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This emerged out of an earlier question Android app on Chromebook to access USB devices?

It seems that ARC does not yet provide any way to access external storage except using { "enableExternalDirectory": true }. This has some significant limitations for my use case.

The intent is that a user can insert a USB Flash Drive into the device, and for my app to read and write files on it.

Unfortunately, with the enableExternalDirectory option enabled, the user is forced to select a directory, even if they are not using any of the features for which my app requires such access. The simplest approach is for the user to select the Downloads folder instead of the USB device.

Later, if the user wishes to write data to the Flash Drive, he must use the Directory icon in the top left corner of the ARC App window, and then restart.

I plan to include the required instructions in-app, but for better experience, I'd like to be able to track whether they have done this.

How can I

  1. Pop open the prompt for the user to choose a directory
  2. Detect which directory was selected. (external or internal)
  3. Restart my app so the new mounted directory will take effect?

Are any of these possible in an ARC app?

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  • Just to be clear - you are referring to the older ARC technology based on NaCl or the newer one based on containers (and in limited device beta)? – Morrison Chang Sep 26 '16 at 19:24
  • Since you say the newer one is still in 'limited device beta', then we must be still using the older one, as this has been in use for several months with no special handling. – 700 Software Sep 26 '16 at 21:54
  • No where in your OP did you state that functionality changed - if it did you should clarify. Regarding the limited beta you'll need one of these devices: https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/chrome-os-systems-supporting-android-apps – Morrison Chang Sep 26 '16 at 21:59
  • Sorry if I implied something I did not mean to. The ARC functionality and issues we are having are the same as when the app was first implemented. Recent new features in our app have made the ARC limitations more apparent. – 700 Software Sep 26 '16 at 22:03
  • From what I understand it was the limitations of ARC that made Google go the container route for Google Play on ChromeOS. See: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/the-play-store-comes-to-chrome-os-but-not-the-way-we-were-expecting/ – Morrison Chang Sep 26 '16 at 22:13
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    [Does the new ARC provide APIs to access USB Storage devices?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/39731509/can-android-apps-access-chrome-external-storage-using-the-new-arc-based-on-cont) – 700 Software Sep 27 '16 at 18:07

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