[ezriderz]

What I am seeking is for Kodi to be considered as a file manager by Android.  Then I can use the file management features in Kodi to rename and delete files on my USB media source. 

Without this, I cannot keep my Nvidia Shield because there is no LibreElec build for Nvidia and I require this write access in my Kodi system.  Unfortunately, Nvidia Shield is the best 4K/UHD media player that I can find short of building my own system from scratch. 

I would have to find some other lesser box that has LibreElec available. Most of the affordable Kodi 4K boxes run under Android MM.  To use Kodi MM under Android with it's file management features enabled, it must be marked as a File Manager by Android. 

Some Android wizard should know how to build an app that makes that system change seamlessly if the Kodi Team refuses. 

  
It has nothing to do with Kodi being considered a file manager on Android. We simply do not implement the framework to write to external drives & there are no plans, at least currently, to implement that.

And this is not specific to the Shield, it's across the whole Android platform. If you want write access via Kodi then you either need to adopted your external storage or get/build a NAS.  

Thank you, Tinwarbie.  I now understand that Kodi does not know how to ask for for permission from the user needed to grant R/W access to non-adopted storage.  Too bad developers have not seen the need for that since most users are using Android TV boxes. 

I have a neighbors cheap Android TV box right now, with Kodi installed, and I was able to connect it to my network and it did delete files off my network.  But not off a local USB drive.  I'm not sure I understand the difference from an Android point of view.