I saw an app today that says it supports SFTP, so that got me wondering whether I can SFTP into myself without having access to an external wifi. Apps that support SFTP could in theory be used to access a sandbox of data without an external wifi, and that would permit more apps than just iFile to manage the master database. Any thoughts on how this might work?
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Possible to SFTP to iPhone via an on-board app without external wifi?
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Of course it would be impossible. Every app would have to be recoded to make them access the root filesystem (since the vast majority don't have a use for it), and again, I don't know why you'd need that. It sounds like you're talking about two different things. The sandbox of data that you're referring to is accessible to everything once your phone is jailbroken. You get write access universally and in theory any JB app can access the filesystem. Except most of them don't require this access to fulfill their purpose, and if they do, it's something very small (such as editing a plist or whatnot). What app specifically do you need to access the sandbox?
If a user has no need to modify a file in the master database, then there would be no need to directly access the sandbox provided that the device is jailbroken with iFile installed. Users that desire to modify files on the master database (add / delete / edit), however, will use a variety of applications such as Documents to Go (which cannot handle plain text files) and QuickOffice (which can handle plain text files) and Office2 (which may someday reliably create pdf) and the jailbroken downloader which saves files to a folder the other applications cannot access directly. It would be nice to have one database where a user can modify files (add / delete / edit) directly -- at the present, a user is forced to play the "Open-In Dance" available in some applications to pass files back and forth. If Documents to Go would add support for flat text files, and permit better file management of all files (including, not deliberately suppressing the ability to see files types that are unsupported), then that would essentially permit a business user to store the master database inside of Documents to Go -- however, that day will not likely come within my lifetime -- so a unified sandbox is what is needed. I already wrote a 5-page letter to Steve (all mighty) with various suggestions, however, it is the holiday season and I'm sure many employees are still on vacation.
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I see what you're saying now. But yeah, like I said, at this point in time it's not possible. By the way why did you email Steve? I would think that he'd completely ignore something along these lines.
I snail-mailed the letter to Steve. In the past, a high-level customer service representative has contacted me after each letter to discuss my suggestions / comments -- Apple has a file with my name on it (I'm not sure if that is good or bad). The most recent one was of a friendly nature, and I even gave them an invention (if they have not already thought about it) -- so I would imagine a secretary will call me next week sometime.
I just turned off wifi and discovered that an onboard file manager with sftp support can connect to the openssh server using "localhost" root/alpine -- thus, this seems to be the breakthrough I was seeking -- third party apps with sftp support from the Apple app store can share a universal sandbox of local data storage outside of the application folder boundaries. Apple deliberately hobbled the iOS devices to prevent sharing data so that users still purchase the laptops.
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