Where is MMS saved?

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OminousPrime

Senior Member
May 31, 2008
58
0
MO USA
I'm sure someone has figured this out.
Where in the file system are the pictures I receive via mms saved?
I'm sure they have to be somewhere, there has to be a way to get them without the fwd to pc email / attach image to new email / email back to phone trick.

Bonus points, I deleted a thread - can I still find those images somewhere in the file system and restore them?
 

JesusFreke

Inactive Recognized Developer
Oct 23, 2008
736
54
Dallas
I believe they're stored in a sqlite3 database, so it's not as easy as just copying a file.

It looks like this is the database:
/data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db

I don't have any mms/sms messages atm (recently wiped phone), so I don't have any data to look at in the database.

If you want, give me an IM or PM and I'll give you my cell number so you can send me an sms with a pic, so I can figure out how to extract it from the database :)
 

JesusFreke

Inactive Recognized Developer
Oct 23, 2008
736
54
Dallas
Found it. The text and attachments are saved in /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/app_parts

They are stored in files named something like "PART_1228000671287", with no extension.

To see what type of files they are, you can run this command on the phone (assuming you have RC30 v1.2).

sqlite3 -header /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db "SELECT _data, ct FROM part;"

The first column is the full path to the file, and the 2nd column is the mime type of the file
 
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OminousPrime

Senior Member
May 31, 2008
58
0
MO USA
Awesome, good work Android Master JesusFreke.
too bad I have the factory RC30
(why oh why did I hit the update button that night?)*

but that's cool to know that they can be found.
Now we just need someone to apply that knowledge into making a SaveImage option appear in the MMS thread.





* on an unrelated note I need to put in another thread: when RC29 came I noticed the camera worked like 5 times better. I was even able to snap pics of the kids on the swings and they came out clear, when RC30 came it was back to blurriness as usual.
 

dcman008

Senior Member
May 6, 2006
105
11
40
Found it. The text and attachments are saved in /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/app_parts

They are stored in files named something like "PART_1228000671287", with no extension.

To see what type of files they are, you can run this command on the phone (assuming you have RC30 v1.2).

sqlite3 -header /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db "SELECT _data, ct FROM part;"

The first column is the full path to the file, and the 2nd column is the mime type of the file
Would it be possible to write a program that would automatically extract the imgs/vids from that path and put them on the sd card with the correct file extension?
 

JesusFreke

Inactive Recognized Developer
Oct 23, 2008
736
54
Dallas
Sure. It would certainly be possible for rooted phones. I'm not sure for non-rooted phones.
 
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dcman008

Senior Member
May 6, 2006
105
11
40
I should have added on rooted phones on my first post.
Guess i should get off my butt and start messing around with some code.
I'm kinda leery about messing with root comands.
 

neoobs

Retired Moderator
Mar 25, 2008
1,239
11
I think it would be possible for rooted as well. Can't applications have message privys so they can read messages? if they can read them can't they save the data?
 

yipyipper

Member
Feb 23, 2015
25
7
Hollywood, FL
Found it. The text and attachments are saved in /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/app_parts

They are stored in files named something like "PART_1228000671287", with no extension.

To see what type of files they are, you can run this command on the phone (assuming you have RC30 v1.2).

sqlite3 -header /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db "SELECT _data, ct FROM part;"

The first column is the full path to the file, and the 2nd column is the mime type of the file

Now I can save my pictures people texted me! Thanks dude!
 

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    Found it. The text and attachments are saved in /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/app_parts

    They are stored in files named something like "PART_1228000671287", with no extension.

    To see what type of files they are, you can run this command on the phone (assuming you have RC30 v1.2).

    sqlite3 -header /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db "SELECT _data, ct FROM part;"

    The first column is the full path to the file, and the 2nd column is the mime type of the file