I notice that my app's data on external storage (i.e. SD card) gets deleted during an "adb install -r". While this is normal for uninstall (and then afterwards install optionally to notice it), I do not understand why this is the case for reinstall (and thus for Market updates as well). I could have sworn this was not always the case.
Referring to http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/data-storage.html#filesExternal I am specifically using "Accessing files on external storage" on Android 2.2, but not "Saving files that should be shared" or "Saving cache files". So I am writing and reading data in "/sdcard/Android/data//files/somefolder/data". My preferences do stick.
@Commonsware: The problem is not so much with getExternalFilesDir() IMHO as I see my data is written where I expect it. It just does not stick. I am using a.o.:
public static File getDefaultDirectory(Context context, String packageName) {
File dir;
if(mActivity_getExternalFilesDir!=null){//API >=8
dir = invokeGetExternalFilesDir(context, "fortune");
}else if(mEnvironment_getExternalStorageDirectory!=null){//API <=7
dir = invokeGetExternalStorageDirectory();
dir = new File(dir.getPath() + "/Android/data/" + packageName + "/files/");
}else{
//should never occur
return null;
}
return dir;
}