bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 2, 2024 1:59:53 GMT
This seems to be an Ubuntu thing as I found same problem in MINT. No problem at all in MX and Fedora. Yes I have tinkered with the 51-android rules in /etc/udev over and over for my Kyocera phone, rebooted over and over. NADA. I just get: Yes my user account is in plugdev group. It even extracts my phone serial number, but NO PERMISSIONS.... Meaning I also cant use scrcpy as it depends on adb functioning properly. Extremely frustrating as it seems only Ubuntu and its derivatives use this method. And search turns up hundred posts of this problem with same Ubuntu solutions that dont seem to work. The /etc/udev is basically dummy directory in other linux. Least there are no android rules. I looked wondering if some syntax was off or something. Yet 'adb devices' command works fine.
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enigma9o7
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Post by enigma9o7 on Feb 2, 2024 2:48:37 GMT
Could it be on the phone side? Have you enabled adb debugging in developer options?
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bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 2, 2024 8:59:26 GMT
Yep, adb debugging on. Like say this works fine in Fedora and MX and Manjaro. Only a problem in MINT and Bodhi. I assume any distribution related to Ubuntu that uses this udev directory for "android rules".
By way my internet is through my phone and the phone has the native Android usb tethering and hotspot function blocked so I have both Easytether and the old venerable open source Azilink. Sometimes one works better than other so have both. Azilink requires both adb and openvpn to be installed. It works fine in Bodhi. Even works on windows. So the part of adb it uses does work, its this permissions thing. I think Easytether has its own necessary bit of adb built into it, dont need to install adb for it, but debugging has to be on. Both Easytether and Azilink require adb debugging on.
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bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 2, 2024 12:56:32 GMT
Apparently solved. I went over the android rules file and found an errant "#". Deleted that. Now it refused in different way, but remembered one of those Ubuntu discussions over this and specifically set phone to file transfer mode. Now ran "adb devices" Got correct response with no permissions error. Then tried "scrcpy" and got my phone screen mirrored on laptop screen. Rotate phone to landscape mode and then can maximize it on the laptop filling whole screen.
I still am not sure why so picky. It doesnt make me put phone in file transfer mode to make this work in non-Ubuntu distributions. But whatever, it works, so consider it solved.
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bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 4, 2024 15:18:23 GMT
Ok, it error-ed out again. Ok, seems since I use Easytether, and since Bodhi is a systemd/NetworkManager distribution that systemd automatically connects making Easytether a service. So to use scrcpy, I need to disable Easytether on the phone (uncheck a box in the app), then set phone to file transfer mode, only then can I use scrcpy. I know few are going to be using both Easytether and scrcpy, but in case somebody is frustrated and finds this, thats the reason.
Scrcpy is important to me as it lets me send or reply to texts with a big screen and real keyboard. With my old eyes, dont appreciate trying to squint at small screen and poke at the tiny screen keyboard with my finger. Especially with stupid phone trying to predict what I am writing cause big brother knows best.... GRRR. Scrcpy basically makes texting into something similar to email. Though that predictive "feature" that cant be turned off without rooting the phone, still tries its best to frustrate me.
On non-systemd systems (and uncooperative systemd systems), I use my own small script with ifup/ifdown and tun-easytether interface statically defined in /etc/network/interfaces. Networkmanager ignores interfaces defined there. On non-systemd systems, networkmanager or connman just ignore the tun-easytether interface no matter what. Has to be manually activated. And not all systemd systems have always been friendly to tun-easytether interface, but they seem to have improved. In my experiments with systemd systems lately all have been friendly to tun-easytether. interesting in MX23, in regular mode it ignores tun-easytether, booted with systemd option, it finds and uses tun-easytether. The old ifup/ifdown always works though, but lot systems no longer include it so one has to install it and recreate missing directories, etc. A small custom script makes ifup/ifdown trivial and automatic. Azilink uses openvpn and it has its own way doing things so networkmanager/systemd not involved though best if Easytether disabled to use Azilink.
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enigma9o7
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Post by enigma9o7 on Feb 4, 2024 16:42:54 GMT
scrcpy is cool, but another way to reply to texts and get phone notifications on your computer is install kdeconnect on phone and bodhi, fyi. Also allows file transfers too.
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bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 5, 2024 19:35:45 GMT
I just read some about KDEconnect. It has absolutely no mention of what needs to be installed on the phone or requirements for the phone. It mentioned needing Android 11 for some feature to work, but that was the limit of any explanation. Rest was all about bragging how it works on any operating system. And how I could remote control my computer from my phone or was it the other way around. Not useful to me.
Scrcpy requires minimum of Android 5. This makes it very useful as I think just about any phone out there that does 4G LTE required anymore, has that at a minimum, more likely Android 7 like mine. As I mentioned before, not a fan of smart phones or Android. I run older phone that was cheapest I found whitelisted for use on ATT network (via MVNO). Well cheapest that is well built as there are some designed to self destruct in matter of months. I use phone to make calls, do texts (only cause everybody insists on texting anymore), and to tether my computer for internet. I care less about the rest of it, though I swear they sure made it painful to try and delete apps they built into the system. You have to root it and some phones like my less popular Kyocera, nobody ever came up with instructions to root and I didnt want to experiment and brick it. Believe me I would if it were possible. I dont appreciate hidden apps wasting my data, apps I dont want and never will use. Dont even get me started on the heavy hand of Google involved in all this.
Scrcpy is saving grace to text with old eyes and fingers that dont always cooperate with small touch screens. I bet some wonder how I can write such long texts... LOL I tend to treat it like email. But you cant get people to email anymore, they want to torture themselves texting on small screen.
Oh and I have a backup phone, a Sonim XP5800. No touch screen, has physical T9 keyboard. Runs on small version android, originally android 4.4, but they upgraded in stages to android 7. Well guess what, scrcpy actually works with it. I was surprised. Now with no touch screen, there are no arrows or screen keyboard. So you still have to navigate using phone keypad but for texts, you can type messages via desktop keyboard though still havent figured out how to type numbers, but thats not problem, easy just using the T9 keypad. Its the text messages that are painful with T9.
My notion is to try textnow free voice and text (with ads) on it. But still have to see if the textnow apk will sideload and function. This is not a full android so though it will run some apps sideloaded to it, its limited. No playstore or other store, it was intended as a "feature phone" not an android smart phone. But the thing is built like a brick with larger than normal battery that lasts forever. An easy to replace battery might add, also something rare in current phones.
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enigma9o7
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Post by enigma9o7 on Feb 5, 2024 23:53:55 GMT
I just read some about KDEconnect. It has absolutely no mention of what needs to be installed on the phone or requirements for the phone.
Was just a suggestion as it works conveniently for texts and other notifications, if that's all you want. All you have to do is install kdeconnect app on bodhi and on your phone, which I did mention.
Alternatively, if you click the giant download button on the very top of the kdeconnect website itself, under android it has links for not only f-droid, but also the Huawei and Google appstores if you prefer proprietary solutions, have one of those already installed and don't already have f-droid installed and don't want to install another appstore, but you'd have to check those stores to know what versions they support, my understanding is google's store only supports android 7 and up.
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bumpus
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Post by bumpus on Feb 6, 2024 1:50:50 GMT
The F-droid listing gives lot more info than the KDEconnect site. The kinda interesting feature on it is establishing a local wifi network without needing usb cable or bluetooth. And it only needs Android 5 just like scrcpy. Otherwise not sure it does whole lot more than scrcpy, it just has it organized rather than using scrcpy to use the phone settings/apps.
Still for me happy enough with scrcpy. Dont really need more than that. It lets me type texts with real keyboard, all I need. Oh I got the last android 7 version of the textnow app sideloaded and it runs on the Sonim, though its a bit like putting a quart of water in a pint jar. It was obviously made for larger phone screen but looks usable best I can tell without signing up for it and ordering the SIM card. Free is nice for a backup phone. I did find posts elsewhere from actual users saying yea it works, but there always is a price for FREE. Customer service non-existent. Said I do need to make one call or text per month to keep it active, something not mentioned on website. And sure it has tracking galore. You pay one way or the other.
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