How to use the command jmtpfs (with examples)
jmtpfs is a FUSE-based filesystem that allows users to access MTP devices, such as Android smartphones and digital cameras, on Linux systems. It provides a way to mount MTP devices to a local directory, giving users the ability to browse and manipulate the files on the device as if they were on a regular local filesystem.
Use case 1: Mount an MTP device to a directory
Code:
jmtpfs path/to/directory
Motivation: By mounting an MTP device to a directory, users can conveniently access the files on the device like they would with any other storage device, such as a USB drive or external hard drive.
Explanation: In this use case, “jmtpfs” is the command to be executed, and “path/to/directory” is the target directory where the MTP device will be mounted.
Example output:
No output will be displayed if the command is executed successfully. The MTP device will be mounted to the specified directory, and its contents will be accessible through that directory.
Use case 2: Set mount options
Code:
jmtpfs -o allow_other,auto_unmount path/to/directory
Motivation: Setting mount options allows users to customize the behavior of the mounted MTP device, such as enabling other users to access the device or automatically unmounting it when it is no longer in use.
Explanation: In this use case, the “-o” flag is used to specify the mount options. In the example, we set two mount options: “allow_other” allows other users to access the MTP device, and “auto_unmount” automatically unmounts the device when it is idle.
Example output:
No output will be displayed if the command is executed successfully. The MTP device will be mounted to the specified directory with the specified mount options.
Use case 3: List available MTP devices
Code:
jmtpfs --listDevices
Motivation: Listing available MTP devices helps users identify the specific device they want to mount if multiple devices are connected to the system.
Explanation: In this use case, “–listDevices” is a flag that instructs jmtpfs to list all the connected MTP devices along with their bus IDs and device IDs.
Example output:
Bus 001 Device 004: ID <vendor_id>:<product_id> <device_name>
...
The output will list the bus ID, device ID, and name of each connected MTP device.
Use case 4: Mount a specific device if multiple devices are present
Code:
jmtpfs -device=bus_id,device_id path/to/directory
Motivation: This use case is useful when multiple MTP devices are connected to the system, and the user wants to mount a specific device.
Explanation: In this use case, the “-device” flag is used to specify the bus ID and device ID of the MTP device that needs to be mounted. The “bus_id,device_id” argument should be replaced with the actual bus ID and device ID of the desired device. The device will be mounted to the specified directory.
Example output:
No output will be displayed if the command is executed successfully. The specified MTP device will be mounted to the specified directory.
Use case 5: Unmount MTP device
Code:
fusermount -u path/to/directory
Motivation: Unmounting an MTP device ensures that any ongoing operations are completed safely, and the device is disconnected from the system.
Explanation: In this use case, “fusermount” is the command used to unmount the MTP device. The “-u” flag is used to specify the unmount operation. The “path/to/directory” argument should be replaced with the actual mount point of the device.
Example output:
No output will be displayed if the command is executed successfully. The specified MTP device will be unmounted from the system.
