. Better authentication in all samba methods as well. More error correction and detection.
  
  Version 1.50
  Separated the local files and smb files into 2 libraries.

MLsmb Version 1.51
Corrected headers that got changed during the library separation process. Attached MLsmb-1.51.zip to correct this issue.

.

 

[thedesolatesoul]

Wow! HotShoe this is an amazing library!!! really :SHOCKED:
just a typo: ZipPeak shoud be ZipPeek (no need to fix it now)
also need to add FileObserver (if you want to for completeness)
How do you implement GetFileType is it using the mimtype class?
and how do you get permissions?
:sign0188:

 

[HotShoe]

just a typo: ZipPeak shoud be ZipPeek (no need to fix it now)

How do you implement GetFileType is it using the mimtype class?
and how do you get permissions?
:sign0188:

Hehe you're right, it's mis-spelled...

Yes I used the mimetypemap to do the file types. Permissions are grabbed from a ls -l call and the rest of the line is stripped.

--- Jem

 

[Amalkotey]

@HotShoe:

I got following error message:

Compiling code.                         0.01
Compiling layouts code.                 0.02
Generating R file.                      0.43
Compiling generated Java code.          1.14
Convert byte code - optimized dex.      Error
A referenced library is missing: jcifs

Should the jcifs library not in your be jar linked? Which version did you use? Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[myriaddev]

Thanks HotShoe

I will be using lib very soon!
Jerry

 

[wheat01]

Same Error on Compile

Compiling code. 0.13
Compiling layouts code. 0.03
Generating R file. 0.00
Compiling generated Java code. 0.86
Convert byte code - optimized dex. Error
A referenced library is missing: jcifs

I didn't see the cure in the posts. Thanks for any help

 

[Erel]

This error means that this library depends on a native jar (jcifs.jar) and this jar is missing from the libraries folder.
You can download it here: Index of /src

 

[PHB2]

Fantastic library - thank you for taking the time to get it to such a state that it can be used by all!

 

[HotShoe]

Well, I thought I had figured out a way around that error with the help of Erel and Warwound a month or so ago. I have tried copying the required jar into the lib, setting the export options in eclipse, and including the entire jcifs source tree into my package, but now I can't get it to work without requiring jcifs.jar.

I have made some changes to the library, but I am delaying the release until I can find a way around this.

For now at least, I'm afraid you will have to download the .jar and put it in your additional libraries directory. If anyone knows a way around this, PLEASE let me know either here or at [email protected].

This is the .jar that I am using:

jcifs.zip

Thanks,

--- Jem

 

[Amalkotey]

@Hotshoe:

Thank you for the lib. I have your tested now library on four gerotete android devices and only one device has recognized the root right.

More info please gather the list:

• Archos 101G9 - SDE Root = detected
• Samsung Galaxys S3 CWW-Root = not recognized
• HTC Desire Classic Clockworkmod Root = not recognized
• HTC Desire S Clockworkmod root = not recognized

I have your tested now library on three gerotete android devices and only one device has recognized the root right. As on all my Android devices both titanium backup and ROM Manager or CWW Manager properly, the root on each device is installed correctly. Would be nice if you could check that. Thank you in advance.

 

[HotShoe]

Thanks for your report, I will check this. I have 2 rooted devices and 3 non rooted devices and it works correctly on all of those. I will see if there is another method other than invoking su to check for root more reliably.

Thanks,

--- Jem

 

[Stulish]

I have just started playing with your library, and wanted to be able to click the listview2 and then see the next level of files/directories, i used the following code:

Sub ListView2_ItemClick (Position As Int, Value As Object)
   Dim l As List, i As Int 
   l.Initialize 
   l.clear
   l = sf.SmbList(Value,Null) 'get a list of all samba groups
   ListView2.Clear
   Log(Value)
   Log("Errors:" & sf.FSerror )
   For i = 0 To l.Size - 1
   Log(i & ":" & l.Get(i))
   ListView2.AddSingleLine(l.Get(i))
   Next
End Sub

and the log information i get is:
smb://192.168.0.2/2TB Network Drive/
Errors:The system cannot find the file specified.

the value "smb://192.168.0.2/2TB Network Drive/" is the correct address for the drive but it says it can not find the file specified, am i doing something fundamentally incorrect?

thanks

:sign0085: Stu :sign0104:

 

[johnaaronrose]

How to install

I don't understand how to install this library. With the Reflection & Dialogs libraries, I moved the (unzipped) directory contents (of those names) to the Additional Libraries directory. With MLFiles, should I do the same given that on unzipping, there is a fstest.zip file (should it be unzipped?). Also, where do I put the jcif.jar file?

 

[HotShoe]

@Stullsh

and the log information i get is:
smb://192.168.0.2/2TB Network Drive/
Errors:The system cannot find the file specified.

First, I apologize for the delay in answering this. I completely missed your question for a couple weeks.

Your code looks correct. I would guess that the directory name needs to be escaped. *nix including cifs do not like spaces in file names. The new version of the lib has an escape method built in, but for now, you should escape the spaces like this:

smb://192.168.0.2/2TB\ Network\ Drive/

The \ character tells the OS to include the following character without interpretation. I will try to get the new lib version posted this week.

Thanks,

--- Jem

 

[HotShoe]

I don't understand how to install this library. With the Reflection & Dialogs libraries, I moved the (unzipped) directory contents (of those names) to the Additional Libraries directory. With MLFiles, should I do the same given that on unzipping, there is a fstest.zip file (should it be unzipped?). Also, where do I put the jcif.jar file?

Yes, unzip the file and put the mlfiles.jar and .xml files in your additional libraries directory. The jcifs.jar file should also go there. The fstest.zip is a small b4a test project showing some of the functions of the library and can be put anywhere you like and compiled in b4a.

--- Jem

 

[Stulish]

@Stullsh



First, I apologize for the delay in answering this. I completely missed your question for a couple weeks.

Your code looks correct. I would guess that the directory name needs to be escaped. *nix including cifs do not like spaces in file names. The new version of the lib has an escape method built in, but for now, you should escape the spaces like this:

smb://192.168.0.2/2TB\ Network\ Drive/

The \ character tells the OS to include the following character without interpretation. I will try to get the new lib version posted this week.

Thanks,

--- Jem

Jem,

Thanks for the reply, i will have a look once i get time

Stu :icon_clap:

 

[HotShoe]

Version 1.1

Version 1.1 is now available in the first post.

--- Jem

 

[JonPM]

Looking forward to using this lib. Just curious, is the zip part adapted from the ABZipUnzip lib? just asking because I had problems with that lib in the past.

 

[Stulish]

Still not working

@Stullsh



First, I apologize for the delay in answering this. I completely missed your question for a couple weeks.

Your code looks correct. I would guess that the directory name needs to be escaped. *nix including cifs do not like spaces in file names. The new version of the lib has an escape method built in, but for now, you should escape the spaces like this:

smb://192.168.0.2/2TB\ Network\ Drive/

The \ character tells the OS to include the following character without interpretation. I will try to get the new lib version posted this week.

Thanks,

--- Jem

Jem,

I have changed the code to read:

Sub ListView2_ItemClick (Position As Int, Value As String)
   Dim l As List, i As Int, NewDir As String 
   l.Initialize 
   l.clear
   For a=0 To Value.length-1 
   If Value.SubString2(a,a+1)=" " Then NewDir=NewDir & "\"
   NewDir=NewDir&Value.substring2(a,a+1)
   Next
   Log("Changed: " & NewDir)
   Value=NewDir
   l = sf.SmbList(Value,Null) 'get a list of all samba groups
   ListView2.Clear
   Log(Value)
   Log("Errors:" & sf.FSerror )
   For i = 0 To l.Size - 1
   Log(i & ":" & l.Get(i))
   ListView2.AddSingleLine(l.Get(i))
   Next
End Sub

the error i get is still the same:

Changed: smb://192.168.0.2/2TB\ Network\ Drive/
smb://192.168.0.2/2TB\ Network\ Drive/
Errors:The network name cannot be found.

The Log text now displays the '\' characters infront of the spaces, but it still doesn't see the next directory.

Thanks

Stu

PS and sorry to be a pain

 

[johnaaronrose]

Checking room on SDCard for a file in a temporary location

I was directed to use MLFiles in order to find out the room left on the SDCard. I'm using File.Size to find out the size of the file: documentation says that this is long. I understand that MLFiles.GetDiskFree gets a formatted string. When I compare the 2 results, I get
JavaLanguageNumberFormatException
on 'If' statement shown below.

As I'm a newbie, I'm asking how to correct this.

Code:
Dim dbFileSize As Long
dbFileSize = File.Size(HttpUtils2Service.TempFolder & "/", HttpUtils2Service.filename)
Dim fs As MLfiles
If fs.GetDiskFree(SDDir) < dbFileSize Then
Msgbox("Storage card does not have space for database: needs " & dbFileSize & " bytes, has " & fs.GetDiskFree(SDDir)& " bytes", "Storage Card")
Activity.Finish
End If