What is the solution in Android 11+ for storing map data on the external
sdcard?

In a recent thread, Martin �rautmann wrote today that Android 11+ changed
how data-intensive programs such as OSMAnd make use of the external sdcard.

> Android changed the behavior that data, such as osmand maps or wikipedia
> books can no longer be used from the SD card, but have to be within the
> much more limited internal memory.

Hmmmm.... OSMAnd "seems" to say it works just fine with external storage.
<https://www.osmand.net/docs/user/personal/storage#storage-on-sd-card>

But I agree the situation was quite confusing earlier in the yet...
<https://github.com/osmandapp/OsmAnd/issues/14165>
Which refers to this supposed (but maybe not) "workaround"
<https://github.com/osmandapp/OsmAnd/discussions/13538>

While this is also just as confusing, it seems to reference the same
workaround for Total Commander as for OSMAnd which is an API switch.
<https://forums.redflagdeals.com/android-11-microsd-card-storage-new-restrictions-break-some-apps-2481628/>

Apparently the same issue popped up suddenly for MapFactor Navigator.
<https://forum.mapfactor.com/discussion/comment/20093>

And the same issue popped up in Android 11 for Here We Go maps.
<https://forums.redflagdeals.com/android-11-microsd-card-storage-new-restrictions-break-some-apps-2481628/>

Same workaround for all of them, which is, as far as I could tell in only a
few moments of skimming (so my current assessment might very well be wrong)
a. Google changed to scoped storage in Android 11
b. Any app that didn't also change, can't use the sdcard until they do
c. But it seems once the app is updated, then the sdcard is again available

> Google killed external memory.

I think the apps have to change their APIs but I'm not sure on that yet...
<https://developer.android.com/about/versions/11/privacy/storage>

Looking in the OSMAnd user guide it is just as cryptic unfortunately:
<https://www.osmand.net/docs/user/personal/storage>
"In order to move the OsmAnd home (maps) folder to an external SD card
1. Go to Settings (on the start screen) --> OsmAnd Settings -->
Data storage folder
2. Change the value to a path pointing to the external SD card,
on many Android systems it may contain /storage/extSdCard or similar.
3. Please note that some versions of Android strictly limit your choice
of which path will be write-accessible for apps.
4. You are then asked if the contents of the OsmAnd data folder should
be moved from internal memory to the external SD card.
5. You may also perform this manually using a built-in file manager
app on the device, or via connecting the device to a computer
as external storage and performing the move from there.

I didn't look yet for MapFactor, HereWeGo, Total Commander, etc., but one
of them should be explaining better than OSMAnd did what the solution is.

Does someone on this newsgroup have a better grasp of the solution yet?
--
Posted out of the goodness of my heart to disseminate useful information
where, in this case, it's not clear what the final answer is to this issue.

Hmmmm.... OSMAnd "seems" to say it works just fine with external storage.
<https://www.osmand.net/docs/user/personal/storage#storage-on-sd-card>

Following _those_ directions, it seemed to work fine to move the OsmAnd~
313.26MB of data storage from the internal sdcard to the external sdcard.
<https://i.postimg.cc/1t8MLYgq/sdcard05.jpg> Update OsmAnd~ to 4.1.11
<https://i.postimg.cc/nr8KNVby/sdcard06.jpg> OsmAnd~ Data storage folder
<https://i.postimg.cc/mrzHRxwB/sdcard07.jpg> OsmAnd~ Move to ext sdcard
<https://i.postimg.cc/vZ1RtXhc/sdcard08.jpg> OsmAnd~ Moved to ext storage
<https://i.postimg.cc/QN6nY1H5/sdcard09.jpg> OsmAnd~ sdcard1/Android/data
<https://i.postimg.cc/dtVcLJTR/sdcard10.jpg> OsmAnd~ data/net.osmand.plus
<https://i.postimg.cc/zD9P15FX/sdcard11.jpg> OsmAnd~ Windows confirmation
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZK4pNMTx/sdcard12.jpg> OsmAnd~ Android confirmation

The process documented there is:
1. I updated OsmAnd~ to version 4.1.11 (to get the new storage APIs)
2. OsmAnd~:Settings > OSMAnd settings > Data storage folder >
3. Data storage folder > Migration > Move to the new destination
OLD: External storage 1
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files
NEW: External storage 2
/storage/0000-0001/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/files
4. App Restart
Voila!

As far as I can tell at this moment (without any detailed testing anyway),
that task was successful on my Android 12 Galaxy A32-5G in moving the
OsmAnd~ data folder from the internal storage to the removable external
storage sdcard (which I long ago named 0000-0001 using the Windows PC).

Interestingly, the Windows drive letter which is the entire Android phone
does _not_ show the files deeper than /storage/0000-0001/Android/data/
but the X-plore file manager on Android shows up to (but not deeper than)
/storage/0000-0001/Android/data/net.osmand.plus/

Anyone know why?
--
Posted out of the goodness of my heart to disseminate useful information,
which, in this case, was to test the premise that Android 11+ changed the
way apps accessed external storage so this was the recovery process I ran.