How to explore Android device files under FreeBSD ?

[Polytropon]

On Sat, 13 Jul 2019 22:41:12 +0000, Manish Jain wrote:
> No matter how hard I try, no da0 turns up.

Does _nothing_ turn up? Maybe you need to enable USB on the
phone first. Check your settings. In some cases, the device
files are being created after a specific interaction on the
phone, i. e., it detects that some USB contact has been
established, and then asks as if USB mass storage or MTP
compatible device is desired; after making that selection,
the appropriate devices are being created according to the
"self-identification" of the phone.



> I found a couple of solutions, both Linux based :
> 
> 
> 1) Connect with USB and put your phone in PTM (Picture Tranfer) mode 
> rather than the default MTP.
> 
> Now you can download the pictures.

This is possible on FreeBSD with programs based on libgphoto2,
the gphoto2 CLI and gtkam GUI tool. Just make sure you have
the device permissions set (or call the program with "sudo");
this of course requires a /dev/ugen* entry, and sometimes
you need to enable / set this in the phone, too: they can act
both as USB mass storage (/dev/da* device(s)) or MTP device
(/dev/ugen* device).

Again, check the phone's settings. It's possible that all
USB access has been turned off.



> 2) Send the files over Bluetooth.

Does your system have BT capabilities?

Personally, I find it a lot easier to deal with a real cable
connection, no stupid apps, 3rd party "cloud" services and
other nonsense... ;-)


-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...