change installation source

[Joduai]

Hi
I'm in a long time process of switching app installation sources to direct ones through obtainium.
The problem I have with davx is widely known: no official support for backing up settings.
I could give app manager a chance, but once import fails after switching app source I will have to enter all credentials and URIs again. I won't take that risk.

My question in general is about switching installation source, as android doesn't allow installing the same app over existing one.
The default way I'd need to go through is by uninstalling the app and installing it again from other source. Obtainium can't install over existing app ending the process with error. I tried through shizuku but it also fails.
Since I'm on a rooted AOSP (LOS 23.2 -> A16) I'm leaning towards manually copying all config files, but last time I have done such manual backups was on A13 and I suppose storage or data paths could change since that time.
Could anyone point me to informations what files (or whole paths) should I backup to copy them again after uninstalling and intalling davx from other source?
Or maybe someone already had the same nut to crack and found out an easier or faster solution?

edit: found out a mention aboud using seedvault
https://manual.davx5.com/webdav_mounts.html#how-to-create-backups-with-seedvault
but could anyone confirm it will import backup from changed source? I assume app might have different source name.

[ArnyminerZ]

Obtainium can't install over existing app ending the process with error. I tried through shizuku but it also fails.

This is because Play Store, Github and F-Droid all use different signing keys.

found out a mention aboud using seedvault

Seedvault is not for creating backups of DAVx⁵ but rather of the system (some ROMs/rooted devices use Seedvault for system backups).

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Basically currently it's unfortunately impossible to backup DAVx⁵'s configuration.

Regarding manually copying files, I can't assure it will work (as it probably won't), but we use Room for the database, which is initialized here (see db file name). We also use shared preferences in some places.

The biggest problem you'll have with DAVx⁵, is that we use system accounts as our accounts storage (which we know isn't great, and we are refactoring the code to get rid of this, but still not ready), and I don't know if even with root you will be able to copy the accounts (maybe they hold up somehow since the account type is the same, but I don't know, too complex...) and most importantly their associated user data.

In general, honestly, I'd just uninstall DAVx⁵ and reinstall+configure accounts again. I'm pretty sure it will take you less time than researching+applying all the movements necessary (if they are even possible).

[Joduai]

@ArnyminerZ
I'm fully aware of problems caused by the way davx maintains data along with system accounts for syncing. Months ago I've read all issues, threads and existing info about backups.
I thought for a while that seedvault available in lineageos, and all its derivatives would come in handy but I've got no idea whether it will import data over reinstalled app with - as you mentioned - different signing keys. Afair appname remains the same on all platforms with software. Apart from seedvault I suppose app manager should be sufficient to take backup. Found it was more reliable than neobackup or other android backup software.

I see that services.db stays in /data/user/0/at.bitfire.davdroid/databases (got only one user account)
Now when I wrote that, maybe trying to add second user account and test if duplicating the database file would work.
The question is whether all the config would recreate automatically from services.db file?

After all, adding all credentials again might take less time, but as always doing something for the first time is always longer.
Thanks for info, appreciate very much the reply.

[ArnyminerZ]

The question is whether all the config would recreate automatically from services.db file?

No, the database is not enough. Data won't be reconstructed, and you will probably end up with a half-corrupt state in DAVx⁵. Restoring the system accounts is absolutely necessary.