Bug 492511

Summary: The "Filesystem expose" feature doesn't work on Android10
Product: [Applications] kdeconnect Reporter: soleado2048
Component: android-applicationAssignee: Albert Vaca Cintora <albertvaka>
Status: REPORTED ---    
Severity: normal CC: andrew.g.r.holmes
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Android   
OS: Android 10.x   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: "Filesystem Expose" plugin
The SFTP client does not respond

Description soleado2048 2024-09-01 20:18:46 UTC
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SUMMARY
As mentioned previously (Bug 489666), when KDE Connect was upgraded to 1.31.1, the remote file system did not work properly, asking for a password.
The issue was fixed in version 1.32, but remains somewhat problematic in lower versions of Android (e.g. Android 10). And it still exists in version 1.32.1.
KDE Connect in higher versions of Android (e.g. Android13) will directly use the entire internal storage root directory as the home directory, and you can browse and transfer files normally on the PC-based SFTP client. On Android 10, it requires the user to manually select the folders to be shared, and when the internal storage root directory is used as the folder to be shared, it cannot be accessed on the PC SFTP client, and the SFTP client will be unresponsive.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Update KDE Connect to version 1.32 (on an Android 10 device)
2. Configure the internal storage root directory as a “storage location” in the Open File System plugin.
3. Right-click on the KDE Connect indicator on the PC and select the Android 10 device and select the Browse Files function.
4. The SFTP client does not respond because it cannot access the above “storage location”.

OBSERVED RESULT
SFTP client not responding

EXPECTED RESULT
The SFTP client normally accesses the folder that is mapped to the internal storage root directory

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: 
KDE Plasma Version: 
KDE Frameworks Version: 
Qt Version: 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 soleado2048 2025-01-26 11:42:25 UTC
On Android devices with version 10 or lower, KDE Connect's "Filesystem Expose" feature requires manual selection of storage locations, rather than directly exposing the entire internal storage as in higher versions of Android. When the internal storage root directory is selected as a storage location, accessing the phone's files from a PC will cause the PC's SFTP client to become unresponsive.

This phenomenon does not exist in KDE Connect versions 1.30.1 and lower.

Since version 1.31.1 (the first version to be replaced with a blue icon), the "Filesystem Expose" feature has been problematic.

In versions 1.31.x, accessing the phone's file system from a PC will require a password to connect. (See Bug 489666)

This problem has been alleviated in version 1.32.0, which no longer requires a password, but the entire internal storage can no longer be selected as a storage location on lower versions of Android. Once selected, the SFTP client software will become unresponsive when accessed from a PC.

As of the latest version 1.32.11, the defect of this feature has not been completely resolved, that is, when the lower version of Android maps the entire internal storage, it will still cause unresponsive access from the PC. So now my Android 10 device can only choose to return to version 1.30.1 or lower in order to use this feature normally.
Comment 2 soleado2048 2025-01-26 11:49:38 UTC
Created attachment 177692 [details]
"Filesystem Expose" plugin

"Filesystem Expose" plugin
Comment 3 soleado2048 2025-01-26 11:52:13 UTC
Created attachment 177693 [details]
The SFTP client does not respond

The SFTP client does not respond