Keeping Multi User Support.

[cryptrr]

AutoPie currently has multi user support aka it can be installed on secondary users. Termux explicitly does not support that.

So one can't use termux's usr/bin/bash on secondary users.

For keeping support for non primary users I have implemented fallback shell of 'busybox sh' to keep shell support for it.

But as new termux packages like python gets added, it won't be supported from the secondary users.

AutoPie ideally needs to keep multi user support.

[robertkirkman]

I think this is a very interesting feature to support, and yes, it's true that Termux does not support this, so very unfortunately, there is absolutely no version of Termux that works for people who are using a restricted device with a guest account or locked parental controls. This is really frustrating for those people and it would be great if a version of Termux existed that worked for them.

Unfortunately, I am not familiar myself with all the limitations of the multi user mode/guest account/secondary user, so I don't know whether I will be able to help with this, but I can try to help! Are there any good resources on the limitations of multi user mode that you know about?

I would be really interested if researching this can result in a patch for Termux that can create a build of Termux that, like AutoPie, allows it to work in the guest account!

[cryptrr]

Afaik there is no reason to hardcode the paths for most packages I presume.

https://github.com/lmbelo/python3-embeddable/tree/main/python3-android

With these patches itself it will work for all users on android.
There is no limitation in storing or executing binaries from the second user space

[cryptrr]

@robertkirkman The binaries do work in the secondary user. It is the hardcoded paths in configs and the hardcoded shebangs to interpreters that does not work.

I have verified it with python, ssh etc.

ssh works but sshd does not because ssh_config has hardcoded paths to the first user.

Python works but pip doesn't because pip has shebang to interpreter in the first user.

[robertkirkman]

In a while, I can attempt to add secondary user support to termux-generator -

I believe that most likely, there would need to be a special APK, or at least a special bootstrap, that is specifically built with its $TERMUX_PREFIX set to whatever the default folder path of a "guest account" or "secondary user" is, and each "3rd", "4th" user, etc. probably would have to have their own specially built bootstraps to match whatever folder they can install apps into,

similarly to how you also have been testing bootstraps with TERMUX__ROOTFS_SUBDIR changed to files/build instead of files.

I should be able to test it sufficiently to get it to work, because, I do have a device that allows me to enable "guest account" and then normal Termux doesn't work there, so if I do it successfully, the "guest compatible" build of Termux should work within my device's "guest account", but not within the normal account (because the paths would be globally set to the paths accessible only to the "guest account")

[cryptrr]

Pip like many other shell scripts in the termux packages can be made to work for the second user if you change the shebang to

#!/bin/env python or #!/bin/env node or similar instead of the hardcoded /data/data/com.termux

And modifying termux-exec can easily fix the issue of bad shebangs in the second user. Termux exec should rewrite the shebangs for the second user. Just like it is doing now for the first.

AutoPie does have a shell script being set currently at each shell start with the env variables necessary for the shell. But the main issue is that there are config files for many apps that does not support environment variables. So hardcoding at built time or some hack seems necessary but hardcoding for first/second/third users is not very tenable I think.

One hack could be running a script after bootstrap extraction that changes all instance of /data/data/com.termux with /data/user/(0|10)/com.termux based on the the /bin/env but one thing to note is that if it supports package installing, then the same should be added to deb postinstall script too.

But it can be somewhat easily be done with termux_step_create_debscripts() in the build.sh

NB: building apt fails in the termux-generator.

Edit: The greatest thing about the /bin/env is that it contains all the env varible I set from the appspace like from the autopie app. That plus lot of useful second space paths are available from the the /bin/env. This makes it easy for us to do a lot of great things.

I don't know if it's a new android thing. I am running Android 15. Can you check if executing the /bin/env gives you the envs of the user+all the env vars set by the app?

[robertkirkman]

I don't know if it's a new android thing. I am running Android 15. Can you check if executing the /bin/env gives you the envs of the user+all the env vars set by the app?

/bin/env, depending on how you are using it, may actually be /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/env (or a similar path), because termux-exec can replace launches of /bin/env with /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/env (or whichever path that termux-exec package was patched to redirect the path to).

Android 7.1

~ $ file /bin/env
/bin/env: cannot open `/bin/env' (No such file or directory)
~ $ command -v /bin/env
~ $ /bin/env | head -n1
SHELL=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
~ $ 

Same commands on Android 13

~ $ file /bin/env
/bin/env: symbolic link to toybox
~ $ command -v /bin/env
/bin/env
~ $ /bin/env | head -n1
SHELL=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
~ $ 

Same commands on Android 14

~ $ file /bin/env
/bin/env: symbolic link to toybox
~ $ command -v /bin/env
/bin/env
~ $ /bin/env | head -n1
SHELL=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
~ $ 

Same commands on Android 15

~ $ file /bin/env
/bin/env: symbolic link to toybox
~ $ command -v /bin/env
/bin/env
~ $ /bin/env | head -n1
SHELL=/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
~ $ 

^ From the results above, you can understand the following conclusion:

• /bin/env may actually exist on some Android devices, but on some others it does not. Newer versions of Android might be more likely to have it
• However, on at least some other devices, particularly older versions of Android like Android 7, /bin/env does not actually exist, and running /bin/env directly anyway in a way that would normally cause an error, causes termux-exec to automatically intervene and make the command run /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/env instead.

NB: building apt fails in the termux-generator.

Yes, currently termux-generator will not work for a while because Termux has been updated to NDK r28c:

• scripts(toolchain): Update to NDK r28c termux/termux-packages#24866

This means that some packages will not compile in Termux until they are fixed by me and other people. I am doing that next.

[cryptrr]

This is weird. I now executed /bin/env outside a termux environment (in a generic terminal emulator app)

I get the same output.
Also my LD_PRELOAD was unset in AutoPie.

127|:/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/app_HOME $ cd /bin
:/bin $ pwd
/system/bin
:/bin $ ./env
_=./env
ANDROID_DATA=/data
ANDROID_SOCKET_usap_pool_primary=28
HOME=/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/app_HOME
ANDROID_TZDATA_ROOT=/apex/com.android.tzdata
ANDROID_ASSETS=/system/app
BOOTCLASSPATH=/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-oj.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-libart.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/okhttp.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/bouncycastle.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/apache-xml.jar:/system/framework/framework.jar:/system/framework/framework-graphics.jar:/system/framework/framework-location.jar:/system/framework/ext.jar:/system/framework/telephony-common.jar:/system/framework/voip-common.jar:/system/framework/ims-common.jar:/system/framework/tcmiface.jar:/system/framework/qcom.fmradio.jar:/system/framework/QPerformance.jar:/system/framework/UxPerformance.jar:/system/framework/WfdCommon.jar:/system_ext/framework/payjoy-api.jar:/apex/com.android.i18n/javalib/core-icu4j.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/framework-adservices.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/framework-sdksandbox.jar:/apex/com.android.appsearch/javalib/framework-appsearch.jar:/apex/com.android.btservices/javalib/framework-bluetooth.jar:/apex/com.android.configinfrastructure/javalib/framework-configinfrastructure.jar:/apex/com.android.conscrypt/javalib/conscrypt.jar:/apex/com.android.devicelock/javalib/framework-devicelock.jar:/apex/com.android.healthfitness/javalib/framework-healthfitness.jar:/apex/com.android.ipsec/javalib/[android.net.ipsec.ike.jar:/apex/com.android.media/javalib/updatable-media.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-mediaprovider.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-pdf.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-pdf-v.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-photopicker.jar:/apex/com.android.nfcservices/javalib/framework-nfc.jar:/apex/com.android.ondevicepersonalization/javalib/framework-ondevicepersonalization.jar:/apex/com.android.os.statsd/javalib/framework-statsd.jar:/apex/com.android.permission/javalib/framework-permission.jar:/apex/com.android.permission/javalib/framework-permission-s.jar:/apex/com.android.profiling/javalib/framework-profiling.jar:/apex/com.android.scheduling/javalib/framework-scheduling.jar:/apex/com.android.sdkext/javalib/framework-sdkextensions.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-connectivity.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-connectivity-t.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-tethering.jar:/apex/com.android.uwb/javalib/framework-uwb.jar:/apex/com.android.virt/javalib/framework-virtualization.jar:/apex/com.android.wifi/javalib/framework-wifi.jar:/apex/com.motorola.enterprise/javalib/framework-moto-enterprise.jar:/apex/com.motorola.motosecure/javalib/framework-moto-secure.jar](about:blank)
ANDROID_ART_ROOT=/apex/com.android.art
ANDROID_STORAGE=/storage
MEMTAG_OPTIONS=off
DOWNLOAD_CACHE=/data/cache
ENV=/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/etc/mkshrc
SYSTEMSERVERCLASSPATH=/system/framework/com.android.location.provider.j:/bin $ pwd                                                            /system/bin                                                            :/bin $ ./env                                                          _=./env                                                                ANDROID_DATA=/data                                                     ANDROID_SOCKET_usap_pool_primary=28                                    HOME=/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/app_HOME                             ANDROID_TZDATA_ROOT=/apex/com.android.tzdata                           ANDROID_ASSETS=/system/app                                             BOOTCLASSPATH=/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-oj.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-libart.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/okhttp.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/bouncycastle.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/apache-xml.jar:/system/framework/framework.jar:/system/framework/framework-graphics.jar:/system/framework/framework-location.jar:/system/framework/ext.jar:/system/framework/telephony-common.jar:/system/framework/voip-common.jar:/system/framework/ims-common.jar:/system/framework/tcmiface.jar:/system/framework/qcom.fmradio.jar:/system/framework/QPerformance.jar:/system/framework/UxPerformance.jar:/system/framework/WfdCommon.jar:/system_ext/framework/payjoy-api.jar:/apex/com.android.i18n/javalib/core-icu4j.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/framework-adservices.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/framework-sdksandbox.jar:/apex/com.android.appsearch/javalib/framework-appsearch.jar:/apex/com.android.btservices/javalib/framework-bluetooth.jar:/apex/com.android.configinfrastructure/javalib/framework-configinfrastructure.jar:/apex/com.android.conscrypt/javalib/conscrypt.jar:/apex/com.android.devicelock/javalib/framework-devicelock.jar:/apex/com.android.healthfitness/javalib/framework-healthfitness.jar:/apex/com.android.ipsec/javalib/[android.net.ipsec.ike.jar:/apex/com.android.media/javalib/updatable-media.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-mediaprovider.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-pdf.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-pdf-v.jar:/apex/com.android.mediaprovider/javalib/framework-photopicker.jar:/apex/com.android.nfcservices/javalib/framework-nfc.jar:/apex/com.android.ondevicepersonalization/javalib/framework-ondevicepersonalization.jar:/apex/com.android.os.statsd/javalib/framework-statsd.jar:/apex/com.android.permission/javalib/framework-permission.jar:/apex/com.android.permission/javalib/framework-permission-s.jar:/apex/com.android.profiling/javalib/framework-profiling.jar:/apex/com.android.scheduling/javalib/framework-scheduling.jar:/apex/com.android.sdkext/javalib/framework-sdkextensions.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-connectivity.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-connectivity-t.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/framework-tethering.jar:/apex/com.android.uwb/javalib/framework-uwb.jar:/apex/com.android.virt/javalib/framework-virtualization.jar:/apex/com.android.wifi/javalib/framework-wifi.jar:/apex/com.motorola.enterprise/javalib/framework-moto-enterprise.jar:/apex/com.motorola.motosecure/javalib/framework-moto-secure.jar](about:blank)
ANDROID_ART_ROOT=/apex/com.android.art
ANDROID_STORAGE=/storage
MEMTAG_OPTIONS=off
DOWNLOAD_CACHE=/data/cache
ENV=/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/etc/mkshrc
SYSTEMSERVERCLASSPATH=/system/framework/com.android.location.provider.jar:/system/framework/services.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/service-adservices.jar:/apex/com.android.adservices/javalib/service-sdksandbox.jar:/apex/com.android.appsearch/javalib/service-appsearch.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/service-art.jar:/apex/com.android.configinfrastructure/javalib/service-configinfrastructure.jar:/apex/com.android.healthfitness/javalib/service-healthfitness.jar:/apex/com.android.media/javalib/service-media-s.jar:/apex/com.android.ondevicepersonalization/javalib/service-ondevicepersonalization.jar:/apex/com.android.permission/javalib/service-permission.jar:/apex/com.android.rkpd/javalib/service-rkp.jar:/apex/com.android.virt/javalib/service-virtualization.jar:/apex/com.motorola.enterprise/javalib/service-moto-enterprise.jar:/apex/com.motorola.motosecure/javalib/service-moto-secure.jar
STANDALONE_SYSTEMSERVER_JARS=/apex/com.android.btservices/javalib/service-bluetooth.jar:/apex/com.android.devicelock/javalib/service-devicelock.jar:/apex/[com.android.os.statsd/javalib/service-statsd.jar:/apex/com.android.profiling/javalib/service-profiling.jar:/apex/com.android.scheduling/javalib/service-scheduling.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/service-connectivity.jar:/apex/com.android.uwb/javalib/service-uwb.jar:/apex/com.android.wifi/javalib/service-wifi.jar](http://com.android.os.statsd/javalib/service-statsd.jar:/apex/com.android.profiling/javalib/service-profiling.jar:/apex/com.android.scheduling/javalib/service-scheduling.jar:/apex/com.android.tethering/javalib/service-connectivity.jar:/apex/com.android.uwb/javalib/service-uwb.jar:/apex/com.android.wifi/javalib/service-wifi.jar)
DEX2OATBOOTCLASSPATH=/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-oj.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/core-libart.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/okhttp.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/bouncycastle.jar:/apex/com.android.art/javalib/apache-xml.jar:/system/framework/framework.jar:/system/framework/framework-graphics.jar:/system/framework/framework-location.jar:/system/framework/ext.jar:/system/framework/telephony-common.jar:/system/framework/voip-common.jar:/system/framework/ims-common.jar:/system/framework/tcmiface.jar:/system/framework/qcom.fmradio.jar:/system/framework/QPerformance.jar:/system/framework/UxPerformance.jar:/system/framework/WfdCommon.jar:/system_ext/framework/payjoy-api.jar:/apex/com.android.i18n/javalib/core-icu4j.jar
ANDROID_SOCKET_zygote=27
TERM=screen
ANDROID_BOOTLOGO=1
ASEC_MOUNTPOINT=/mnt/asec
TMPDIR=/data/user/0/com.termoneplus/cache
PATH=/data/app/~~YdH688CVgGlBkTzBob0BtA==/com.termoneplus-i0IQ-0nKzH5RsvV1wV7xow==/lib/arm64:/product/bin:/apex/com.android.runtime/bin:/apex/com.android.art/bin:/system_ext/bin:/system/bin:/system/xbin:/odm/bin:/vendor/bin:/vendor/xbin
ANDROID_ROOT=/system
ANDROID_I18N_ROOT=/apex/com.android.i18n
EXTERNAL_STORAGE=/sdcard
:/bin $

[cryptrr]

@robertkirkman I think doing these can enable some secondary user support on Android.

• Editing termux-exec so that the libtermux-exec-ld-preload.so sets shebangs to #!/system/bin/env instead of #!/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/env

• Statically replacing hardcoded TERMUX_PREFIX in config files at runtime (after bootstrap extraction)

Think 90% of packages would work with these two changes.