Help me get my pinball data off a dying tablet

mc_mc · Mar 1, 2014

I need some help. My Toshiba AT300 tablet has developed a screen problem (a large yellow halo appears sometimes and slowly fades away) so I think it may die completely soon. So I'd very much like to move my Pinball Arcade data (high scores, wizard goal progress etc.) across to another tablet (a Nook HD+).

The Toshiba isn't rooted (and I don't think a method exists as it has a locked bootloader) so I can't use Titanium backup. It's running the latest stock rom and is Android 4.1.1

Has anyone else managed to do this with a non-root device?

Any help appreciated. I don't care about any of the other data on my tablet, just my pinball stuff!

Baron Rubik · Mar 1, 2014

No - without root, I think you're stuck.
I've been requesting saved_data be moved to a non root dependent location for a long time.

mc_mc · Mar 1, 2014

Baron Rubik said:
No - without root, I think you're stuck.
I've been requesting saved_data be moved to a non root dependent location for a long time.

Oh no! Seems this is something really lacking from stock android for all this time.

Baron Rubik · Mar 1, 2014

mc_mc said:
Oh no!

Somebody else might have a solution, and I'd be interested to read it.
'Helium' app didn't work for me just in case that comes up.

mc_mc · Mar 1, 2014

Baron Rubik said:
Somebody else might have a solution, and I'd be interested to read it.
'Helium' app didn't work for me just in case that comes up.

Yes I saw Helium, but most of the reviews are saying it doesn't work. Might give it a try anyway though, not got much to lose.

Baron Rubik · Mar 1, 2014

Might be worth deleting all table data through table manager prior to using Helium.
It was the 1/2gb of table data killing it for me.
Saved_data is only about 500k which is the bit you actually want.
Good luck.

jaredmorgs · Mar 2, 2014

mc_mc said:
I need some help. My Toshiba AT300 tablet has developed a screen problem (a large yellow halo appears sometimes and slowly fades away) so I think it may die completely soon. So I'd very much like to move my Pinball Arcade data (high scores, wizard goal progress etc.) across to another tablet (a Nook HD+).

The Toshiba isn't rooted (and I don't think a method exists as it has a locked bootloader) so I can't use Titanium backup. It's running the latest stock rom and is Android 4.1.1

Has anyone else managed to do this with a non-root device?

Any help appreciated. I don't care about any of the other data on my tablet, just my pinball stuff!

Yet another example of where google play games cloud save would save a whole lot of hassle.

http://mobiletechpundit.blogspot.com/2012/03/android-for-all-backups-on-unrooted.html details an Android Debug Bridge (adb) command that could help.

http://blog.shvetsov.com/2012/09/backup-your-android-without-root-or.html shows a number of commands that will help you understand how adb works.

Rather than back up all apps, you can use the command flag "packages" to hone in on one package only. The package name is the com.Farsight... name you see in the url of the play store listing for TPA.

Also related is http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/24785/partial-adb-restore

mc_mc · Mar 2, 2014

Have made some progress. I managed to get ADB working on my old XP laptop (after installing numerous USB drivers on my Windows 8 desktop without success) and have successfully made a backup. The backup file is over 2gb so I think I've managed to get all the table files too (took 40 minutes+ to transfer all the data to my PC). Next step is to get ADB working on the Nook HD+ and see if can actually restore the files to the new device and get them recognised. Unfortunately I've got to go out now, so the suspense continues...

jaredmorgs · Mar 2, 2014

mc_mc said:
Have made some progress. I managed to get ADB working on my old XP laptop (after installing numerous USB drivers on my Windows 8 desktop without success) and have successfully made a backup. The backup file is over 2gb so I think I've managed to get all the table files too (took 40 minutes+ to transfer all the data to my PC). Next step is to get ADB working on the Nook HD+ and see if can actually restore the files to the new device and get them recognised. Unfortunately I've got to go out now, so the suspense continues...

Good to hear you've made progress. Good luck. Total data for TPA should amount to about 700 MB.

PinPipe · Mar 2, 2014

Hi.

It was me who managed to migrate via Helium app.
It drove me nearly nuts at first, because I was able to migrate everything but my navigation app and TPA.

At last I got the idea to erase all tables from my system. For some reason the file was simply to big for Helium.
So I shoved over the rest of the data to my new device and then reinstalled all tables within TPA.

Hope this might help.

jaredmorgs · Mar 2, 2014

mc_mc said:
Have made some progress. I managed to get ADB working on my old XP laptop (after installing numerous USB drivers on my Windows 8 desktop without success) and have successfully made a backup. The backup file is over 2gb so I think I've managed to get all the table files too (took 40 minutes+ to transfer all the data to my PC). Next step is to get ADB working on the Nook HD+ and see if can actually restore the files to the new device and get them recognised. Unfortunately I've got to go out now, so the suspense continues...

PinPipe said:
Hi.

It was me who managed to migrate via Helium app.
It drove me nearly nuts at first, because I was able to migrate everything but my navigation app and TPA.

At last I got the idea to erase all tables from my system. For some reason the file was simply to big for Helium.
So I shoved over the rest of the data to my new device and then reinstalled all tables within TPA.

Hope this might help.

/thread

mc_mc · Mar 2, 2014

Success! I've managed to transfer the data across using the adb backup and restore method. Here's how I did it:

First you need to get ADB working on both devices (not at the same time) so this means installing the correct USB drivers for each device. So I needed the Toshiba ADB drivers and the Nook ADB drivers. There's lots of guides about this on the web, but for me it was the major part of the exercise. Once you've got ADB working do the following.

1. Connect the device you want to extract from (making sure that ADB debugging is turned on in the settings).
2. Issue the following command: adb -d backup -f pa -noapk -noshared com.farsight.AndroidPinball.javaProject
3. If all is well a prompt will appear on the tablet / device asking for permission to backup (and optionally put in a password, but I didn't bother). Press the backup button.
4. A few seconds later this will complete and I got a 235Kbyte file. (if you use the shared flag you get a massive file with all the downloaded table resource files, but I didn't need that).
5. Unplug the old device and plug in the new one.
6. Run the following adb command: adb restore pa
7. Again a pop will appear on the new device and click restore.
8. After a few seconds it will say restore complete and you are done! (no root needed on either device).

jaredmorgs · Mar 2, 2014

mc_mc said:
Success! I've managed to transfer the data across using the adb backup and restore method. Here's how I did it:

First you need to get ADB working on both devices (not at the same time) so this means installing the correct USB drivers for each device. So I needed the Toshiba ADB drivers and the Nook ADB drivers. There's lots of guides about this on the web, but for me it was the major part of the exercise. Once you've got ADB working do the following.

1. Connect the device you want to extract from (making sure that ADB debugging is turned on in the settings).
2. Issue the following command: adb -d backup -f pa -noapk -noshared com.farsight.AndroidPinball.javaProject
3. If all is well a prompt will appear on the tablet / device asking for permission to backup (and optionally put in a password, but I didn't bother). Press the backup button.
4. A few seconds later this will complete and I got a 235Kbyte file. (if you use the shared flag you get a massive file with all the downloaded table resource files, but I didn't need that).
5. Unplug the old device and plug in the new one.
6. Run the following adb command: adb restore pa
7. Again a pop will appear on the new device and click restore.
8. After a few seconds it will say restore complete and you are done! (no root needed on either device).

And you learned something in the process, so it was a good day!

Baron Rubik · Mar 2, 2014

I've been playing with 'Helium' again today, and can confirm it is definitely the size of the table data file that is causing the issue with TPA and Helium.

To get it working, you need to rename the table data folder when creating a backup on the donor device, and must move the table data folder on the recipient device (rename isn't sufficient on recipient device).

TPA's table data folder is held in a non-root dependent location, which is here...
TABLE DATA = /MNT/SDCARD/ANDROID/DATA/COM.FARSIGHT.ANDROIDPINBALL.JAVAPROJECT/FILES/

You can use any non-root file explorer, but my preference is 'Explorer' by speed software https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.speedsoftware.explorer

Move the table data files on both device's to another location, then using Helium, either sync 2 device's data, or backup the donor to google drive, and the recipient should restore from drive also.

Once restore is successful, move back the table data files on both device's prior to starting TPA on either.

It's confirmed worked between my rooted N7 and non-rooted SGS4.

Edit - I wonder if Ryan could declare backup folders differently within TPA, so helium only attempts to backup 'saved_data' file and not table data.
Or just move saved_data file to the same folder path as table data, ie non root dependant.

Evan55 · Mar 5, 2014

Its simply unforgivable that after over 2 years, there is still no cloud storage or syncing of scores.

Ive bought almost all the tables through the first 2 seasons, but I wont spend a dime on another table until scores are synced across devices.
Im tired of losing my high scores every time I wipe my device or get a new one.

jaredmorgs · Jun 26, 2014

Evan55 said:
Its simply unforgivable that after over 2 years, there is still no cloud storage or syncing of scores.

Ive bought almost all the tables through the first 2 seasons, but I wont spend a dime on another table until scores are synced across devices.
Im tired of losing my high scores every time I wipe my device or get a new one.

Keep sending those enhancement requests to support@pinballarcade.com

I did again today.

Baron Rubik · Jun 26, 2014

Edit - mistaken post - ignore this one.

Munky · Jun 27, 2014

For those that have root access, what is the exact folder path for all the saved data so it could be manually backed up and restored?

Baron Rubik · Jun 27, 2014

Munky said:
For those that have root access, what is the exact folder path for all the saved data so it could be manually backed up and restored?

SAVE DATA = /DATA/DATA/COM.FARSIGHT.ANDROIDPINBALL.JAVAPROJECT/FILES/saved_data

For those that don't have root - 'Helium' app on Play will work, but you have to move table data prior to backup or restoration.

TABLE DATA = /MNT/SDCARD/ANDROID/DATA/COM.FARSIGHT.ANDROIDPINBALL.JAVAPROJECT/FILES/...

Table data isn't root required location.

Help me get my pinball data off a dying tablet

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