📘 QArchiv – Official User Manual

For Android | Version 1.7022 | Developed in Hameln, Germany

🎯 1. What is QArchiv?

QArchiv is a privacy-friendly Android app for court-admissible photo documentation.

✅
It automatically saves:
✅
Exact system time (non-manipulable)
✅
GPS location (if permitted)
✅
Optional: Your code, voice note, or QR/barcode
✅
Bilingual: Full interface in German or English (selectable in camera settings menu)

→ Everything is stored in the original EXIF data block of the photo.

→ 100% offline – no cloud, no internet needed, no subscription.

🔍 Which codes does QArchiv recognize?

Thanks to Google ML Kit (100% offline), QArchiv supports all common 1D and 2D barcodes:

✅
QR Code
✅
Data Matrix
✅
Aztec
✅
Code 128 / 39 / 93
✅
EAN-13 / EAN-8
✅
UPC-A / UPC-E
✅
ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5)
✅
Codabar

→ Simply tap "🔍 Scan" – QArchiv automatically recognizes the format.

📲 2. Installation

⚠️ Note: QArchiv is provided directly through our website – not via Google Play.

How to install QArchiv:

  1. Open in browser: https://qarchiv.de
  2. Tap "Download QArchiv-1.70-TrueQ-release.apk"
  3. Open the APK in the Downloads folder
  4. If necessary: Allow "Installation from unknown sources" (Settings → Security)
  5. Tap "Install"
  6. Open QArchiv like any other app

💡 Tip: After that you'll find QArchiv in the app menu – no re-download needed.

📸 3. First Steps – How to take a court-admissible photo

  1. Open QArchiv
  2. Optional:
    • • Enter manually (keyboard or voice input via microphone)
    • • Scan QR/barcode
    → The code is stored in the EXIF UserComment field (prefix selectable, default: GCM_TAG)
  3. Tap "📷 Photo"
    • → The button is always visible – even without code!
  4. Optional: "🎤 Note" for voice description (license only) → stored in Image_Description

💡 Important:

•
No code? → No artificial placeholder (NO_CODE) in EXIF
•
Multiple photos per code possible – sorted by timestamp
•
From V1.40: After "OK" the "Cancel" button disappears – clean UI
•
From V1.512: What you see in the camera preview is saved exactly – no missing edges!

☁️ 4. TrueQ Cloud Integration (New in 1.604)

From version 1.603 you can optionally upload photos directly to TrueQ – with automatic customer assignment.

How the TrueQ connection works

•
Open the FTP settings (gear icon)
•
Select "TrueQ" under "Upload target"
•
Enter your 12-digit TrueQ connection code (format: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx)
•
Tap "Test connection" – the code is validated with the TrueQ API
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On success: Your name is displayed and the code is saved locally

Automatic Upload

•
With active TrueQ connection, the code is automatically prefixed to every filename
•
Example: a3k9-7m2p-4t8w_A1234_2026-05-08_1430.jpg
•
Upload goes to trueq.de with encrypted connection (FTPS)
•
TrueQ recognizes the code and automatically forwards the file to the correct customer

💡 Advantage: No manual sorting anymore – TrueQ automatically distributes files to the right recipients (Google Drive, AWS S3, Email).

Offline-first remains

•
Code validation happens only once during setup
•
After that QArchiv works offline again – the code is saved locally
•
You can switch back to "Standard FTP" anytime

🎬 New in V1.608 & V1.609

V1.609 – Splashscreen & Polishing

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New Splashscreen: On app launch, a professional welcome screen appears for 2.5 seconds with QArchiv logo, app name and current version number
•
Dark Design: The splashscreen features a matching dark design
•
Automatic Version Display: The version number is read from app settings and is always up to date
•
Immersive Mode: The splashscreen also uses fullscreen mode for a seamless experience

V1.608 – True Fullscreen Mode

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Sticky Immersive Mode: Navigation bar and status bar are automatically hidden
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Maximum Screen Usage: The entire screen is available for camera and image viewing
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Intuitive Control: Swipe from screen edge to briefly show bars, they automatically hide again after a short time
•
App-wide Implementation: Main screen, gallery, photo full view and PDF menu all use Immersive Mode

💡 Pro Tip: Immersive Mode gives you more screen space for camera preview and image viewing – especially an advantage on smaller devices.

🎮 5. New Features in V1.607

📸 Intelligent Macro Mode with Hardware Detection

•
🔍 Ultra-Wide Macro (0.5x): For devices like S25 Ultra with AF in wide angle
•
📷 Tele-Macro (3x/5x): For devices like S20/S21 – uses the high-resolution tele sensor
•
🤖 Automatic hardware detection: QArchiv detects physical camera limits at startup (close-up range, AF capability)
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⚙️ Macro AF via Camera2: Explicit activation of the hardware's macro focus algorithm
•
💡 Unlocked with license – otherwise activation dialog appears

🔐 SHA-256 Checksums for Evidence Security

•
Every photo gets a digital fingerprint (SHA-256) when saved
•
The hash is written directly into EXIF data (field: Software)
•
Format: QArchiv 1.607 • SHA256: a1b2c3d4...
•
Verifiable and reproducible – court-admissible evidence chain

🔒 New FTP/SSL System

•
Switched to Apache Commons Net (replaces ftp4j)
•
Massively improved stability in passive mode
•
Support for: FTP, FTPES (Explicit TLS), FTPS (Implicit SSL)
•
Reliable upload via WiFi and mobile data

📱 Android 15 & System Compatibility

•
Target SDK 35 – full support for Android 15
•
16 KB Page Size Fix – runs on new processors (e.g. Pixel 9)
•
Modernized EXIF processing with AndroidX ExifInterface
•
Umlaut correction: ä→ae, ö→oe, ü→ue, ß→ss for maximum FTP compatibility

🔍 Zoom Overhaul

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Automatically starts with 0.5x ultra-wide (if hardware available)
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More field of view for clear shots
•
Double-tap on preview: Quick zoom between 1x and 3x
•
Pinch-to-zoom: Free zoom from 0.5x to 10x

🔊 Visual Feedback (White Flash)

•
On every capture the screen flashes white briefly (50ms, 50% transparency)
•
Serves as immediate, discreet confirmation of storage
•
Always active – cannot be disabled (minimal-invasive design)
•
Works even in bright ambient light

🔘 Remote Shutter via Volume Button

•
Press a volume button (↑ or ↓) to trigger a photo
•
Also works with Bluetooth remote triggers (emulate volume buttons)
•
Prerequisite: Code entered + camera active
•
Without code: Volume buttons normally control system volume

🎯 Dynamic Photo Button

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Portrait mode: Photo button at bottom of screen (better reachable)
•
Landscape mode: Photo button at top of screen (no camera covering)
•
Automatic switching when rotating the device

💡 Practical tip: Ideal for gloves, tripod use, or discreet shots – no tapping on the screen needed.

📂 6. QArchiv Gallery – Overview & Management (NEW in V1.70)

🖼️ Modern Grid View with RecyclerView

•
Smooth scrolling: Thanks to RecyclerView and Glide integration – no more stuttering, even with thousands of photos
•
Memory-efficient: Images are loaded and cached efficiently
•
Info overlay: Directly in the overview you see the assigned code and a 📍 icon if GPS data is available

📱 Swipe Navigation & Smart EXIF Toast

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Browse photos: Simply swipe left/right to go to next/previous photo – no back button needed
•
Smart EXIF toast: When browsing, the most important data is automatically displayed briefly: code, GPS status, voice note available
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Pinch-to-zoom: The proven zoom function remains for detail checks

🔍 Intelligent Filter & Search

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Real-time search: Type in the search bar – the gallery filters instantly by scan codes
•
Sorting: Via the filter icon you can sort by:
  • • Date (newest first)
  • • Date (oldest first)
  • • Alphabetically by code (A-Z)
  • • Alphabetically by code (Z-A)

🗑️ Management & Deletion

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All photos grouped by code, newest left top
•
Delete: Long press on a photo → Multi-select → Confirm delete
•
No mass deletion – every deletion is explicit (security)

💡 Pro tip: The new gallery is not just a storage location, but a real tool for quickly reviewing your evidence. Use the search to quickly find specific projects, or sort by date for a chronological overview.

📄 7. PDF Reports

Two options:

🔹
Create all PDFs
🔹
Create only selected PDFs (since V1.40)

How it works:

  1. Cloud icon → "📄 Create PDF" → "Continue"
  2. Select: "Create only selected PDFs"
  3. Mark codes via checkbox → "Create"

Each PDF contains:

•
1 photo per page
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Date, GPS, voice note (if available)
•
Complete SHA-256 hash
•
Image scaled to 75% of A4 height
•
Metadata directly below

Company logo on PDF cover page (with license)

With license you can embed your own logo in the PDF:

•
In PDF creation menu: Activate "Insert logo on cover page"
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Select logo from gallery (max. 300×150 px)
•
Logo is centered in the lower area of the cover page
•
Below: still the proven footer with timestamp
•
Logo remains saved until manually deleted

Multilingual footer:

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DE: "Erstellt mit QArchiv – 100 % offline, DSGVO-konform"
•
EN: "Created with QArchiv – 100% offline, GDPR-compliant"

Optional ZIP attachment:

ZIP attachment is optional – activate it via checkbox when creating PDF. Works for both "All" and "Selected".

Where are the PDFs on the device?

•
Public: Documents/QArchiv → directly shareable
•
Internal: /Android/media/com.inge.qarchiv/reports/ → only visible via PC (for FTP)

Multilingual reports:

Switch app language → create another PDF. Example: …_A1_de.pdf + …_A1_en.pdf → both remain preserved.

📤 8. Upload to Your Server or TrueQ (FTP/FTPS)

Supported: Standard FTP, FTPS (encrypted), FTPES and TrueQ Cloud

Standard FTP Setup:

  1. Gear icon → "FTP/FTPS Upload"
  2. Leave "Upload target" on "Standard FTP"
  3. Enter server data → "Test connection" → Save

TrueQ Cloud Setup:

  1. Gear icon → "FTP/FTPS Upload"
  2. Switch "Upload target" to "TrueQ"
  3. Enter TrueQ connection code (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx)
  4. "Test connection" → on success your name is displayed
  5. Save – from now on all uploads go automatically to TrueQ

Upload options:

•
Upload files only
•
Upload in folders (/no_code/ for photos without code)
•
Upload PDFs + delete (deletes only internally)
•
Delete PDFs (public remains preserved!)

✅ FTP upload is usable without license

✅ PDF creation is unlimited – also without license

🚀 Auto-Upload on New Code (NEW in V1.702)

The workflow booster: Never upload manually again – QArchiv closes the case automatically!

⚙️ Setup

  1. Gear icon → "FTP/FTPS Upload"
  2. Ensure "Upload target" is set to "Standard FTP" (Auto-upload is only available for Standard FTP)
  3. Activate the checkbox: "Automatic upload on new code"
  4. Save – done!

🎯 When does auto-upload trigger?

•
Button "🆕 New": When you enter or scan a new code
•
Button "X" (Cancel): When you clear the current input

📁 What happens during auto-upload?

1️⃣
All existing images are uploaded to your FTP server
2️⃣
Folder mode: Images are sorted into subfolders named after the code (e.g. /A12345/image1.jpg)
3️⃣
After successful upload, local images are deleted – space for the next shots!
4️⃣
You see progress in real-time toasts while you can already scan the next code

🛡️ Robust Background Processing

•
Retry mechanism: Up to 3 attempts on connection failure
•
Automatic reconnection: Re-login and return to target directory on signal loss
•
Isolated processing: Errors with one file don't break the entire upload

💡 Pro Tip: Auto-upload dramatically speeds up your workflow. Configure it once – then never worry about manual uploading again. The app "closes the case" automatically every time you start a new object!

⚠️ Note: Auto-upload is only available for Standard FTP, not for TrueQ uploads (as intended).

⚙️ 9. Camera Features

•
Voice note (Premium): In EXIF field Image_Description
•
Macro mode (Premium): Zoom-based optimized (5x with hardware support, otherwise 3x)
•
Left-handed mode: Moves controls to the left
•
Flash: On/Off/Auto → remains after restart (since V1.40)
•
Image sizes: 2.8 MP to 20 MP
•
EXIF prefix: Default GCM_TAG, freely changeable
•
Language: Instantly switchable in camera settings menu
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From V1.512: Preview = Capture – exactly the same image section
•
From V1.516: Stability improvements (CameraX optimizations)

🔐 10. Evidence Security & SHA-256 (V1.607)

The SHA-256 hash includes:

•
The pure photo
•
Code (User_Comment)
•
GPS location (if enabled)

→ Not included: Software tag (contains the hash itself), voice note

Stored in EXIF field Software: "QArchiv 1.70 • SHA256: a1b2c3d4..."

✅ Reproducible, verifiable, court-admissible

✅ PDF reports contain the same hash

❓ 11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Are photos visible in the normal gallery?
A: Yes – including map view with GPS.
Q: Can I take photos without a code?
A: Yes – without artificial EXIF placeholder.
Q: Where do PDFs land on the device?
A: Public in Documents/QArchiv, internal in reports folder.
Q: Is QArchiv GDPR compliant?
A: Yes – your data only leaves your device if you want it to.
Q: Does QArchiv support English?
A: Yes – full bilingual support since V1.31.
Q: What's new in V1.70?
–
🖼️ New In-App Gallery: Modern grid view with RecyclerView, Glide integration for smooth scrolling, code search & sorting
–
📱 Swipe Navigation: Browse photos without back button, Smart EXIF toast shows code, GPS & voice note
–
🔍 Intelligent Search: Real-time filter by scan codes, sort by date or alphabetically
–
🚀 Improved Upload Stability: Isolated image processing, Auto-Retry (3x), intelligent reconnection, 1 MB buffer, 60s timeout
–
🗑️ TrueQ Upload + Delete: Local files deleted only after server confirmation – safe for Standard FTP and TrueQ
–
📊 Detailed Progress Display: "Upload: 4 / 12 (imagename.jpg)" – precise status toasts
–
☁️ TrueQ API Integration LIVE: Direct cloud connection with code validation – tested & production-ready
–
🔐 Automatic Code Prefix: Files are tagged with validation code (CODE_file.jpg)
–
📸 Intelligent Macro Mode: Hardware detection for Ultra-Wide or Tele-Macro (automatic)
–
🔐 SHA-256 Checksums: Digital fingerprints in EXIF for evidence security
–
🔒 New FTP/SSL System: Apache Commons Net with FTPES/FTPS support
–
📱 Android 15 Ready: SDK 35, 16 KB Page Size Fix (Pixel 9 compatible)
–
🔍 Zoom Overhaul: Starts with 0.5x for more field of view, double-tap for quick zoom
–
🎯 Dynamic Photo Button: Automatically at top (Landscape) or bottom (Portrait)
–
Visual Feedback: White screen flash on every capture (discreet, always active)
–
Remote Shutter: Volume button triggers photo – compatible with Bluetooth remotes
–
WYSIWYG Preview: What you see is exactly what gets saved
Q: Does the remote shutter work with Bluetooth remotes?
A: Yes – most Bluetooth remotes emulate volume buttons and are automatically recognized.
Q: Can I disable the visual feedback?
A: No – it is designed to be minimal-invasive (80ms, 50% transparency) and doesn't interfere with workflow.

🛠️ 12. Support

📧 support@qarchiv.de
🌐 https://qarchiv.de

→ Personal, fast and discreet help.

© 2026 QArchiv by Ingolf Puhl, Hameln

Buy once – use forever.

PDF reports since V1.2 – legally compliant, offline, secure.

Bilingual since V1.3 – for international operations.

New in V1.70: Modern in-app gallery with RecyclerView & Glide, swipe navigation, intelligent search & sorting. V1.609: Professional splashscreen, Sticky Immersive Mode. V1.607: Macro mode state retention, improved upload stability, TrueQ API integration, SHA-256 checksums – for professional documentation.

Powered by TrueQ.

Downloads

Download QArchiv-1.70-TrueQ-release.apk (approx. 35 MB)
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