Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

Discussions around the Android version of the Gospel Library application.
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daveblac
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Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 7:47 pm
Location: So. Jordan, UT

Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#1

Post by daveblac »

I just updated to GL 4.0.1.2.
Nice improvements.

The new restriction on downloading content to the SD card is, however,
a serious problem for me and undoubtedly a number of others.
In the process of downloading content, my phone storage was filled,
Google play store became inoperable, and I had to go through a
recovery procedure to get the play store working again.

Android keeps using more and more of the phone storage leaving less
of that available for app data. Although the trend is for larger
phone storage, there can often be insufficient.
As a result SD card storage is rather important.

The prior version of GL worked well with data on the SD card.
I appreciate the extended time SD cards were supported by GL.
Based on my experience that support was excellent.
Once I had the SD card inserted inside the phone and properly
formatted, there was no reason to disturb it.

Certainly, if someone removes their SD card containing GL data,
and then tries to run GL, they are likely to have trouble.
It seems that most people would know better than to make this mistake.
Android even provides warnings about removing or formatting an
SD card that is in use.

Without use of an SD card, many would only be able to keep a smallish
portion of the content readily available. This would be a significant
impediment for effective study away from a WiFi connection, unless
significantly more expensive, less reliable, and slower, cell based
data was used. Even with a WiFi connection, following references
that had to be newly downloaded would distract from effective study.

I feel that SD card support is an important feature that deserves
priority to overcome the consequences of leaving this out.

In the mean time, I will plan to revert to a prior release.
Can you supply me with a location to download the last stable
release that supports an SD card?
Maybe restoring such a release to the Play Store would be
a good way to simplify it's use for those who need it.

I appreciate the excellent work that has gone into GL.

Thanks much,

Dave
PSKT44
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Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2016 11:25 pm

Re: Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#2

Post by PSKT44 »

Agreed. I didn't think downloading gl content could take up so much of my internal storage but I have found myself removing content that I don't necessarily need, just to make space so that my other applications can update without internal storage problems. Honestly I don't see how moving the data of the books and gl files to an external SD card could affect the applications performance, there are so many more applications that are constantly transferring more data than what most of the gl files are in size. External SD storage of gl files is very much needed.
lmcguire
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Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:12 pm

Re: Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#3

Post by lmcguire »

Also agreed. GL should be able to make its own dir on the SD card and have full rights to it. That other apps don't isn't a problem.

I begin to fear that the church development team believe all their users are on the bleeding edge and can afford one of the few devices that have a decent amount of internal storage (which costs ridiculously more than the same amount on an SD card). They should recognize that many of us are (by choice or of necessity) practicing the kind of frugality the church teaches. :(
russellhltn
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Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#4

Post by russellhltn »

I seem to recall another post that indicated that the problem is the inconsistent handling of SD cards in Android.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
lmcguire
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Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:12 pm

Re: Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#5

Post by lmcguire »

russellhltn wrote:I seem to recall another post that indicated that the problem is the inconsistent handling of SD cards in Android.
And yet other apps support it.
moyles1967
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Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 9:19 pm

Re: Missing GL SD card support is serious concern

#6

Post by moyles1967 »

If you were one of those who didn't think this is a serious problem:
I have 3.2.13 on a Lenovo phablet - my daily driver (so to speak).

The app is installed to SD card (32GB), I have 32GB internal partitioned 28.5GB as phone storage and 3.93gb as internal storage, the balance being hidden/system partitions. Not such a slouch in phone terms.

As at right now (28 Feb 2017) GL is using:
App (on SD card): 17.11MB
Data (on SD Card) 10.57MB
Phone Storage: 1.89GB

Seriously! that's without the nearly _2GB_ of memory leaks in internal memory leaving the device thinking it has 179MB available...

Developers - time to make a change because NO NORMAL PERSON wants to reset their device just so it will actually work (I have done that with this device once already so I feel suitably qualified to make this statement). As it is I have not been able to install apps for about 6 months because of the horrendous memory leaks in GL.

And before someone suggests updating to a newer version, I can't because of the memory leaks. If I were to update it would only be after doing a factory reset, losing pretty much everything. Again. And based on the comments in this forum (and elsewhere) later versions are not any better than what I have.

I could just run a different phablet for GL, but that kinda defeats the whole purpose for having a convergence device in the first place. Perseverance, right?

So, developers, please listen to the complaints from serious users who have the intelligence to have figured out why their devices are giving them grief. To be clear, the problems are:
- severe memory leaks affecting device internal memory (leading to performance hits and eventually device crash)
- GL data not being stored on SD card (leading to performance hits and inability to update/add other apps/use device for anything else)

Rant ended :)
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