Android Media File Structure (how to store media on the SD card)

[mrdroid]

I've been coming across a lot of questions on how to add ringtones, music, wallpaper... on the SD card and have the Android device automatically import into the correct location. So here's a rundown of how that works.

Basically the standard Android OS recognizes the following directory structure on the SD card:

/sdcard/Music/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as user music.
/sdcard/Podcasts/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a podcast.
/sdcard/Ringtones/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a ringtone.
/sdcard/Alarms/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as an alarm sound.
/sdcard/Notifications/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a notification sound.
/sdcard/Pictures/ - All photos (excluding those taken with the camera).
/sdcard/Movies/ - All movies (excluding those taken with the camcorder).
/sdcard/Download/ - Miscellaneous downloads.

Now, with different flavors on Android out there some recognize additional directories, and some scan the entire card. The Fascinate scans the entire card. The problem with that is when audio files are found in other locations they are automatically imported to wherever Android thinks they should go and it's often the wrong location. So you can end up with a bunch of ringtones in your mp3 playlist. Using the above file structure to store your files will solve such an issue.

The Fascinate also recognizes additional locations.

/sdcard/media/Ringtones
and
/sdcard/Android/media/Ringtones

are examples of the other locations.

Warning: The method defined below has been reported delete files in the directory if the media scanner has already scanned the directory. I have never personally seen this happen.
/warning

Now say you have a bunch of pictures in a folder (such as your downloads directory) but you don't want them to show up in your default application (Gallery). You can exclude media by directory by adding a file to that directory called .nomedia.

/sdcard/downloads/pics/.nomedia

REF: http://developer.android.com/guide/t...#filesExternal

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[CR6]

Thanks Matt! This info will definitely come in handy! Do you have to be rooted in order to go in and make these changes?

[x-tac23]

Also if you have a bunch of media files from a game in your media playlist simply rename the files to .nomedia. Just a little trick sorry to thread jack, excellent write up matt!

[mrdroid]

Thanks Matt! This info will definitely come in handy! Do you have to be rooted in order to go in and make these changes?

Nope, you don't need to be rooted. Just use any File Manager such as "My Files" that comes on the phone or download "Astro File Manager". In "My Files" clicking the Home button at the top should take you to /sdcard and from the you just click the Menu button on the phone and you'll have an option to "Create Folder".

[CR6]

Nope, you don't need to be rooted. Just use any File Manager such as "My Files" that comes on the phone or download "Astro File Manager". In "My Files" clicking the Home button at the top should take you to /sdcard and from the you just click the Menu button on the phone and you'll have an option to "Create Folder".

Excellent...I already have AFM, so I'll go that route.
Thx again!

[Drizzt]

When i put my ringtones which are in mp3 file into the /sdcard/Ringtones/ directory it still puts the ringtone into my music am i doing something wrong? is this where i store ringtones so they won't go into my music? if not what directory do i put them in.

[soccerdon1981]

I use an app called StudioKuma .nomedia to disable folders from being scanned.

No ringtones in my library anymore!

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[bigron]

How do you move your apps and games to SD card and I made a folder labeled ringtones and it didn't transfer any of my ringtones

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[Mujibar]

How do you move your apps and games to SD card and I made a folder labeled ringtones and it didn't transfer any of my ringtones

Sent from my FASCINATE using Tapatalk

Apps can't be moved to the SD card on 2.1 (Eclair). You'll have to wait for 2.2 (Froyo).

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[bigron]

That's what I thought

Apps can't be moved to the SD card on 2.1 (Eclair). You'll have to wait for 2.2 (Froyo).

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