In November 2021, Google launched a new file management system in Android 11 and the following versions, bringing a major change to the way Locus GIS and other applications handle their data:

The app has a full read/write access only to its PRIVATE FOLDER in /Android/data/menion.android.locus.gis/files/LocusGIS  directory (either in the internal storage or in the external storage - removable SD card)


Advantages

  • The app shows a better performance in stability and responsiveness
  • Its data is secured against access from other apps (possible attacks from malware etc.)
  • After the uninstallation, it leaves no garbage in the device storage.

Drawbacks

  • All app data is deleted upon uninstall - the majority of devices show a warning prompt with the option to retain the app data in the storage. But especially Chinese products erase the data without an option of restoring.
  • No custom sub-directories - the app can read/write vector maps and SRTM data only in its private directory (only backup files can be stored elsewhere).
  • Disabled linking to maps from external folders - all raster maps can be stored only in /Locus/Maps/ directory, all vector maps in /LocusGIS/mapsVector/ directory.


As a precaution, we urgently recommend setting up an automatic backup of your data to Dropbox, Google Drive.


What to do with it?

The original default setting of the Locus GIS main directory was in the root of the internal storage of the device. Plus, custom sub-directories could be set elsewhere in the internal or external storage (removable SD card), and external maps could be linked to the app from anywhere in the device storage. 

This setup is no longer possible on Android 11 and higher. We've prepared a few scenarios for smooth and secure transfer of your data after the app update: