Question on Android phone system: Moving files & the Gallery

[yungman]

Hi

Is this the best place to ask questions on Android phone as it's not exactly computer. I am trying to learn more on the filing system. I learn how to move files around by doing copy, move around. But I really hit a wall with "GALLERY". How to move file into gallery and all.

I have been searching online the whole day and I didn't seems to find what I want. All I want is to attach pictures or videos to tax to send to people. I can't manage to attach anything outside of "GALLERY".

1) Where is "GALLERY" in the filing system? I look through a lot of the folders and I can't find the "gallery" folder.

2) From searching online, sounds like there is a "Google Gallery App" to get to Gallery, I don't know what is it.

Any suggestion on books to learn more on this topic? I just cannot find it on line, it's just going in circles so far. If anyone knows any specific link that talk about this would be helpful for me.

Thanks

 

[Borek]

I can be wrong, but I don't think Gallery has its own folder. If anything, it displays the content of the DCIM/Camera and DCIM/Screenshots. Chances are DCIM is not one, but two separate folders - one in the camera memory and one on the SD card (I can't check for sure at the moment as my S22 has only internal memory).

Try Total Commander app, it makes browsing files and directories reasonably intuitive (at least for those remembering Norton Commander times )

 

[yungman]

I can be wrong, but I don't think Gallery has its own folder. If anything, it displays the content of the DCIM/Camera and DCIM/Screenshots. Chances are DCIM is not one, but two separate folders - one in the camera memory and one on the SD card (I can't check for sure at the moment as my S22 has only internal memory).

Try Total Commander app, it makes browsing files and directories reasonably intuitive (at least for those remembering Norton Commander times )

I went to internal storage/DCIM/Camera and move a lot of pictures that are in the "GALLERY" to a new folder.

Also I move a lot of pictures that are in the "GALLERY" from internal storage/Download to new folder.

But when I go to tax, try to attach picture to the tax message. It go to "GALLERY" and all the pictures are still there.

This means those are not from DCIM or Download folders.

Where are the pictures from "Gallery" come from?

thanks

 

[Borek]

I am by no means an expert, I can tell only what I saw in the past My guess is that gallery (which is just an app) searches file system for images and displays them all, but doesn't move them to one place. It probably has an index of the files somewhere to avoid full file system scan every time it is used, but images are stored where different apps put them. On my previous mobile, S7, pictures taken in Pokemon Go were displayed by the gallery, but they were kept in the Pokemon Go directory (Pictures/Pokemon, as opposed co DCIM/Camera).

Also: I am not convinced there is a one, universal system at work, in my experience default apps coming with different Android versions differ quite seriously. 3rd party apps downloaded from the google play are reasonably stable in that regard.

 

[jedishrfu]

There is no gallery folder. It's the pictures folder which can have subfolders for camera photos or screenshots.

Here are some possible things to try:

1. Using a File Manager App: Most Android phones come with a built-in file manager app (often called “Files” or “My Files”). You can download a file manager app from the Google Play Store if you don't have one.

Locate the file, then press and hold it to select it. Tap the three-dot menu icon (usually in the top-right corner) and select “Move” or “Copy.” Choose the destination as the “Pictures” folder or a specific subfolder.

The file should now appear in your Gallery app. If it doesn’t, try restarting the phone or clearing the Gallery app’s cache.

2. Using the Gallery App: Some app versions have an “Import” or “Add” option to select files from other locations on your phone. Sometimes, the files may already be in the Gallery but in a different folder. Check all folders within the Gallery app.

3. Using Google Photos: If you use Google Photos, you can move files into it by opening the Google Photos app, tapping “Library,” and then selecting the folder where the file is located. You can upload it to Google Photos if it’s not already there.

4. If the file doesn’t appear in the Gallery, it might be hidden. Ensure that the file doesn’t have a “.” (dot) in front of its name, which can make it hidden.

 

[Borek]

There is no gallery folder. It's the pictures folder which can have subfolders for camera photos or screenshots.

That's not what I see on my mobile. There are at least two folders: DCIM (where photos taken with the camera and screenshots land), and Pictures (where other programs save images). Can be more.

 

[yungman]

I am familiar with Windows, moving files from folders to folders, easy. It's all built into the windows.

What are all the APPs? You mean the Android doesn't come with anything, you have to get APPs to do even file managements( to move, copy, delete).

This is the screen shot of my phone

Is (1) My File APP? (2)Gallery APP?

I installed (3) and (4). I still don't really know how to use it.

Sorry I am just learning Android. I cannot let my grand kids think I am too old.!!!

 

[Borek]

APP means an application/program - not much different than things on Windows, you just never think about the fact folders you see are displayed by a program called file explorer. When you call someone on your mobile you actually use an app to make the call, when you browse the web you use an app for that, same about taking pictures with the camera and so on.

Many of the apps are already installed by default, many can be added later.

 

[yungman]

I guess my ultimate question is how can I attach a photo or video to tax from any folder in the phone?

So far, I went in circles, I can only attach photos or videos INSIDE the Samsung Gallery. I fail to find a way to put photo or video into the Samsung Gallery, so if it is not in the gallery, I cannot attach to the tax.

 

[Borek]

What do you mean by "tax"?

I paid taxes, but I never attached photos to them

 

[yungman]

What do you mean by "tax"?

I paid taxes, but I never attached photos to them

I mean Text

 

[Borek]

Sorry, I am even more confused now. "Text" doesn't exist as itself, if anything it can exist inside of a document, or as a text file. Definitely there is no way to "attach" image to "text", no matter what operating system you use. You can insert an image into a document so that it is displayed inside of a text, but then you need to use a document editor capable of using format (raw text file is of no use here) that allows for image inclusion.

I suppose you mean you want to mimic some operation you know from your PC?

 

[yungman]

Sorry, I am even more confused now. "Text" doesn't exist as itself, if anything it can exist inside of a document, or as a text file. Definitely there is no way to "attach" image to "text", no matter what operating system you use. You can insert an image into a document so that it is displayed inside of a text, but then you need to use a document editor capable of using format (raw text file is of no use here) that allows for image inclusion.

I suppose you mean you want to mimic some operation you know from your PC?

I mean text messaging on the phone. There is a picture icon I can tap and go to Samsung Gallery that I can pick any photo and include in the text message.

My problem is it only can get photos from Samsung Gallery, not from other folders in the phone.

 

[yungman]

I think I found my problem. I know I cannot control what to put into Samsung Gallery. But I think my problem is the video that I cannot see in the Gallery no matter where I put ( DCIM, Download etal) is because it is in MPG format.

Out of desperation, I went online to find a converter to convert the video from MPG to MP4, It showed up in the Gallery. That really solve my problem for now.

I read more and experiment more tomorrow, it's getting very late here.

Thanks so much for all the help.

 

[Borek]

Ah, OK, my English failed me. You meant text like in SMS. I think when you add image/video it is automagically converted to MMS. All I know about MMS is that is a format I never use, if I need to share images and videos I do it using messaging software.

 

[yungman]

Thanks everyone that help me. It is educational. ALL the trouble is because I don't understand Gallery that don't have a folder and just looking in the phone for the particular picture/video format and put in the gallery. MPG is not one of those so no matter where I put it, it doesn't show up.

I get too used to Windows that is very exact, I can attach from any folder and it will show all the files.

My guess is Android expect user likely don't have understanding of the filing system like Windows, so they literally pull in all the acceptable type of files from the phone into the gallery so user don't have to worry where the file is. But the down side is they limit to a few format that can be used.

It's a good learning experience, I get to learn the most basic part of Android, how to create folders anywhere, multiple layers of folders, moving, copying files from any folder to another folder. That's a start for me.

Thanks Everyone that took the time to help.

Alan

 

[Borek]

It is a problem known enough to earn its own meme (in plenty of versions).

My understanding is to some extent that's for security reasons. System is designed so that apps have a very limited access to the file system. Every time you install an app it adds a separate user that basically has access only to its own directory where it is installed (I can be wrong though). In effect sharing files between apps is problematic and is almost never done.

Just few weeks ago I learned that when "sharing" or "exporting" a file (which some apps allow) I can select Total Commander (an app) to do so - and then it allows me to choose the directory where the file will be put. That's the closest to the standard way of using file system I ever got.

If you want to share the file with other machines there is often also an option of saving files in the cloud (like google drive or smth). Eats bandwidth though.