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Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ...

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  Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-06 20:27 -0500
    Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2017-01-07 08:53 +0000
      Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-07 14:45 -0500
        Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2017-01-07 22:12 +0000
          Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-08 00:15 -0500
            Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-08 17:18 +0000
              Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-08 16:44 -0500
                Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2017-01-08 22:35 +0000
                  Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-08 23:47 -0500
                    Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Kees Nuyt <k.nuyt@nospam.demon.nl> - 2017-01-09 18:50 +0100
                      Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-10 04:08 -0500
              Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... Daniel James <daniel@me.invalid> - 2017-01-09 23:55 +0000
                Re: Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ... tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> - 2017-01-10 04:16 -0500

#37486 — Q.: "Open with" dialogues in Android ...

Three questions, if I may, about Android dialogues of "Open with..." type.
These are the 4-or-more-line dialogues looking like so:

: Complete action using
: [ Icon_1] App_1
: [ Icon_2] App_2
: [ Icon_3] App_3
: |__| Use by default for this action

Q1: how can one add yet another App to the list of candidates?

Q2: how does one _later_ undo one's choice to tick the Use-by-default box?

Q3: how does one initiate such a dialogue when trying to open a file of a
type Android doesn't yet have a handler for (e.g., .azw, .MOBI, .ePub)?
(Yes, I've Kobo Reader and Kindle for Android installed and ready to use.)

If it matters, I'm interested for Android versions 2.3.5, 4.0.4, and newer.

Many thanks. Cheers, -- tlvp
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37503

tlvp wrote:

> Three questions, if I may, about Android dialogues of "Open with..." type.
> These are the 4-or-more-line dialogues looking like so:
>
> : Complete action using
> : [ Icon_1] App_1
> : [ Icon_2] App_2
> : [ Icon_3] App_3
> : |__| Use by default for this action
>
> Q1: how can one add yet another App to the list of candidates?

You don't.  The author of an app can declare that it is able to handle 
files/actions of a certain type, if the device has more than one 
possible app it shows the dialog.

> Q2: how does one _later_ undo one's choice to tick the Use-by-default box?

Settings/WhicheverApp/OpenByDefault/ClearDefaults

> Q3: how does one initiate such a dialogue when trying to open a file of a
> type Android doesn't yet have a handler for (e.g., .azw, .MOBI, .ePub)?
> (Yes, I've Kobo Reader and Kindle for Android installed and ready to use.)

You don't.  If it has zero handlers it can't handle the file;  if it has 
one handler it will use it with no dialog;  if it has multiple handlers 
but knows your preference it will use it with no dialog; only when it 
has two or more handlers but you haven't declared a preference will it 
initiate the dialog.

> If it matters, I'm interested for Android versions 2.3.5, 4.0.4, and newer.

Don't think the behaviour has changed much over the years.

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#37519

On Sat, 7 Jan 2017 08:53:41 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> tlvp wrote:
> 
>> ... Q2: how does one _later_ undo one's choice to tick the Use-by-default box?
> 
> Settings/WhicheverApp/OpenByDefault/ClearDefaults

Thanks, Andy: along with your answers to my Q1 and Q3 (not reproduced here,
as too far OT), you gave a very comprehensive and instructive response. 

Tailoring the Q2 actions to Android  v. 2.3.5, and to the Amazon Kindle for
Android v. 3.0.2.71 I have installed on such a phone, I tap, sequentially,

Settings
Applications
Manage Applications
All
Amazon Kindle

and there, under Launch by default, I see: "No defaults set."

And, basically, there's no way for *me* to set any defaults there?
That's a bummer, if that's what you're telling me.

But further in this direction, using the app Browser instead: there, under
Launch by default, I see: "You have selected to launch this application by
default for some actions. [Button: Clear defaults]"

Two questions here, if I may:

(i) How to learn for *which* actions Browser launches by default? 
 and
(ii) How to *restore* as default any of those actions once the [Clear
defaults] button has removed them all?

Thanks for your willingness to help. Cheers, -- tlvp
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37534

tlvp wrote:

> under Launch by default, I see: "No defaults set."
> And, basically, there's no way for *me* to set any defaults there?
> That's a bummer, if that's what you're telling me.

That's right, even if the app can handle a certain type of files, if it 
doesn't offer, you can't force it be the handler.

> But further in this direction, using the app Browser instead: there, under
> Launch by default, I see: "You have selected to launch this application by
> default for some actions. [Button: Clear defaults]"
>
> How to learn for *which* actions Browser launches by default?

You'd probably have to look at the manifest files inside the APK files 
for the browser app, likely it has defined "intents" such as 
ACTION_VIEW, if you then installed chrome and it defined the same 
intent(s), then the device would then ask whether you wanted the native 
browser or chrome to open URLs.

Back to your kindle problem, is there no way to import the folder of 
eBooks into the kindle app, rather than trying to launch them from a 
file explorer?

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#37543

On Sat, 7 Jan 2017 22:12:40 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

> ... lots of useful info anent other problems, OT here ...

followed by:

> Back to your kindle problem, is there no way to import the folder of 
> eBooks into the kindle app ... ?

Oh, yes. If I have .mobi, .prc, and/or .azw files in a folder on the
external SD card, I can move or copy them to the appropriate folder (named
kindle) where the Kindle app expects to see the books in its "library".

But if I try to do a file download of a .mobi file from an author's web
page, or an .azw file from Amazon.com, using either Browser or Opera Mini,
the Downloader balks, claiming the file is one it doesn't know how to
handle. Means even the <user>@kindle.com email attachment way of sending a
.mobi file to my phone's Kindle app fails, because the attachment never
downloads. 

So I'm reduced to the very 20th century solution of sneaker-netting the
microSD card out of the phone and into a computer to DL the desired
eBook(s), and than back into the phone to move it/them over to the
handset's memory where the Kindle app expects to find such things.

(Exception: eBook files that I acquire directly from Amazon.com itself I
can DL using the "synch" mechanism of the Kindle app itself.)

Not insurmountable obstacles, but impediments I'd rather not have to work
around repeatedly, unless there's no other way :-) . 

Thanks for your sympathetic ear, and helpful advice. Cheers, -- tlvp
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37555

tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> wrote:
[...]
> But if I try to do a file download of a .mobi file from an author's web
> page, or an .azw file from Amazon.com, using either Browser or Opera Mini,
> the Downloader balks, claiming the file is one it doesn't know how to
> handle. Means even the <user>@kindle.com email attachment way of sending a
> .mobi file to my phone's Kindle app fails, because the attachment never
> downloads. 

  What is this "the Downloader" thing you talk about?

  What you seem to describe would mean that you would not be able to
download a file, any file, which no (installed) app can 'Open', but
which would be quite useful. I.e. a configuration file, a file which is
*used* by and app, but is not *'Open'-ed* by an app.

  IOW, there are lots of files which are not 'Open'ed, but which are
used in some shape of form. Your 'Browser' would not be able to
*download* such a file? Why on earth not? It has no business thinking
the file needs to be 'Open'-ed!

  Can you give an exmple (i.e. URL) of such a (freely downloadable)
file, which your 'Browser'/'Downloader' can't download?

<drift>

> So I'm reduced to the very 20th century solution of sneaker-netting the
> microSD card out of the phone and into a computer to DL the desired
> eBook(s), and than back into the phone to move it/them over to the
> handset's memory where the Kindle app expects to find such things.

  Can't you USB-connect the Android device to your computer or use a
Wi-Fi connection with something such as ES File Explorer?

</drift>

[...]

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#37572

On 8 Jan 2017 17:18:17 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:

> tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> wrote:
> [...]
>> But if I try to do a file download of a .mobi file from an author's web
>> page, or an .azw file from Amazon.com, using either Browser or Opera Mini,
>> the Downloader balks, claiming the file is one it doesn't know how to
>> handle. Means even the <user>@kindle.com email attachment way of sending a
>> .mobi file to my phone's Kindle app fails, because the attachment never
>> downloads. 
> 
>   What is this "the Downloader" thing you talk about?

Well, as an App on the All Apps screen, it's called Downloader, and has as
icon a green square with a white underscored down-arrow displayed on it.

>   What you seem to describe would mean that you would not be able to
> download a file, any file, which no (installed) app can 'Open', but
> which would be quite useful. I.e. a configuration file, a file which is
> *used* by and app, but is not *'Open'-ed* by an app.

Right. Happens quite a lot. These get listed, as failed downloads, with
headings like

<Unknown> 
attachments.postoffice.net
Unsupported

or

<Unknown>
s3.amazonaws.com
Failed

Downloadable files include those of type .pdf, .docx, jpeg, .txt, .apk,
.png, .xlsx, and .vcs, amongst others.

>   IOW, there are lots of files which are not 'Open'ed, but which are
> used in some shape of form. Your 'Browser' would not be able to
> *download* such a file? Why on earth not? It has no business thinking
> the file needs to be 'Open'-ed!

These are questions I have no answer for, which is why I came here. Only
"why not" rationale I can imagine is the antique Android version, 2.3.5.

>   Can you give an exmple (i.e. URL) of such a (freely downloadable)
> file, which your 'Browser'/'Downloader' can't download?

Example, yes. URL: no. But any .mobi attachment to an email that I should
be able to download, over their web UI, from my email provider -- and can
successfully download using a laptop computer -- fails as above.
> 
> <drift>
> 
>> So I'm reduced to the very 20th century solution of sneaker-netting the
>> microSD card out of the phone and into a computer to DL the desired
>> eBook(s), and than back into the phone to move it/them over to the
>> handset's memory where the Kindle app expects to find such things.
> 
>   Can't you USB-connect the Android device to your computer ...

Sure. Just requires being a step'n'fetchit for a USB cable instead of for
the microSD card -- still "sneakernet" to my way of thinking.

> ... or use a
> Wi-Fi connection with something such as ES File Explorer?

That's an idea that may be worth my exploring, but the details of its
realization have thus far eluded me; I do have ES FileExplorer on the
Android handset (though I hate its intrusive ads, the Free version), but
the computers here all are set *not* to share *anything*.

Thanks, though, for checking to see what help you might be able to offer.
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37577

tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> wrote:
> On 8 Jan 2017 17:18:17 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> 
> > tlvp <mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> wrote:
> > [...]
> >> But if I try to do a file download of a .mobi file from an author's web
> >> page, or an .azw file from Amazon.com, using either Browser or Opera Mini,
> >> the Downloader balks, claiming the file is one it doesn't know how to
> >> handle. Means even the <user>@kindle.com email attachment way of sending a
> >> .mobi file to my phone's Kindle app fails, because the attachment never
> >> downloads. 
> > 
> >   What is this "the Downloader" thing you talk about?
> 
> Well, as an App on the All Apps screen, it's called Downloader, and has as
> icon a green square with a white underscored down-arrow displayed on it.

  Hmmm! I think I've seen that somewhere, but I've never used it, so I
wonder why you would ('have to') use such a thing. I.e. on a computer
you use a web-browser to download things, so why would you (need to)
something different on an Android device? More on this later.

> >   What you seem to describe would mean that you would not be able to
> > download a file, any file, which no (installed) app can 'Open', but
> > which would be quite useful. I.e. a configuration file, a file which is
> > *used* by and app, but is not *'Open'-ed* by an app.
> 
> Right. Happens quite a lot. These get listed, as failed downloads, with
> headings like
> 
> <Unknown> 
> attachments.postoffice.net
> Unsupported
> 
> or
> 
> <Unknown>
> s3.amazonaws.com
> Failed
> 
> Downloadable files include those of type .pdf, .docx, jpeg, .txt, .apk,
> .png, .xlsx, and .vcs, amongst others.
> 
> >   IOW, there are lots of files which are not 'Open'ed, but which are
> > used in some shape of form. Your 'Browser' would not be able to
> > *download* such a file? Why on earth not? It has no business thinking
> > the file needs to be 'Open'-ed!
> 
> These are questions I have no answer for, which is why I came here. Only
> "why not" rationale I can imagine is the antique Android version, 2.3.5.
> 
> >   Can you give an exmple (i.e. URL) of such a (freely downloadable)
> > file, which your 'Browser'/'Downloader' can't download?
> 
> Example, yes. URL: no. But any .mobi attachment to an email that I should
> be able to download, over their web UI, from my email provider -- and can
> successfully download using a laptop computer -- fails as above.

  When it fails, are you using the web UI (of your email provider) on
the phone? I.e. the web UI runs in a browser, *where* (on which device)
does that web-browser run? Does your phone have another web-browser
(than the 'Browser' thingie) which you can try? (If not, Firefox is
quite small and can be moved to SD-card.).

> > <drift>
> > 
> >> So I'm reduced to the very 20th century solution of sneaker-netting the
> >> microSD card out of the phone and into a computer to DL the desired
> >> eBook(s), and than back into the phone to move it/them over to the
> >> handset's memory where the Kindle app expects to find such things.
> > 
> >   Can't you USB-connect the Android device to your computer ...
> 
> Sure. Just requires being a step'n'fetchit for a USB cable instead of for
> the microSD card -- still "sneakernet" to my way of thinking.
> 
> > ... or use a
> > Wi-Fi connection with something such as ES File Explorer?
> 
> That's an idea that may be worth my exploring, but the details of its
> realization have thus far eluded me; I do have ES FileExplorer on the
> Android handset (though I hate its intrusive ads, the Free version), but
> the computers here all are set *not* to share *anything*.

  The computers do not have to (be set to) share anything. On the
computer, you use a FTP URL (ES File Explorer (on the phone) tells you
which URL), so your computer is a *client* and the phone is the server.
Might sound strange, but it actually makes perfect sense.

  After entering the FTP URL (something like <ftp://192.168.0.109:3721/>)
in your browser on the computer, you can view the phone's storage in a
Windows/File Explorer window. (If you use Internet Explorer, it will
tell you how to do that. Don't know about other browsers.)

> Thanks, though, for checking to see what help you might be able to offer.

  You're welcome.

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#37585

On 8 Jan 2017 22:35:16 GMT, after much other stuff, Frank Slootweg wrote:

>   When it fails, are you using the web UI (of your email provider) on
> the phone? I.e. the web UI runs in a browser, *where* (on which device)

When it fails I'm using the email provider's web UI on the phone, generally
in the Browser browser. But it fails equally reliably in Opera Mini.

> ... does that web-browser run? Does your phone have another web-browser
> (than the 'Browser' thingie) which you can try? (If not, Firefox is
> quite small and can be moved to SD-card.).

I've tried getting Firefox to install, but it refuses, claiming to require
Android of v. higher than 4.something (not merely 2.3.5).

Actually (forehead-slap), the same was true of ES File Explorer (FE) on
this old v. 2.3.5 device. I have it on another handset (v. 4.0.4), & a Fire
tablet, but not here. Indeed, the Play pen won't offer it, for that reason.
And when it does see use, on the other devices, it's annoyingly
advert-laden. Is there currently nothing better?

> 
>>> <drift>
>> 
>>> ... or use a
>>> Wi-Fi connection with something such as ES File Explorer?
>> 
>   The computers do not have to (be set to) share anything. On the
> computer, you use a FTP URL (ES File Explorer (on the phone) tells you
> which URL), so your computer is a *client* and the phone is the server.
> Might sound strange, but it actually makes perfect sense.
> 
>   After entering the FTP URL (something like <ftp://192.168.0.109:3721/>)
> in your browser on the computer, you can view the phone's storage in a
> Windows/File Explorer window. (If you use Internet Explorer, it will
> tell you how to do that. Don't know about other browsers.)

Might be I should try that using FileZilla on the computer (I use that
almost weekly to update web pages, hence am more comfortable with it than
using FTP as a protocol within a browser. But I still need something, in
lieu of ES FE, to make the phone act like a server.

Thanks for trying to help me make a go of it all. Cheers, -- tlvp
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37599

On Sun, 8 Jan 2017 23:47:30 -0500, tlvp
<mPiOsUcB.EtLlLvEp@att.net> wrote:

> On 8 Jan 2017 22:35:16 GMT, after much other stuff, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
>>   When it fails, are you using the web UI (of your email provider) on
>> the phone? I.e. the web UI runs in a browser, *where* (on which device)
>
> When it fails I'm using the email provider's web UI on the phone, generally
> in the Browser browser. But it fails equally reliably in Opera Mini.
>
>> ... does that web-browser run? Does your phone have another web-browser
>> (than the 'Browser' thingie) which you can try? (If not, Firefox is
>> quite small and can be moved to SD-card.).
>
> I've tried getting Firefox to install, but it refuses, claiming to require
> Android of v. higher than 4.something (not merely 2.3.5).
>
> Actually (forehead-slap), the same was true of ES File Explorer (FE) on
> this old v. 2.3.5 device. I have it on another handset (v. 4.0.4), & a Fire
> tablet, but not here. Indeed, the Play pen won't offer it, for that reason.
> And when it does see use, on the other devices, it's annoyingly
> advert-laden. Is there currently nothing better?

I have installed SSHdroid on my phone and tablet.
It is (also) an SSH server that speaks scp filetransfer.
I connect to it with WinSCP and that works just fine. 
I guess FileZilla will also be able to talk scp.

-- 
HTH
Kees Nuyt

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#37610

On Mon, 09 Jan 2017 18:50:24 +0100, Kees Nuyt wrote:

> I have installed SSHdroid on my phone and tablet.
> It is (also) an SSH server that speaks scp filetransfer.
> I connect to it with WinSCP and that works just fine. 
> I guess FileZilla will also be able to talk scp.

Dank U wel for that pointer, Kees. I'll have to see whether I can find it,
and convince it to accept my 2.3.5 environment. FileZilla talking SCP? Of
that I'm not so sure, but WinSCP should be acceptable, too. Or does
SSHdroid speak SFTP? or FTPS? (FileZilla does.) Cheers, -- tlvp
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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#37604

In article <edfaipFfjs3U1@mid.individual.net>, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> Can you give an exmple (i.e. URL) of such a (freely downloadable)
> file, which your 'Browser'/'Downloader' can't download?

Not quite.

I got an EMail the other day with a link to:

http://accu.org/content/journals/CVu28.6-qvrA.epub

When I click that link in K9 Mail on my phone the file *is* downloaded 
but I am offered a choice of opening it only in File Explorer or WPS 
Office. These both open the epub file as an archive and show the files 
contained within, rather than displaying it as an eBook.

Once the file has been downloaded I can open the FBReader app and open 
the file explicitly from there, but FBR doesn't seem to be a candidate 
for opening the file from within K9 Mail.

I'm not sure whether the problem is with K9 or FBR, but it's not 
impossible to work around.

-- 
Cheers,
  Daniel.
  
  

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#37611

On Mon, 09 Jan 2017 23:55:52 -0000, Daniel James wrote:

> I got an EMail the other day with a link to:
> 
> http://accu.org/content/journals/CVu28.6-qvrA.epub

Interesting story, your "open with" choices (ok, not literally that) here.

I've forwarded the above to an email my phone accesses easily, and I'll
report back whether the ePub downloads properly or balks in the same way as
a .mobi does. Thanks for providing this opportunity. Cheers, -- tlvp 
-- 
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

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