Develop Reference

Phone is rooted but can't pull files from /data/data folder

My phone Samsung Galaxy S5 mini is rooted. I'm trying to pull files from /data/data/myapp.package/ to folder on my PC.
adb pull /data/data/myapp.package E:\myapp\myapp.package
it gives me this error
adb: error: failed to copy '/data/data/myapp.package' to 'E:\myapp\myapp.package': Permission denied
I found many questions like mine but no answer solved my problem. Some suggested to execute this command adb root before pulling files. Some suggested to install adbd insecure app to enable root access. In fact after installing that app, phone disappeared from adb terminal. Both solution didn't work for me.
BTW, I can copy files using cp command from adb shell but I have to copy files to sdcard and then pull from sdcard. I'm looking for solution which allows me to copy files directly from /data/data/myapp.package to my PC
Any solution?

For your adb to be able to access /data/data directly (for adb pull), your adbd should be running as root - which can generally be done by adb root command.
adb root would not work on commercial devices like Samsung Galaxy S5 mini as commercial devices have ro.secure=1, i.e., the adbd can't be restarted as root due to a check of property called ro.secure. adbd insecure app circumvents this and restarts adbd in root mode to enable adb pull, etc. to work.
In short, if adbd insecure app doesn't work for you, it's not possible to do adb pull from /data/data in your existing ROM. It might be possible if you change the ROM / do some boot.img tweaks, but I would probably suggest trying latest version / different versions of adbd insecure app before going for ROM changes.
Read more on rooting here.

First you need to hit these two command from command line
adb root
adb remount
then
adb pull /data/data/myapp.package E:\myapp\myapp.package

This is my example pulling DB file from the root directory
adb -e shell "run-as com.example.project cp /data/data/com.example.project/databases/project.db /sdcard"
The key is run-as

Here's a one-liner that lets you pull a file without installing anything else and without having to copy it to a public location on the device to then pull it to your computer:
adb exec-out su -c cat /data/data/myapp.package/my_file.apk > my_file.apk
What this does:
adb exec-out runs a command and outputs the raw binary output
su -c runs the provided command as root
cat <file> prints out the file contents
> <file> redirects the output from adb (i.e. the raw file contents) to a local file.

Copy folder from Android app to local Windows directory

I'm trying to use the Android Adb Command Prompt to copy a folder inside the app container to a local Windows folder. The device is running Android 5.1.1 and is not rooted.
adb pull or cp aren't working. How can I copy a folder?
The following approaches aren't working:
Approach 1
adb shell
adb pull /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs C:/temp/test
error: device not found
Inside the shell you can't see to do adb pull. See here.
Approach 2
DDMS can't access the data folder.
Approach 3
adb shell
run-as DroidSample.DroidSample
cp /files/MetroLog/MetroLogs/ C:/temp/test
cp: /files/MetroLog/MetroLogs/: No such file or directory
Approach 4
adb shell
run-as DroidSample.DroidSample
cp /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs/ C:/temp/test
cp: /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs is a directory (not copied).
This is also not working.
Approach 5
adb shell
run-as DroidSample.DroidSample
chmod 777 /files/MetroLog/MetroLogs
exit
exit
adb pull /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs C:/temp/test
adb shell run-as DroidSample.DroidSample
chmod 700 /files/MetroLog/Metrologs
remote object '/data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs' does not exist
So also this isn't working.
Approach 6
adb shell
mkdir /sdcard/tmp
cp /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs /sdcard/tmp
cp: /data/data/DroidSample.DroidSample/files/MetroLog/MetroLogs: Permission denied
This is also not working.
Approach 7
The only thing which half work is this
adb exec-out run-as DroidSample.DroidSample cat "files/MetroLog/MetroLogs/Log - 20160509.log" > C:/temp/test/test.log
But here I don't get the original file and I also have to know the exact file name. Additionally, that I loose line breaks and I have to do this for each file. Not that what I want.
So I'm running out of ideas. How can I access the internal stored files and copy them over?

You have almost solved the problem. As the storage of this kind is secured, you need to do one additional step. You need to copy the file from secured location to sdcard of the device. And then you can copy it anywhere via usb or android pull. Here are the command sequence I executed successfully.
adb shell
run-as DroidSample.DroidSample
cd shared_prefs
cp DroidSample.DroidSample_preferences.xml /sdcard/DroidSample.DroidSample_preferences.xml
exit
exit
adb pull /sdcard/DroidSample.DroidSample_preferences.xml C:/test/
That's it.
And I really appreciate the way you posted your question. Best of luck.

You're trying to gain read access to /data partition on actual android device. Such thing is not possible without root access, even if the app folder is yours. For the reason that permissions to read /data partition are not granted and cannot be granted, unless you're using an emulator. On emulator, which by default is with admin privileges for developer, you can access the data partition to read and write. On actual device you cannot. Not with adb, not with DDMS.
So basically speaking, anything that requires access to those files under /data is not going to work. Whether you sue cp command or pull command. The moment your kernel reads the beginning of your path which starts with /data/... it says: Oops, no can do.

You are trying to access /data folder of android device which is not accessible in unrooted device.

Use adb pull to copy app's file from phone (not rooted)

I am using a MacBook as my development machine. My Android phone is not rooted. I want to copy my Android app's file from phone to my MacBook. I tried the following:
Connect Android phone to MacBook (Developer's option is enabled)
adb pull /data/data/com.my.app/app_data/data ~/Documents/my/app/
where /data/data/com.my.app/app_data/data is the file path on phone, and ~/Documents/my/app/ is the directory path on MacBook.
But the above adb pull command shows Permission denied.
I also tried to use su under adb shell, but it doesn't work either:
~$ adb shell
shell#xyz:/ $ su
/system/bin/sh: su: not found
So, how can I copy my app's internal file to my MacBook directory?

On a non-rooted phone you can not access the app private data directory (/data/data/com.my.app).
The only way to extract the data is to create a backup of the app data using adb backupp:
adb backup -f mybackup.ab com.my.app
For extracting the information from the created backup archive you can use the Android Backup Extractor. It converts the Android backup archive to a tar archive file.
Note: If the app specifies in it's manifest that backup is disallowed the described way does not work. In such a case the only way is to root the phone.

You have to navigate to your file with adb shell.
Then copy to sdcard:
cat yourfile > /sdcard/yourfile
Then exit from adb shell and now you can pull:
adb pull /sdcard/yourfile

sqlite3: not found

I am trying to reach the sqlite database on my device using the procedure described here: How can i see SQLite Database (No emulator)?
However, I keep on getting sqlite3 not found.
I assume I am meant to be entering the commands with the hash (#) sign at the start of the line.
I tried with it and got nothing.
Without it I get the error message.
The sqlite3.exe file is definitely there and in the path.
Do I have to install something?

Some manufacturers deliver the devices without sqlite being installed on them. You can copy the sqlite program though from a emulator to your device if the device has an arm processor.
Start the emulator and use the adb command from the platform-tools in android-sdk
adb pull /system/xbin/sqlite3
Mount the system partition of your device read/write after this tutorial:
http://android-tricks.blogspot.com/2009/01/mount-filesystem-read-write.html
Use the adb command to copy the sqlite3 file to your device
adb push sqlite3 /system/xbin/
After you reboot your device the sqlite3 command should work.
Edit (copy from linked page - in the case link becomes invalid). The instructions for step 2 are:
adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
"Replace /dev/block/mtdblock3 & /system with appropriate device path and mount point, as obtained from cat /proc/mounts"

Go to Play store --> search for Titanium Backup & install it
adb shell
su
cp /data/data/com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup/files/sqlite3 /system/xbin/
cd /system/xbin/
chmod 755 sqlite3
adbd reboot (just in case)
Enjoy the result

For those who, like me, couldn't use Sqlite3, I used a workaround for this:
cat srcfile> / mnt / sdcard / dstfile
With this you can put the files into an external .db manager.

How to install or get access to sqlite3 from adb shell

I need a way to install or somehow get access to sqlite3 in the adb shell. I have rooted my device.
I've tried to find an answer but the closed I could come is:
Why do I get a "sqlite3: not found" error on a rooted Nexus One when I try to open a database using the adb shell?
But I don't think it's good idea to push my windows sqlite3.exe on a linux system?
So is it possible to install the sqlite3 terminal browser somehow?
[SOLUTION]
From the different comments and some asking around at #android-dev (irc), I found a solution. First I copied the database file to my desktop. But fist I had to install BusyBox, because cp isn't included?!? After that ran I into the problem that I couldn't pull or push from anywhere but /sdcard/ . I could then use /sdcard/ as a "middle station" and pull/push my db.
Then I got exhausted! I really had to have my sqlite terminal explore. Then I got the idea to start the emulator pull the sqlite binary from /system/xbin/sqlite3. Then remount /system with rw:
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
and push sqlite to the /sdcard/, and from there copy it to /system/xbin/
Now it works :D

Download this app from google play will help you install sqlite3 on android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ptSoft.util.sqlite3forroot

You don't need root to pull the database from your device. Simply run the following commands:
adb shell run-as <package-name> "cp databases/<db_name>.db /sdcard/ && exit"
adb pull /sdcard/<db_name>.db ~/Downloads/
From there, you can use sqlite3 for whatever operating system you're using (http://www.sqlite.org/download.html), or a sqlite browser such as "DB Browser for SQLite" (http://sqlitebrowser.org/)

I use Rajath's technique... Adb "Pull" the db from the emulator/device, work on it, then adb "push" it back onto/into the emulator device.
also:
I use the free SQLite Editor from the Android Market. I have not rooted my LG Ally and therefor can only edit database tables on my sdcard with SQLite Editor.
Rajath suggests using the adb to push and pull the databases to and from the emulator/device. The work on the database with the windows (or whatever) sqlite3 program you have. He does not suggest pusing the windows sqlite3 onto the Android device, IMHO.
I note that java/android "query()" sends actual SQL commands programmacitacly to ones program with user input. I conclude that sqlite3 is in Android somewhere.
When using the emulator Dev Tools is available, and way down at the bottom of the list is the Terminal Emulator. This allows exploration of file structure of Android in the emulator. However using "adb shell" from the PC has root permissions.
good luck. cactus mitch

You can do this with adb shell without issue.
In terminal or CMD (assuming you have the ADB path set and your phone has ROOT) type:
$ adb shell
$ cd data/data/com.nameofyourpackage/databases/
$ ls to find the name of your database
$ sqlite3 nameofyourdb.db
Then you can use .tables .schema to see the data you need to create the appropriate query.