Nextcloud Android App - Automatically Sync Files & Folders

📱 Desktop & mobile clients 🤖 Android
#1

I’ve been playing around with Nextcloud and would love to use it to sync my photos and documents between my Android and Ubuntu devices. However, there is one feature that is missing or that I just can’t find, and that is the ability to automatically download any new files, changes, etc. to my Android device. I can select a folder or file and sync it manually, but I need the ability to have everything sync in the background automatically.

The FolderSync app for Android supports WebDAV, so I can use that, but I’d prefer to use the actual Nextcloud app if possible.
Thanks.

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#2

Installed the desktop client for Ubuntu and this functionality is there, but seemingly not in the Android app. Any files I upload from Android get downloaded to my local folder on Ubuntu automatically, but if I upload something from Ubuntu, I have to download it manually on Android.

Does the Android app simply not have this feature, or am I missing something?

#3

Hi @M_W,

die Android client doesn’t support sync of folders yet just single files via marking them as “available offline” in the Android app. The sync of folders is a feature we plan to add in the future.

Best regards,
Andy

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#4

I also came across this same issue when I explored the Nextcloud universe. To me this is a core feature of a Dropbox-like system that is Nextcloud. On https://nextcloud.com/clients/ it’s even propagated: “Any file you add, modify or delete in the synced folders on your desktop or laptop will show up, change or disappear on the server and all other connected devices.” This simply isn’t true in the current development state of the Android app.

I guess this is the corresponding github feature request, which is upvoted by many users. Is there a way to push this further? Donate with reference to the feature request or something like this…

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#5

@zimba Here you go:

#6

@alfred: Thx for the hint. I knew I’ve seen the bug bounty before. Don’t have (and don’t want) Paypal though.
@Andy: Is direct bank transfer possible?

#7

Well, you could pay with some Cryptocurrency at least:

Maybe Nextcloud GmbH also has a bank account where you could send money to. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#8

@zimba not that I know of but maybe @jospoortvliet knows

#9

Nah, bountysource is cool and you should use it - Nextcloud GmbH isn’t involved in that, though, and we won’t unless we’re talking about at least a 5-figure number of Euro’s. If we’re talking about something that size we’d be happy to discuss consulting and support. We sadly just don’t have the capacity to manage smaller things.

#11

Any timeline on that feature request?
Would be a very valuable addition from my point of view!
BR
ajilg

#12

android app - Synchronize Ultimate

Does everything you want to do.

1-way sync, 2-way sync, with or without delete source, regex filters and more.

I would be surprised if we see any 2-way sync with android client within the next few years.

For some reason it seems it’s not something nextcloud is interested in or is
just way low on the list.

#13

without this auto-sync feature, nextcloud is basically useless.

2 Likes
#14

I would like true two way sync but I wouldn’t call it useless. I’ll wait for the feature to hit. I love the NC eco system.

If someone desires that functionality now, seafile does it. Not that I think you should switch.

Devs, throw my vote in the list for it. I would my pictures folder to sync with all my devices.

#15

I used to use syncthing until now, but I turn to Nextcloud because it allows me to access my files without necessarily having to synchronize them.

At the mobile level, Android in my case, I miss the synchronization of a folder. Just in terms of sorting photos, this is a huge problem. Indeed, changes made on my personal PC are not automatically transferred to my phone. It’s very annoying because I have to sort twice, or else I have to do it with the source device.

I also vote for a real synchronization!

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#16

I tried to get Syncthing to actually sync the things on my Android SD card, but that never worked. I was hoping to make use of that feature here, but maybe I was planning on using something else on mobile and NextCloud for the repository.

#17

Hey guys, how are you dealing with this missing feature?
Anything else besides alternative apps?
Considering this thread was started in 2017 and one year passed without any progress on this matter, I have serious doubts that any improvements will take place soon.

I agree. The purpose of the app is to keep some folders in sync and that is not happening! :disappointed:

#18

The purpose of any tool is determined by it’s designer. If a tool is unfit for the purpose you as a user who did not design the tool yourself like to use it, then either help to adjust it to be fit for what you want, or pay others to. Or simply go elsewhere.

Nextcloud is a very useful tool for many people, as can easily seen by statistics showing their spread.

p.s. I do agree that the discussed feature would be useful and would love to see it be implemented, but demanding any feature of a open source tool your not involved in developing yourself is simply ridiculous.

#19

Well, let me cite:
> With the Nextcloud clients for Android and iOS you can sync, edit and share your files in a fully secure way through an encrypted connection.
Thanks for your contribution!
p.s. it’s about the app, since you mention Nextcloud. Two different things! :wink:

#20

Hah! Well I agree it’s badly worded, since the auto-upload feature in the Android app clearly is not what you’d expect from reading about the ability to “sync edit and share your files”.

But still, I rather like the app for the ability to access my nextcloud folders and also for auto uploading pictures and other data generated on my phone, so very much not useless.

#21

OK, it’s not totally useless. :slightly_smiling_face:
But it needs just a bit more love.
Besides the “sync” issue, the fact that you have to set up each subdirectory to be synced is also very annoying. :tired_face:

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