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Kolahal

Backup & moving devices

There are three ways to move your setup between phones.

Backup file

Section titled “Backup file”

Settings → Backup → Export everything writes one file, kolahal-backup.json, through the system file picker. It contains:

  • settings you changed from the default,
  • aliases,
  • hidden apps, custom labels and pinned favourites,
  • every script with its code, timers, notification flag and enabled state,
  • new everything else under data: todos, notes, reminders, feed subscriptions with their items and read state, each script’s store values, the whole log and ↑ history, app launch history (frecency), unlock history, notification and trigger settings.

It’s plain JSON, so you can edit it on a computer. Import from file loads it on any phone.

{ "kolahal": 2,
  "config":  { "theme": "gruvbox-material", "log.spacing": "16" },
  "aliases": { "m": "open maps" },
  "apps":    { "hidden": [], "labels": {}, "pinned": [] },
  "scripts": [ { "name": "hn", "lang": "lua", "code": "...", "every": 30,
                 "at": ["08:00"], "notify": true, "enabled": true } ],
  "data":    { "prefs": { … }, "tables": { "todos": [ … ], "feeds": [ … ], "logs": [ … ] },
               "scriptStores": { "hn": { "seen": "…" } } } }

On import:

  • The data section replaces what is on the phone (todos, notes, reminders, feeds, the log…), then the readable sections above are applied on top, so your hand edits to them win. Script stores follow their script by name. Reminders, feeds and timers are rescheduled, and Kolahal restarts to load it all. Older backups without data import as before.
  • Unknown or invalid settings are skipped and listed.
  • Aliases that would shadow a built-in command are skipped.
  • New scripts arrive switched off, so you can review them before they run on a timer. Scripts that already exist (same name and language) keep their enabled flag only if their code is unchanged: new new code arrives switched off too. Scripts named like a built-in command or one of your apps are skipped.
  • new Restored log lines keep their text but can’t run commands or app shortcuts when tapped, and keep only web, map and store links.
  • new The result names the settings worth a look: a custom search address and gesture commands.
  • A script whose language differs from an existing script of the same name is skipped.
  • Intervals under 15 minutes are raised to 15 (Android’s minimum).

Hidden apps and labels are keyed by component and profile, so they carry over between phones only where those match.

Not included, because they can’t move between phones: the folder picked with script dir (a storage permission you grant again) and home-screen widgets’ live ids (widgets are listed so they can be added again). new Notification and call lines, and the copy of recent notifications kept for scripts, stay on the phone. The file can still contain private things (notes, the rest of the log), so keep it somewhere safe.

Single script files

Section titled “Single script files”

In the script manager (scripts), the import button at the top (↑) picks one or more files from the file manager. The file name becomes the script name, and importing the same name again updates it. Imported scripts arrive switched off; turn one on with its switch or script on <name> after a look at it. Export in a script’s sheet (tap the script) saves it as a file.

Folder sync

Section titled “Folder sync”
Terminal window
script dir       # pick a folder (any Storage Access Framework location)
script export    # write every script plus kolahal.json (timers and flags) there
script import    # read them back: new scripts are created, changed ones updated

This is handy for keeping scripts in a synced folder or a git repository on your computer.