Android help needed

[Eagle]

I have come into possession of a Samsung Tab something tablet. It's Android, of course, and I know nothing about Android. My cell phone is a Galaxy S3 on Android, but I use it as a phone - I've never explored apps, so I know less than nothing about the Android system.

 

What I would like to do with this tablet is to copy the PDF files of all the building codes I freqntly refer to onto the tablet so I can carry that rather than about fifty pounds of code books when I go to sites or clients' facilities. The tablet has an app that apparently is a file manager, but it doesn't look at all like Windows File Explorer. What I need to know is: can I make new directories to put these files in, and can I make subdirectories under those new directories ("folders")? And can I then create screen icons to launch each file?

 

If this is possible -- how can I do it?

 

Thanks

[kryptronic]

What you asked for:

 

Click the 'Apps' button, which is an icon that looks like a white box with nine grey dots in it.  That will bring up all apps on your device.  When viewing all apps, use the search at the top of the screen to search for 'My Files'.  Click that app to open it when you see it.  On the My Files app page, scroll down to the PHONE/TABLET area and you should see 'Internal Storage'.  Click that.  There you can browse your files and/or use the menu (icon with three vertical dots at the top right of the screen) to add a folder, etc.  Or, you can plug your tablet into your laptop/desktop via USB and drag/drop files into the right folders.

 

Or, leverage Google's cloud and make your life easier:

 

Get yourself a Google account, and configure Google Drive.  Use your laptop/desktop to upload all those PDFs to GoogleDrive, then use your tablet's Google Drive app to access them.

 

[Jeep Driver]

1 hour ago, kryptronic said:

What you asked for:

 

Click the 'Apps' button, which is an icon that looks like a white box with nine grey dots in it.  That will bring up all apps on your device.  When viewing all apps, use the search at the top of the screen to search for 'My Files'.  Click that app to open it when you see it.  On the My Files app page, scroll down to the PHONE/TABLET area and you should see 'Internal Storage'.  Click that.  There you can browse your files and/or use the menu (icon with three vertical dots at the top right of the screen) to add a folder, etc.  Or, you can plug your tablet into your laptop/desktop via USB and drag/drop files into the right folders.

 

Or, leverage Google's cloud and make your life easier:

 

Get yourself a Google account, and configure Google Drive.  Use your laptop/desktop to upload all those PDFs to GoogleDrive, then use your tablet's Google Drive app to access them.

 

He'll need an enabled Tab...........he has a Tab 'something'...........lol.

[kryptronic]

3 minutes ago, Jeep Driver said:

He'll need an enabled Tab...........he has a Tab 'something'...........lol.

 

Pretty sure Google Drive and the whole Google apps suite is available via the Google Play store for free for just about any Android "tab"let.

 

These things have so many names these days that at work we just call them mid sized displays, with phones being labeled thin displays, and desktops being labeled wide displays.

[Eagle]

I guess the proper name for it is TAB S2 8-inch.

[Jeep Driver]

6 minutes ago, kryptronic said:

 

Pretty sure Google Drive and the whole Google apps suite is available via the Google Play store for free for just about any Android "tab"let.

 

These things have so many names these days that at work we just call them mid sized displays, with phones being labeled thin displays, and desktops being labeled wide displays.

Wife has a Tab A, I have the equivalent of- ATTs version of the Tab E. I just asked the wife and the son, both said they don't' think what he wants to do is possible from a tablet. 

 

It's not how we use them ourselves. 

 

OP, you need a laptop.

 

Enabled, he'll need data. I don't jump on anyone's wifi myself, I want my own data. 

 

 

[Eagle]

Is that what "enabled" means? This thing isn't an oversized smart phone, it doesn't have any cellular telco connectivity capability. No SIM slot. It has WiFi and Bluetooth ... that's it. I don't want to be able to access the code files over the airwaves, I want to copy them onto the tablet's micro SD card so they're always there and always available.

[DirtyComanche]

Do what kryptronic said.

[kryptronic]

Ok.  I assumed it had 4G capabilities. I wouldn't advise using untrusted wifi for anything either, even if it's secured.  Good tip there.

 

Hook the tablet up to your laptop and copy the files over using USB to the device itself, or skip that and use an SD card.  Use the My Files app to read the files in the field from the device or SD card.

[Eagle]

I have the files on a USB stick with dual terminals, one end fits the standard USB port on my desktop, the other end fits the mini- (or micro?) USB on the tablet. That part has been figured out, but I was getting hung up on trying to navigate the Android file system. I didn't see any way to create new folders, or to nest sub-directories. Thanks to you gentlemen, I'm beginning to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

 

I just hope it's not a train heading straight at me ...

 

Assuming I can get the files copied onto the tablet, is there a way to put an icon on the screen for each file? Or at least for each folder -- I currently need to have access to two generations of building codes, and each consists of a package of seven codes (building, residential, plumbing, mechanical, existing buildings, electrical, and handicapped). As of the first of October the state will be adopting a newer generation, so then I'll need to have all three sets because the rule is that the code in effect when the permit was taken out remains the code in effect for the life of the structure. On my desktop computer and work notebook, I created a screen shortcut icon for each file. Android icons take up comparatively more space, although there are multiple screens available so it still might work. I could put each set on a separate screen. (I think -- will that work?)

[Jeep Driver]

6 hours ago, Eagle said:

I have come into possession of a Samsung Tab something tablet. It's Android, of course, and I know nothing about Android. My cell phone is a Galaxy S3 on Android, but I use it as a phone - I've never explored apps, so I know less than nothing about the Android system.

 

What I would like to do with this tablet is to copy the PDF files of all the building codes I freqntly refer to onto the tablet so I can carry that rather than about fifty pounds of code books when I go to sites or clients' facilities. The tablet has an app that apparently is a file manager, but it doesn't look at all like Windows File Explorer. What I need to know is: can I make new directories to put these files in, and can I make subdirectories under those new directories ("folders")? And can I then create screen icons to launch each file?

 

If this is possible -- how can I do it?

 

Thanks

You're asking a tablet to manage/store a metric $#!&-ton of information. 

If you can make it work.......more power to ya. 

[DirtyComanche]

1 hour ago, Jeep Driver said:

You're asking a tablet to manage/store a metric $#!&-ton of information. 

If you can make it work.......more power to ya. 

 

A few thousand pages of text is only 10-20mb~, assuming it's reasonably plain.

 

So no, it's not asking a lot.

 

Lots of guys I know put multiple airframe/engine/flight manuals on tablets.  Works fine as long as they're the pdf versions.  And they tend to have a ton of charts, illustrations, etc, not just plain text.

[Jeep Driver]

18 minutes ago, DirtyComanche said:

 

A few thousand pages of text is only 10-20mb~, assuming it's reasonably plain.

 

So no, it's not asking a lot.

 

Lots of guys I know put multiple airframe/engine/flight manuals on tablets.  Works fine as long as they're the pdf versions.  And they tend to have a ton of charts, illustrations, etc, not just plain text.

What I'm reading into this is that he wants to move his desktop onto his tablet.

 

He can upload his files one time and view the files from any devise anywhere in the world........it's a different way of thinking, the devise is nothing more than a window to view from. 

 

Generational thing I suppose.

 

[DirtyComanche]

3 minutes ago, Jeep Driver said:

What I'm reading into this is that he wants to move his desktop onto his tablet.

 

He can upload his files one time and view the files from any devise anywhere in the world........it's a different way of thinking, the devise is nothing more than a window to view from. 

 

Generational thing I suppose.

 

 

If he uses a cloud service, yes.

 

But since he has a tablet without cellular connectivity, that would be a terrible idea.

 

I believe he just wants to copy them onto the tablet and done...  Which makes sense, assuming it isn't stuff that needs to be updated often.

 

The idiots I work for use cloud services for the manuals and company documents, since it has to be controlled and updated.  It does not work.  But it's a nice thought, and it makes the regulatory bodies moist in certain areas.  Personally I'd fire their entire IT department, but nobody asked me.

[gogmorgo]

I'm also not a fan of having to access my own info through the cloud. Data is $$$, and cell service is non-existant anywhere I'd end up while needing to access it. Reasonable speed Internet connection is also not a guarantee, anywhere. If I was a professional relying on some documents, I would have my own copy of the documents. You really can't run a business when you have to ask to borrow the tools you need every time you need to use them, whether or not there's a guarantee you can actually get through to the person who has them and get the borrowing done in a timely fashion. 

Cloud backup is one thing, but I would rather carry around 500lbs of paper manuals than rely on the cloud to consult them. 

I totally get what Eagle wants. I just don't have any familiarity with android systems at all so I really can't help. 

[Eagle]

I don't trust the cloud. The cloud is also not suitable -- earlier this year I had two projects in corners of the state where there was no cell phone reception, so my Verizon portable WiFi hotspot was useless. And there was no WiFi, so no other way to access a cloud storage location. That's why I need the files on my device. I'm not trying to move an entire Windows desktop computer onto an Android tablet, I just want access to 14 (currently) or 21 (soon) PDF files.

 

Think of what I want/need is to have it function like  Nook or Kindle, and the books I want to read happen to be boring building codes.

 

[kryptronic]

23 hours ago, Eagle said:

 Assuming I can get the files copied onto the tablet, is there a way to put an icon on the screen for each file? Or at least for each folder --

 

You can do each PDF file this way: In the My Files app, browse to the folder containing the PDFs.  Press down on one of the files and hold it to switch the list to selection view.  Make sure only one file is checked.  Click the menu (three vertical dots at the top right) and choose to add a shortcut.  When a dialog pops up asking you where to put the shortcut, choose your home screen.  There will be a confirmation and the shortcut will be there where you want it afterwards.  Repeat for each PDF.

 

I can't see any easy way to do a directory.

[kryptronic]

You're idea about using different screens to group the PDFs is very good.  Just hold down onto a home screen shortcut and drag it to the screen you want.  When you get close to running out of screens, Android will begin to create you additional empty screens.

[Eagle]

Sounds good -- many thanks.

 

Having to learn a new operating system at my tender age is a struggle. I'm still avoiding Windows 10 as much as possible because it's different enough from Windows 7 ... and I only moved up to Windows 7 after support for XP ended. Several years ago I bought an inexpensive Android tablet. I found it so baffling that I immediately gave it away. Now a friend who switched over the the dark side (Apple) has given me a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, and it's such a nice tablet that I'd like to be able to get some use out of it.

[gogmorgo]

Even at 27 I struggle with unfamiliar operating systems. We run 7 at work. I briefly had 8 installed in dual-boot on my iMac, but that was years ago. Recently I was confronted with 10 on school computers and it threw me for a pretty hard loop. 

It's part of why I have a Mac. The changes between versions of OSX aren't anywhere near as radical as they've been between versions of Windows. Plus it's just a more intuitive interface in general.

[DirtyComanche]

I don't understand Mac/iPhones.

 

Windows 10 takes about 30 minutes to get used to if you've used any of the prior versions, even going back as far as 95...  If you really don't like it install Classic Shell.

 

There's actually a couple decent tools out there to really turn back time on it.  You can kill Cortana permanently, along with the other embedded "apps" like the M$ Store.  Between that and Classic Shell you can make it look and act exactly like whatever version you like.

[Eagle]

I sooooooo love Classic Shell ...

 

And I soooooo hate Office 2010, 2013, and 2016 with the &%#(*&^$% ribbon menu setup. The morons at Microsoft could at least have provided an option to use the classic menus for people who have been using Office for decades, instead of forcing everyone to learn a totally new (and totally non-intuitive, regardless of what they claim) interface.

[gogmorgo]

I'm with you on that one. 

5 hours ago, Eagle said:

The morons at Microsoft

 (and totally non-intuitive, regardless of what they claim) interface.

 

Mac OSs have had effectively the same interface since they first came out in like, 84. There's just a ton more features now. For the most part you can just ignore what you don't understand, and out of the box it'll be the same as what you were used to. Windows on the other hand... I'm not convinced you should have to shut off all the new "features" just to make the thing useful.

 

But really it comes down to what you're used to. This thread will get locked if we keep derailing it, so Imma stop. I ain't got nothing to contribute to help out with Eagle's problem anyhow.