Re: PSA: How to archive your EXACT homescreen(s) apps to Windows for perfect cross-platform backup/restore sans the net

Maria Sophia wrote:
> The goal is a perfect archive on sdcard or on the desktop of our
> Android homescreen(s) and all the folders & app APKs inside them.

This makes a skeleton on the desktop of the homescreen hierarchy.
But, there are two python scripts which need to be merged into one.

1. First, novasql.py creates a file containing panels, folders & apps
2. Then, novadir.py creates a physical folder hierarchy for each panel

  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # novasql.py 
  #   Parse nova.db binary SQL database using "python novasql.py"
  #    python novasql.py > result.txt
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # The "favorites" table stores app shortcuts and folder containers.
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # v1p4 20260819 Ignore homescreen folders that don't have a valid title
  # v1p3 20260819 Separates output by homescreen panels (0,1,2,etc.)
  # v1p2 20260819 Cleaned up the output a bit to make it more readable
  # v1p1 20260819 Try to map which app packages live inside each folder
  # v1p0 20260819 Spits out the nova.db into a human-readable text file
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # This creates an automated inventory of Android homescreen folders, 
  # loose desktop shortcuts and underlying Android application packages 
  # extracted from Nova Launcher  internal databases (nova.db). 
  # 
  # Nova Launcher is a third-party customization interface for Android 
  # devices that replaces the default home screen. It organizes apps 
  # into custom desktop grids, user-defined folders and dedicated dock 
  # panels. This archive maps out that exact physical layout and group 
  # structure for long-term preservation and system migration reference.
  # 
  # Last known good version of TeslaCoil Nova free/adfree launcher 7.0.57 
  # <https://mobile.softpedia.com/apk/nova-launcher/7.0.57/>
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # Each folder on the homescreen gets a row in the favorites table 
  # with a unique ID and intent IS NULL. For any named folder, 
  # the title column stores that name. But if we never named the folder,
  # then Nova stores it with a blank, null, or whitespace-only title. 
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  import sys
  import sqlite3
  
  sys.stdout.reconfigure(encoding="utf-8")
  
  conn = sqlite3.connect("nova.db")
  cursor = conn.cursor()
  
  print("=== NOVA LAUNCHER ARCHIVE: HOME SCREENS & FOLDERS ===\n")
  
  # 1. Fetch distinct screen indices associated with desktop items
  cursor.execute(
      "SELECT DISTINCT screen FROM favorites WHERE container = -100 ORDER BY screen ASC;"
  )
  screens = cursor.fetchall()
  
  for (screen_num,) in screens:
      print(f"--- HOME SCREEN PANEL: {screen_num} ---")
  
      # Find folders located directly on this specific screen, 
      # but ignore folders with blank titles
      cursor.execute(
          "SELECT _id, title FROM favorites WHERE container = -100 AND screen = ?"
          " AND intent IS NULL AND title IS NOT NULL AND TRIM(title) != '';",
          (screen_num,),
      )
      folders = cursor.fetchall()
  
      for folder_id, folder_name in folders:
          print(f"  Folder: [ {folder_name} ] (ID: {folder_id})")
  
          # Get apps inside this folder
          cursor.execute(
              "SELECT title, intent FROM favorites WHERE container = ?;",
              (folder_id,),
          )
          items = cursor.fetchall()
  
          if items:
              for app_title, intent in items:
                  pkg = "Unknown"
                  if intent and "component=" in intent:
                      try:
                          part = intent.split("component=")[1]
                          pkg = part.split("/")[0]
                      except IndexError:
                          pkg = intent
                  print(f"      - App: {app_title} ({pkg})")
          else:
              print("      - (Empty folder)")
  
      # Find loose/top-level apps sitting directly on this screen (not in folders)
      cursor.execute(
          "SELECT title, intent FROM favorites WHERE container = -100 AND screen = ?"
          " AND intent IS NOT NULL;",
          (screen_num,),
      )
      loose_apps = cursor.fetchall()
  
      if loose_apps:
          print("  Loose Home Screen Apps:")
          for app_title, intent in loose_apps:
              pkg = "Unknown"
              if intent and "component=" in intent:
                  try:
                      part = intent.split("component=")[1]
                      pkg = part.split("/")[0]
                  except IndexError:
                      pkg = intent
              print(f"      - {app_title} ({pkg})")
  
      print()
  
  conn.close()
  # end of novasql.py

  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # novadir.py 
  #  Create hierarchical-folder skeleton for Android homescreen APKs
  #   python novadir.py 
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # v1p3 20260819 Improved bad-data handling
  # v1p2 20260819 Removed non-ASCII text
  # v1p1 20260819 Solved unknown header bug
  # v1p0 20260819 Creates a folder hierarchy based on nova.db output
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  # This creates a ./folder/app/ hierarchy for Android homescreen folders.
  # -------------------------------------------------------------------
  import os
  import re
  
  input_file = "screens_archive.txt"
  base_dir = "./android_archive"
  
  print(f"Reading archive from {input_file}...")
  
  if not os.path.exists(input_file):
    print(
        f"Error: {input_file} not found. Please make sure it's in the same"
        " directory."
    )
    exit(1)
  
  current_panel = "panel_0"
  current_folder = "loose_apps"
  
  with open(input_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
    for line in f:
      line_stripped = line.replace("\xa0", " ").strip()
  
      # Match Home Screen Panel headers accurately
      panel_match = re.search(r"HOME\s+SCREEN\s+PANEL:\s*(-?\d+)", line_stripped)
      if panel_match:
        panel_id = panel_match.group(1)
        current_panel = f"panel_{panel_id}"
        current_folder = "loose_apps"
        print(f"\n--- Switched to: {current_panel} ---")
        continue
  
      # Match Folder headers, e.g., "Folder: [ stuff ] (ID: 585)"
      folder_match = re.search(r"Folder:\s*\[\s*(.*?)\s*\]", line_stripped)
      if folder_match:
        folder_name = folder_match.group(1).strip()
        if not folder_name:
          folder_name = "unnamed_folder"
        current_folder = re.sub(r'[\\/*?:"<>|]', "", folder_name).strip()
        continue
  
      # Match App entries containing package names in parentheses at the end
      app_match = re.search(r"\(([\w\.]+)\)\s*$", line_stripped)
      if app_match and ("App:" in line_stripped or line_stripped.startswith("-")):
        pkg_name = app_match.group(1)
  
        target_path = os.path.join(
            base_dir, current_panel, current_folder, pkg_name
        )
        os.makedirs(target_path, exist_ok=True)
        print(f"Created: {target_path}")
  
  print("\nSkeleton folder hierarchy successfully created!")
  # end of novadir.py