Gaia GPS allows users to utilize an SD card in their Android device by moving the application's root folder. Once moved, all of the associated data (including saved maps, tile caches, logs, photos, exports, and currently available map sources) gets stored on the SD card, saving internal storage space on the device.
The Gaia GPS app must be stored on the device's internal memory. Moving the app to an SD card may result in slow downloads and slow functionality in the app.
The Gaia GPS app must be stored on the device's internal memory. Moving the app to an SD card may result in slow downloads and slow functionality in the app.
Note: SD cards can't back up your personal data (like tracks, waypoints, routes, or folders) or transfer that data between devices. To back up your data or share it between devices, you must perform a sync with the Gaia GPS website.
To move the root folder between internal storage and an SD card:
- Select Settings
- Select "Storage" tap "Root Folder"
- To move the root folder to your SD card choose "/storage/extSdCard/" - another name for this folder might look like "/storage/xxxx-xxxx/"
The app will refresh. If successful, the root folder will show the new directory.
Troubleshooting and Common Issues
- If the device has a physical SD card, it can appear under names (mount points) that vary by manufacturer. For Samsung, it's usually the pattern /storage/XXXX-XXXX/ and Nexus seems to use /extSdCard/.
- Motorola devices require extra steps before you can successfully move the root folder. Click the following link to learn more through Motorola's Help Center:
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/home - Error message "Encountered file too large to be copied" means the target file system doesn't support files that large even though it may have enough space. Often this will be a FAT32 SD Card which doesn't support individual files over 4GB. Some SD cards can be re-formatted to exFat which supports moving larger files.
Recommended SD Card
Comments
9 comments
Ok, so I did this right after installing Gaia. I've started downloading maps and yet they've completely filled up my internal storage when it says in the app itself and on my device that my SD Card is the default drive.
I went into files on my device and moved the actual folder over to the SD Card. It freed up the space on my internal, but didn't put the maps on my SD Card.
This is getting really frustrating as I specifically bought this tablet and the Pro subscription for the sole reason of running all these Gaia maps for my travels.
Oh! And using a 128GB Samsung Evo card
@randallw201
I'm sorry you are having trouble saving maps to your SD card. I see you have also emailed support directly and I will follow up with you there.
I followed these steps, and still have 15 GB used on the phone. I allowed GaisGPS to access storage on the Note4. I have 100GB left on the SD card.
Storage says /storage/emulated/0
and I can select /storage/xxxx-xxxx, which I do...it says to wait...then comes back with .../0.
The Select New Root Folder offers
Default internal storage
/storage/xxxx-xxxx/
But I think that this is confusing...it should only offer a dest that is different from what is used, and it IDs the dir using a different name than what is shown on the screen...further confusing those of us who are not facile with Android details.
Where is the data actually stored? What is the real name of the dirs on both the phone and the SD card?
ahah!! I still want to know the dir names...but this time I saw a message flash on the screen about a file that is too large to move. Kinda like the old question "If God is so great, can he make a rock so big he can't move it?" How can GaiaGPS create a file so big it can't move it? The phone is only 32 GB, and there is 100 GB free on the card, so that ain't it.
Thought that I'd be clever and delete the largest map files...~1GB. Now...I only told it to delete 1 file, but I got a message that it was deleting "files"...wassup w that?
But it didn't really delete it. Just left it grey. I figured that it would be gone. Isn't that what delete means?
Now I am afraid that if I let the phone log back into my account, it will delete them from the cloud, and I want them for later.
My plan was to delete them, move the dir to the SD card, and download them again. Another 7 hours, but at least they'd be off my internal drive.
Now I am stuck in limbo. Still won't move the root folder, and the maps are still grey.
So I got the idea that maybe if the files are grey, then they are gone, and I can move the root dir. No joy.
So I enabled wi-fi, and tried to delete the files again. No joy. The screen displayed "Deleting downloaded files" for over 5 minutes. App unresponsive. Killed and restarted it.
Yay!!! Now the maps that I deleted are downloading again!!! "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."
...and I have several smaller test maps that I created, and I can't get rid of those, either. I disabled the cloud, thinking that might help, but...you know...no joy.
So I'm out of the mapping game for a while, because my phone is full, and I have 100GB on the card, but can't use it.
Hey imaginarian,
I suggest the following:
1) delete the app
2) re-download the app, and move the root folder before logging in (/storage/xxxx-xxxx/ is the SD card)
3) then login and let the app do it's sync
What's happening is, the app transfers all data as a single file. Different SD cards have max file size limitations. The steps above should allow you to do the transfer.
Please email support@gaiagps.com if you need any further assistance, and we'll take a closer look.
Ah. Well, that is a clear answer. And I had already come t to the conclusion that I might have to do those steps...just didn't have the time yet. It takes hours for the downloads...but I might do it overnight.
The aftermath ;-)
I deleted the account on the phone, reinstalled, logged in as myself, and immediately changed the storage to the SD card. Worked.
Then started the sync.
Curiously, I have two identical OCM maps. So I checked the tablet, which I had synced a few days ago, but not actually used for Gaia in the interim. It, too, has the duplicate maps.
Now, because of the problems with deleting maps, not sure what to do. I guess that for now, having duplicate maps is OK, because I have lots of storage on the SD card.
Tried to delete a test map from the tablet, and no joy. App hung as before, and after restart, the map is still there.
I don't see how to manage the cloud...if I had access, maybe I could delete the superfluous maps there, but I don't think that I ever heard of direct access to the cloud, only access thru apps.
Hey imaginarian,
You should be able to visit gaiagps.com and log into the same account that you use to log into the app. As long as you are logged into the app, data should sync to the website automatically.
Article is closed for comments.