14

I followed the procedure explained in the main PPA page:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:samoilov-lex/aftl-stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install android-file-transfer

and I received this message after use:

sudo apt-get install android-file-transfer

E: Unable to locate package android-file-transfer
1
  • The usb cable has the advantage of using your PC to access your Android phone as an external drive. But, if you wish to transfer files via the wireless lan, you need 2 applications: Filezilla for the PC from the repositories; and FTP ServerPlus for the phone get it from googleplay. Once installed, the procedure is to read the settings from FTPseverPlus on phone, and enter them into Filezilla at the top of the screen on PC. The data you need are: ftp address; port; username; password. [on phone, set anonymous to off]. Use Filezilla to control the transfers. Pros are speed and large files.
    – rob grune
    Oct 21, 2018 at 6:46

4 Answers 4

12

There is a problem with the packaging of the PPA for Bionic. You can instead use Artful PPA to install Android File Transfer on Ubuntu 18.04. (Same version, 3.2-1 as of the time of writing)

First add the PPA to your sources:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 0BB4A1B2FA1A38EB
sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/samoilov-lex/aftl-stable/ubuntu artful main"

Make sure to run a sudo apt update to load the new packages, then install android-file-transfer the usual way:

sudo apt install android-file-transfer
3
  • 1
    Working fine in Xubuntu 18.04 x386, only you have put first the key because give error to install it, but first add the key, next add repository, next install working fine all. Very thanks because my Galaxy J5 not woring fine MTP protocol with Nautilus Jun 26, 2018 at 0:23
  • @Indacochea Not sure why adding the repository before the key didn't work for you, but I switched their order anyway. You're welcome Jun 26, 2018 at 4:13
  • 1
    Executing sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 0BB4A1B2FA1A38EB got the following error: Executing: /tmp/apt-key-gpghome.Eomyetg9Ew/gpg.1.sh --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 0BB4A1B2FA1A38EB gpg: keyserver receive failed: Server indicated a failure
    – Yu Shen
    Dec 28, 2018 at 6:46
7

The following steps were required before I finally got this to run:

  1. Plug in phone via USB cable.
  2. (on Android device) yes allow access.
  3. (on Ubuntu) click 'eject' to unmount the Nautilus (file explorer) automount of the device.
  4. Run sudo pkill mtp
  5. Run android-file-transfer
2

I was also getting issue to install android file transfer on kubuntu 18.04. At last I find best solution appimage base, and its work for me. I am sharing link appimage link

https://github.com/whoozle/android-file-transfer-linux/releases/download/v3.7/Android_File_Transfer-5bf7652-x86_64.AppImage

It will work. We only have to change permission

sudo chmod +x Android_File_Transfer-5bf7652-x86_64.AppImage
0

Have a problem - can't run this app. It shows first a window with msg

"Device is busy, maybe another process is using it.

The following processes are keeping file descriptors for your device: /usr/lib/gvfs/gvfsd-mtp (pid: 13865) Close other MTP applications and restart Android File Transfer.

Press Abort to kill them or Ignore to try next device."

If Ignore presed, it returns "No MTP Device found"

Aborting doesn't work - it returns msg

"Device locked..."

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