Can't access external storage

[superbonaci]

I run termux-setup-storage and waits a couple of seconds and nothing happens. I want to gain access to external microsd which I replaced yesterday. Storage permission is allowed.

• Termux application version: latest from play store
• Android OS version: 10
• Device model: Samsung Galaxy S10

[ghost]

I want to gain access to external microsd which I replaced yesterday.

Write access isn't possible. https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Internal_and_external_storage

Look into $HOME/storage for symlinks to Termux private directory on your microsd (should be named external-1).

[superbonaci]

I don't understand why other apps can gain access to external sdcard and Termux can't. Technically is possible, why not implement it?

[ghost]

Because Termux environment technically is not other apps. Yes, terminal emulator is Android app but command line utilities are Linux apps. CLIs do not have access to Android API, they are executed directly by kernel bypassing the Android framework.

[ghost]

Technically is possible, why not implement it?

Possible, bot wontfix. Why?

• Each package has to be patched: we will need to rework the I/O completely in order to redirect it through JNI to the Android API methods.
• This will require lots of work. I personally do not want to make all packages use the JNI and will not bother to maintain that.
• There will be issues and performance loss.

[superbonaci]

Ok I understand. I was trying to run some Go programs on external sd, but I see will not be possible in the near future.

[ghost]

Even if external sd would be writable, you won't be able to execute any programs (except scripts) from it anyway. All kinds of storage (except /system and /data) are mounted with noexec, effectively disabling program execution on them.

[superbonaci]

Ok I understand. What happens if I have LineageOS rooted with Magisk? Could I use Termux more broadly?

[ghost]

With root you will have at least read-write access on external sdcard. You can try to remount it with "exec" option to enable execution, not sure whether sdcardfs daemon will handle it properly.