Ringtones

[Hazel_Eyes_4_U]

My ring tones keep changing.  I put them on the SD card and made a seperate folder for the ring tones.  The ring tones keep going to the previous ringtone.  Am I doing something wrong?

[Wildman]

Make sure the files are in the SD Card / media / audio / ringtones and also remember that the ringers are not accessable when sd card is mounted to a pc..

[Hazel_Eyes_4_U]

I did put the ring tones in a seperate file using my pc.  It was easier. Does that matter?  My ring tones are actuatlly under sdcard/ringtones.  The music is sdcard/music.

[Wildman]

The directory I posted is the default location that the system stores and scans for ringtones and alerts... 

They need to be in the directory I posted to guarentee that the files are located, since you have a none standard directory the software will play the files from there but the wont always remember to look there for the files.

[Hazel_Eyes_4_U]

I guess I should make another folder than.  I just forgot how to do that.  LOL.  I don't remember where I can find the audio/media part.

[SallyC]

Hazel_Eyes_4_U wrote:

I guess I should make another folder than.  I just forgot how to do that.  LOL.  I don't remember where I can find the audio/media part.

I would not put them on an external media card as that get scanned later and may be why they keep reverting.

• Make a folder "media" in the internal memory of the phone
• make a folder media/ringtones
• install your ringtones in this folder

You will have to do this from your computer while your phone is mounted as a USB disk drive.

[Wildman]

I keep forgetting the device had a accessible internal storage drive...  This is a good suggest to store to the internal drive but I still suggest that the directly be SD Card / media / audio / ringtones to avoid issue and guarantee the files are in a default location that OS will scan automatically.

[SallyC]

It doesn't really matter if it's media/ringtones or media/audio/ringtones as long as it's in the internal memory (sdcard as opposed to sdcard-ext). 

The default Android external SD file structure is:

• Music/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as user music.
• Podcasts/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a podcast.
• Ringtones/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a ringtone.
• Alarms/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as an alarm sound.
• Notifications/ - Media scanner classifies all media found here as a notification sound.
• Pictures/ - All photos (excluding those taken with the camera).
• Movies/ - All movies (excluding those taken with the camcorder).
• Download/ - Miscellaneous downloads

It would seem like a good example for the internal. I added the media folder to it, with the others as subfolders (e.g., media/notifications), just to keep it a bit neater.  But the phone will scan the directories looking for media unless they have a .nomedia file in them. 

[Wildman]

Actually it does make a difference if you want it to load the files quickly after the device has been mounted...

The OS is hard coded to check the default folders first before it scan custom folders.

The internal memory root location is located at the directory I supplied, when the user has issues with ringers changing on its own this usually means the is isn't accessing the custom directory.  Other directory will work but the correct directory is the is default location because it cause less issues for the OS to scan the default directory location instead of unmapped locations.

[SallyC]

Wildman wrote:

Actually it does make a difference if you want it to load the files quickly after the device has been mounted...

The OS is hard coded to check the default folders first before it scan custom folders.

The internal memory root location is located at the directory I supplied, when the user has issues with ringers changing on its own this usually means the is isn't accessing the custom directory.  Other directory will work but the correct directory is the is default location because it cause less issues for the OS to scan the default directory location instead of unmapped locations.

The link I provided for default external SD directories is the Android Developers forum. This is the model I followed.  I don't doubt you, but can you provide a link for for saying "SD Card / media / audio / ringtones" is the "default location"?

I have never heard of anyone having issues using either structure, although I have heard of problems when using the external card, such as what the OP had.  My reply wasn't meant to nit pick your reply, but was a response to their question about how and where to create a folder.

[Wildman]

No problem but I have developed a number of apps for Android and without posting code restricted by most users I cant show you the exact location of code because it isn't in a readable format that some would understand but here is a screenshot of the actual audio located in all Android devices... If you know code you can check API, buildprop or xml configuration file to see the default directory location is as I posted.

When this directory isn't followed a number of apps have issues locating the directory on startup and this is why most 3rd party apps include a option to remap the directory of the files to avoid issue.  This directory posted is the default root directory on a Gingerbread device and if you check others you will see that they all follow this location.

Like I reported the directory posted from the link you provided is so a 3rd party programmer can access the audio files but since the OS is the one using these files it is best to follow the OS guidelines for the directory.  This is why users that are using their own directory looses the audio track from time to time if they clear the cache or data from a app and the directory information is lost and the user has to reset the custom alerts...  If they are in the default location they will find the files after a cache cleaning and casn activate the ringer without users interactions.

Once again, either directory will work but like I reported if you clear data or cache on the device all custom settings directed to the one you posted will be lost and you will have to redirect all apps back to that location to get it to work....  Don't believe me, just read final line of every post when a user clear cache or data..

[SallyC]

Yes, as a developer I'm sure you access files that aren't available to unrooted users.

My reply was to help the OP who, if they use a stock app like My Files or mounts their phone as a USB disk drive (probably seeing something like "MOT (H:)" for their internal memory) they will not see system/media/xxx folders.

This is why instructions I have seen are to create media folders using the default file structure (with the exception of nesting them under "media") found in the Android Developer's Dev Guide. 

[Wildman]

This directory has nothing to do with a rooted user, this is the ROOT DIRECTORY, these two things a different (Any user can see this directory with the SDK but they can not remove or change these files)..  The point was that the directory the software uses...  You are free to use any directory but I was simply trying to share the correct directory for the OS to use the files..

Read last post hear... https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/482030/#M21721

The one part you seem to be missing is that the user posted in OP that they placed files in your suggested directory and was having the ringer changing back to the stock ringtones... If the ringers in the stock location the OS would not experience this issue..   That is all I am saying.

I did not plan to question your post, just trying to supply a answer..  Problem Identified for Gallery Force Close Issues

[SallyC]

Wildman wrote:

This directory has nothing to do with a rooted user, this is the ROOT DIRECTORY, these two things a different..  The point was that the directory the software uses...  You are free to use any directory but I was simply trying to share the correct directory for the OS to use the files..

The one part you seem to be missing is that the user posted in OP that they placed files in your suggested directory and was having the ringer changing back to the stock ringtones... If the ringers in the stock location the OS would experiance this issue..   That is all I am saying.

I did not plan to question your post, just trying to supply a answer..

I understand the difference.  The directories your screenshot show are off the system directory.  If a user is using My Files or mounting via USB they do not have access to the system folder.  If they download another app, such as ES File Explorer they can do this, but it is not necessary.

Also, the OP did not place files in my suggested directory - they were in the SD card. I'm the one that pointed out they should be in the internal memory.

I was replying to her (not you) and trying to answer the question:

I guess I should make another folder than.  I just forgot how to do that.  LOL.  I don't remember where I can find the audio/media part

and tell her it should be on her internal memory and suggest how to do that.   Perhaps it would be better if I just quoted WikiHow and left it at that.  I'm sure she's not interested in this and it's probably just confusing.

@Hazel_Eyes_4_U

How to Add Ringtones to an Android Phone

• http://www.wikihow.com/Add-Ringtones-to-an-Android-Phone Step 2 shows only one drive.  The Droid Razr will show you and internal and external memory of your SD card.  The internal memory will say something  MOT (H:).  This is the one you want. 
• Step 3 says to call the folder ringtones.  I suggested media/ringtones.   Either should work.

[Wildman]

You are focusing on the system directory that has nothing to do with anything, the directory of the DEFAULT ringers directory structure was the point, I have said a number of times that your directory will work but I clarify more information.    This point is being overlooked so I supplied required information, the OP can use it as they see fit..

[Hazel_Eyes_4_U]

I mounted my phone by the computer. I did the folders using the computer.  I hope that it works this time.  I used that link that you gave me but the SD card doesn't come up.  It comes up where the phone is plugged in.  I don't know how to add it to the phone's memory.  Is it possible?

[SallyC]

Hazel_Eyes_4_U wrote:

I mounted my phone by the computer. I did the folders using the computer.  I hope that it works this time.  I used that link that you gave me but the SD card doesn't come up.  It comes up where the phone is plugged in.  I don't know how to add it to the phone's memory.  Is it possible?

I'm not sure I understand which step you are having problems with.  If  I understand you correctly, you can mount the phone via USB and create the folders ("I mounted my phone by the computer. I did the folders using the computer.") on the phone's internal memory - is this correct? That would be steps 1-3.  

I'm not sure what you mean by the "SD card doesn't come up" and not knowing how to add it to the phone's memory. Did you drag and drop the ringtones from your computer to the ringtones folder (steps 4-5)?

If you mean Step 6, that what you put in the folder is not showing up, then try rebooting your phone.