I have for the longest time used QuickPic to backup the photos on my mobile device (in addition to viewing photos). Until recently this has worked out well, but as the app is no longer reliable I had to search for another setup. After searching around for a longest while I was unable to find any application that fulfilled my requirements, thus I setup my own solution using Tasker and OneSync.

The setup I am using now and describing below works with any other cloud/network backup solution, in that case OneSync can be replaced with another app of your choice.

Prerequisites

• Android
• Tasker
• OneSync

Overall idea

• Most backup solutions have possibility for one-way sync with deletion, i.e. copy the source file to destination and remove the original source file.
• Local copy
  • Tasker will monitor folders where new photos (or other files for that matter) are created.
  • Upon creation of a new file Tasker will copy the file to a pre-set destination folder.
• Remote copy The pre-set folder is monitored for changes by the cloud backup solution, or Tasker may trigger an upload action.
  • The cloud backup solution will copy the file from the local source folder to destination cloud folder
  • The local source file will be removed.

Let us start with the remote copy setup first.

Cloud backup

I will be using the OneSync software to backup to OneDrive, but similar technique applies for other destinations.

1. Start by installing OneSync.

   

2. Connect OneSync to you OneDrive

   

   

3. When OneSync is connected, set up a folder pair to sync. I use the following settings:

   Remote folder:  /Picture/Camera Roll
   Local folder:   /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Uploads
   Sync method:    Upload then delete
   Sync enabled:   True
   

   Press Save

   In the above settings, OneSync will move any files found in my local folder /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Uploads¹ to the Camera Roll in my OneDrive

   

   

   

4. Enable your newly created folder pair under the SYNCED FOLDERS tab.

5. Uncheck the Enable Autosync. The sync will be triggered by Tasker, thus there is no need for an extra service running in the background.

   

6. Verify that OneSync works.

   1. Copy a file to the local folder.

      

   2. Open OneSync and press the Sync Now button

      

      

      

   3. The file should now be copied to your camera roll

      

Setting up Tasker

Here we will set up two items, the task that actually copies the file and initiates the trigger and the profile which monitors the directory.

Monitoring directory

1. Open Tasker

2. Create a new Event profile.

   

3. Select File → File Modified

4. In the Event Edit, press the magnifying to bring up a file selector.

   

5. Navigate to the folder you wish to monitor

6. Long press the folder you wish to monitor.

   

7. Press the back key

8. Select New Task

Creating the task

1. Add an action: Variables → Variable Set

   Name:   %dir
   To:     %evtprm()
   

   

2. Action: Variables → Variable Search Replace

   Variable:           %dir
   Search:             file://
   Replace Matches:    True
   Replace With:       <Empty>
   

   

3. Action: File → List Files

   Dir:            %dir
   Sort Select:    Modification Date, Reverse
   Variable:       %files
   

   

4. Action: Variable Set

   Name:   %file
   To:     %files(1)
   

   

5. Action: Variable Search Replace

   Variable:           %file
   Search:             %dir
   Replace Matches:    True
   Replace With:       <path-to-sync-folder>
   

   <path-to-sync-folder> above represents the folder set up earlier

   

6. Action: Files → Copy File

   From:   %files(1)
   To:     %file
   

   

7. Action: Plugin → OneSync

   Configuration: Sync Now
   

   

Now test that this works by adding a file into the monitored directory.

Links

Google Play | Autosync OneDrive - OneSync Google Play | QuickPic - Photo Gallery with Google Drive Support Google Play | Tasker