Apps Back up and Restore applications (nearly automatic)

[devolio]

Disclaimer: As usual, I am not responsible for any damage done to you or your device by these scripts. They're simply what I use to do my own stuff.

What it does
Copies the application installers to the SD card into a folder, and makes a list of installed applications that can be used to generate an auto-installer for them.


Prerequisites
A rooted phone with Busybox (any JesusFreke modified update) and the Android SDK Tools (specifically adb).


Installation
Copy the included file onto the SD card.

Download it here


Usage
Make sure you're unmounted and unplugged so that you can access the SD card.

Open up the Terminal emulator

cd /sdcard

Get root
su


Backing up Applications
sh backupapps.sh

Once you've run the script, you'll have two things on your SD card: the applications folder (/sdcard/app-apks) and the application list (/sdcard/applist.txt)


To generate a restore script
(Windows batch or Linux shell script) go here.

As long as adb is running and connects fine with your phone (check with adb devices), you can give that page your SDK folder location and where you stored your application backup (on your computer) and it will generate an auto-installer for your applications. Save it, run it, and it will reinstall all your applications.

Easy. I'll make a new restore script generator a little later, I just whipped this up to have it done.


Caveats
If you're going to back up your applications more than once, make sure you move the first backup off of the phone first, otherwise it nests the folders. I don't want to delete a directory off the phone if it's used already.

 

[justjimjpc]

I dont know how many of you use the app "ASTRO" as a file manager for all storage items on the SDCard ... but I use it to make easy backups of all app's *apk files ...

Start Astro program ... then press MENU then select "Application M.."

the app will load all apps currently installed in phone memory... you can select indiviual apps to backup/restore ... or Backup all apps in one process.... by clicking very top checkbox then clicking on the backup button ... easy as pie ....

Click on the TAB "Backed Up Apps" and you will get all packages that you have backed up .... Apps in green are installed ... Apps in white can be reinstalled ... by using the standard long-press ...

All packages are saved in /sdcard/backups/apps ....

Older versions are overwritten if you install any update and then perform a backup ...
so if you want to keep all versions you will want to do that manually ...

I use this program everyday in conjunction with "aTrackDog" ... for keeping programs up-to-date

This works great for those of us that dont have root or not brave or technical enough to do the required operatons ...

Hope this helps those who cant use Devolio's great techniques ... Thanks To him for all of his expertize

 

[devolio]

Very nice, didn't know that That's much easier, but I thought astro was going paid only in March or something?

 

[justjimjpc]

Very nice, didn't know that That's much easier, but I thought astro was going paid only in March or something?

It may but i have not heard that ... so I will keep my free version if it does ... I would assume that the paid would have added native readers for more file types ... BTW this was the old "Bender" app

EDIT: I checked the app and it does say it is a Beta and Expires 2/28/09 ...

 

[dkaufman1]

I checked the app and it does say it is a Beta and Expires 2/28/09 ...

For those unaware....expirations are coded by the dev and render the program useless. Meaning keeping the old free copy just results in an app that doesn't work.

 

[jomtones]

Hi I just had a go at this - doesn't seem to work maybe cupcake changed it? Any way I can edit the script to get it going properly? It's all a bit over my head

Thanks!

 

[jomtones]

spam alert, mods please ban...