Accessories question about microSD card and accessing files

alex_edge · 12-12-2010, 08:11 PM

I have an 8gb microSD card that I've been using in my Sansa Clip, but I thought I'd just go ahead and use it as additional memory for my PE. I loaded some videos and office documents onto the card, in addition to the mp3s that are already there. However, when I mount the card into the PE, it doesn't recognize anything other than the mp3s. Has anyone else experienced this?

The other question I had is, is there some way to move files from internal storage to the SD card without reformatting the entire library (a la the instructions posted here )?

borisb · 12-12-2010, 08:23 PM

The eDGe does best with MP4 videos, and a handful of others. You can try installing the mVideoPlayer from the enTourage App Store. Try opening the video files using the mVideoPlayer app.

Office documents you should be able to open using the Documents To Go app installed on your eDGe. Again, run the app and open the file using the app.

You can move files from Internal Storage to the SD card using the Storage app. Find the file you want to move and click the checkmark to the left of the file name, then "Move" at the bottom of the screen. Then navigate to the desired location on the SD card and tap the "Paste File(s) here" button at the top right of the screen.

Files in the Library app can be "exported" to the SD card (and then deleted from the Library) but for eBooks this will generally cause the eBook to be converted to an image-based PDF which, while superficially looks like the original, is actually a limited copy. My rule of thumb is always to keep a backup copy of all eBooks on my PC (or a USB memory stick) so that I can copy them to another device when I need to.

alex_edge · 12-12-2010, 09:00 PM

Thanks for the info borisb. I"m not having difficulty playing video files (or opening office docs), I just can't seem to get the PE to recognize that those files are actually on my microSD card... I"m wondering if it's a side effect of the microSD card having been mounted as a drive within Rhapsody, so that somehow it only displays music files. But that doesn't sound likely, now that I think about it.

borisb · 12-12-2010, 09:08 PM

What do you mean exactly by "recognize"?

alex_edge · 12-12-2010, 09:58 PM

The documents do not appear in the list of files on the SD card. It's as if I haven't saved them to the SD card at all, but when I check the card in my PC, the files are clearly there.

borisb · 12-12-2010, 10:10 PM

Hmmm. That's odd. That suggests it might be the way the card was formatted, or if they're on a different partition on the SD card...

Chas · 12-13-2010, 06:19 PM

It's the way Android treats SD cards and the hack job of supporting internal and external storage. On an Android phone, the SD card folder (/sdcard) actually points to the SD card. On the eDGe (both versions), the SD card folder is a redirected link to either the internal storage (/intsdcard) or the SD card (/extsdcard). Most Android programs don't look anywhere except the user area and /sdcard Only apps that allow browsing the entire file system will see the actual SD card unless you move the library to the SD card.

Yes, it is a dumb way to do it and there better ways it could have been implemented.

borisb · 12-13-2010, 06:55 PM

Thanks for that explanation, Chas. I know in the past some apps couldn't even be pointed to the external SD card.

alex_edge:

I've confirmed that Documents To Go can access the external SD card. Select "SD Card 2" under "Local Files".

For mVideoPlayer, you have to go into Preferences and manually add (i.e., don't use the "browser" button) the path \extsdcard to the list of video folders. Then check off the "Force Reload" option, exit the app and go back in. Note that mVideoPlayer will only list files it recognizes and can play.

For any other app, the place to look for the external SD files is "\extsdcard".

In any case, if you launch the Storage app and go to "SD Card", you should see all the files listed there. Documents and videos should launch from there if you tap them. If they don't show up under the Storage app, it could be they're marked hidden or something.

alex_edge · 12-14-2010, 11:36 AM

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions. The problem isn't accessing the external SD card. It's more an issue of the fact that when I browse the contents of the external SD card (both through the Storage app and through Astro) files that I *know* I put on the SD card do not show up. For example, via my PC, I created a folder on the SD card called "TV shows" and then put several video files into that folder. I also created a folder called "dissertation" and put a bunch of word documents, excel spreadsheets, and PDFs in it. When I transfer the SD card to my PE, neither the "TV shows" nor "dissertation" folders appear in the file menu of the SD card. Somehow the video files that were in the "TV shows" folder are now in a folder titled "New Folder" (so at least I found the files), but the files that were in the "dissertation" folder are *nowhere*. I'm assuming it has to do with the formatting of the SD card. Once I find my microSD to SD adapter, I'll reformat and try again.

12-12-2010, 08:11 PM	#1
alex_edge Edge User	question about microSD card and accessing files I have an 8gb microSD card that I've been using in my Sansa Clip, but I thought I'd just go ahead and use it as additional memory for my PE. I loaded some videos and office documents onto the card, in addition to the mp3s that are already there. However, when I mount the card into the PE, it doesn't recognize anything other than the mp3s. Has anyone else experienced this? The other question I had is, is there some way to move files from internal storage to the SD card without reformatting the entire library (a la the instructions posted here )?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Restoring my MicroSD card?	t3l01v	Nook Developer's Corner	3	02-01-2011 04:10 AM
MicroSD card	waffleman	Nook Color & Nook Tablet	11	12-25-2010 03:25 PM
Accessing many files on an SD card	charliearmoryco	Amazon Kindle	8	01-25-2008 08:30 PM
Warning: accessing CF card through iLiad export can corrupt files	nekokami	iRex	0	11-28-2007 08:09 PM
Accessing different eBook files stored on external card?	daught	Workshop	3	05-25-2004 10:20 PM

12-12-2010, 08:23 PM	#2
borisb Edge User	The eDGe does best with MP4 videos, and a handful of others. You can try installing the mVideoPlayer from the enTourage App Store. Try opening the video files using the mVideoPlayer app. Office documents you should be able to open using the Documents To Go app installed on your eDGe. Again, run the app and open the file using the app. You can move files from Internal Storage to the SD card using the Storage app. Find the file you want to move and click the checkmark to the left of the file name, then "Move" at the bottom of the screen. Then navigate to the desired location on the SD card and tap the "Paste File(s) here" button at the top right of the screen. Files in the Library app can be "exported" to the SD card (and then deleted from the Library) but for eBooks this will generally cause the eBook to be converted to an image-based PDF which, while superficially looks like the original, is actually a limited copy. My rule of thumb is always to keep a backup copy of all eBooks on my PC (or a USB memory stick) so that I can copy them to another device when I need to.

12-12-2010, 09:00 PM	#3
alex_edge Edge User	Thanks for the info borisb. I"m not having difficulty playing video files (or opening office docs), I just can't seem to get the PE to recognize that those files are actually on my microSD card... I"m wondering if it's a side effect of the microSD card having been mounted as a drive within Rhapsody, so that somehow it only displays music files. But that doesn't sound likely, now that I think about it.

12-12-2010, 09:08 PM	#4
borisb Edge User	What do you mean exactly by "recognize"?

12-12-2010, 09:58 PM	#5
alex_edge Edge User	The documents do not appear in the list of files on the SD card. It's as if I haven't saved them to the SD card at all, but when I check the card in my PC, the files are clearly there.

12-12-2010, 10:10 PM	#6
borisb Edge User	Hmmm. That's odd. That suggests it might be the way the card was formatted, or if they're on a different partition on the SD card...

12-13-2010, 06:19 PM	#7
Chas Edge User	It's the way Android treats SD cards and the hack job of supporting internal and external storage. On an Android phone, the SD card folder (/sdcard) actually points to the SD card. On the eDGe (both versions), the SD card folder is a redirected link to either the internal storage (/intsdcard) or the SD card (/extsdcard). Most Android programs don't look anywhere except the user area and /sdcard Only apps that allow browsing the entire file system will see the actual SD card unless you move the library to the SD card. Yes, it is a dumb way to do it and there better ways it could have been implemented.

12-13-2010, 06:55 PM	#8
borisb Edge User	Thanks for that explanation, Chas. I know in the past some apps couldn't even be pointed to the external SD card. alex_edge: I've confirmed that Documents To Go can access the external SD card. Select "SD Card 2" under "Local Files". For mVideoPlayer, you have to go into Preferences and manually add (i.e., don't use the "browser" button) the path \extsdcard to the list of video folders. Then check off the "Force Reload" option, exit the app and go back in. Note that mVideoPlayer will only list files it recognizes and can play. For any other app, the place to look for the external SD files is "\extsdcard". In any case, if you launch the Storage app and go to "SD Card", you should see all the files listed there. Documents and videos should launch from there if you tap them. If they don't show up under the Storage app, it could be they're marked hidden or something.

12-14-2010, 11:36 AM	#9
alex_edge Edge User	Thanks to both of you for the suggestions. The problem isn't accessing the external SD card. It's more an issue of the fact that when I browse the contents of the external SD card (both through the Storage app and through Astro) files that I know I put on the SD card do not show up. For example, via my PC, I created a folder on the SD card called "TV shows" and then put several video files into that folder. I also created a folder called "dissertation" and put a bunch of word documents, excel spreadsheets, and PDFs in it. When I transfer the SD card to my PE, neither the "TV shows" nor "dissertation" folders appear in the file menu of the SD card. Somehow the video files that were in the "TV shows" folder are now in a folder titled "New Folder" (so at least I found the files), but the files that were in the "dissertation" folder are nowhere. I'm assuming it has to do with the formatting of the SD card. Once I find my microSD to SD adapter, I'll reformat and try again.

Advert

Advert