[root] Add Full Device Storage Access

[magic-ian]

Description of the issue

I would like to be able to synchronize contents in /Android/data across devices, however it appears Syncthing must request MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE to be able to do this? I'm not completely sure, but other apps like Termux appear to have access (option to use rsync instead)

Steps to reproduce

1. Create Folder

2. Select Directory

3. Attempt to navigate to /Android/data or /Android/obb or other restricted storage space

App version

v2.x

App install source - see wiki for details on release channels

GitHub or F-Droid release build

Android version

11

ROM vendor

Agnostic

Device manufacturer

Agnostic

Device model

Agnostic

Device platform info (optional)

Android 5.0+

Android log (logcat)

[researchxxl]

hi
the app already uses manage_external_storage but androids folder selector restricts browsing to the location as outlined in their docs
ways to circumvent are not yet implemented
you could try to enter the path manual in the web ui which may work for some android derivates

[normanre]

I could also look into it how other apps circumvent this issue and propose a suggestion.

[MichaelZ4714]

I think there are two possibilities. The best one has unfortunately just been removed: using root to access folders. The second one is not really one: go back using pre-Android 4.4. At that time Storage Access Framework was introduced with limiting access.

[bege10]

@researchxxl @nel0x Please, restore root access. It is vital for syncing app data in Android/data. In my opinion it is not the issue of the respective apps but of a synching app to manage access to these folders. I was using Syncthing-Fork this way for a long time and suddenly I am left alone without this option.

[researchxxl]

@bege10 answered you on the forum ;))

[researchxxl]

@nel0x quote from the forum

I mean if we put in the work to maintain it would there be any reason to not include it in the ‘main’ flavour - thus not diverge in a GPlay-specific capability? Generally I can take this feature under my umbrella, but I don’t use a rooted device myself too, so this feature would be on a ‘best effort’ basis …

if you take care of the expected low amount of tickets on best effort i agree on this.. in case you hit problems users need to proactively help you testing but thats okay imo for what they get in return

bringing the root feature back involves partly revert of #39 and the following tasks

• replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained.. its last release was of feb 5, 2022 which i think is not security wise to rely on into all future
• runShellCommandGetOutput optionally could get a better named argument then true or false for su declaration
• minor update to the wiki instructions on which users should take caution

[MichaelZ4714]

• replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained..

I think https://github.com/topjohnwu/libsu could be a good library.

[MichaelZ4714]

users need to proactively help you testing

@nel0x
I am willing to support.

[researchxxl]

• replace eu.chainfire.libsuperuser.Shell by something maintained..

I think https://github.com/topjohnwu/libsu could be a good library.

that might also solve the difficulties on wrong permissions on config and cert files of syncthing using remote fs access instead

[Bsd-us]

I was planning on using root access on Android 10 as it has very poor support for sd cards
after looking for a while for where it was I saw it disappeared
I can be a tester for this feature if needed I hope we can bring this back