Permission denied while writing tags from filename

[markling]

Following error when attempting to write tags generated from filename:

Error while writing tag... Permission denied
Error opening '~/Music/Can/Tago Mago/Can - Tago Mago - 01 - Paperhouse.flac' for writing.

N.B. :

Tags do write without error when I attempt to do it in the usual way: when I write them manually.

This problem has occured in other players. It had occured in Quodlibet. But I can't confirm this bug in any other player at the moment because: Quodlibet refuses to run at all at; Rhythmbox seems unable to edit multiple tags at the moment; I can't see a way to generate tags from filename in either Audacious or Banshee.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: gmusicbrowser 1.1.12+ds0-1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-35.62-generic 3.13.11.6
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-35-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.4
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Sat Sep 20 18:34:56 2014
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: gmusicbrowser
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Quentin Sculo (squentin)]

Using "auto-fill based on the file names" simply fill the entry fields in the dialog, so it's very unlikely that it differs from manually entering the values.

The error is a system error, gmb tries to open the file for writing and gets an error, so there's not much gmb can do.

There is a possible explanation for the fact that it sometimes work and sometimes not: the writing can be done in 2 ways depending on how big the tag is and how much space is reserved for the tag in the file.
In one case it edits the file in place so it needs to have the permission to write the file. In the other case it writes a new file with a temporary name, and then replace the old one by the new one, so it works if it has write permission for the folder even if it doesn't have write permission for the file.
So check the permissions of the files and of its folder.

[markling (markling)]

Dear Quentin

If it's to do with permissions, then it could be a more fundamental problem with the way linux software handles music files.

The file permissions for my music are set by whatever linux programs create them. They are usually created by soundjuicer or soundconverter. Some permissions are set as supplied from download sites. Either way, I have never altered any music persmissions. But I have copied music to other folders. My library is currently on a secondary disk.

In any case, my music permissions appear to be the same: -rw-r--r--

The folder permissions all look the same as well: drwxrwxr-x

I continue to rip, convert and download music as I have always done. Unless I am mistaken, the only thing that has changed is that my software can no longer generate tags from filenames.

I hope this helps resolve the problem.

Is there anything at all I can do to help resolve the problem?

[markling (markling)]

Would you be kind enough to suggest where this report might be directed in order for it to help trace the problem to its source and contribute to its resolution?

I think grubby little bugs like this are an important matter for linux and Ubuntu, and all the open source app developers who use the platform. Users are persistently thrown of course and forced to address the underlying mechanics of their system in such a way as makes it an inherently unproductive operating system.

[markling (markling)]

Ah so. The owner of the offending files was root.

A user action caused Gmusicbrowser to be unable to write tags.

It concerned files that had been unpacked using a command line program from a root account - by me.

But this is not nevertheless a user problem. It is a problem with linux being inherently negligent of informing the user what's going on.

[markling (markling)]

There was also very bizarrely, one music folder with permissions: -r--------.

[Quentin Sculo (squentin)]

I should have mentioned that checking permissions includes checking the owner of the file, it can be easy to forget.

It is normal for a program run as root to create folder/files owned by root.
Creating files/folders with -r-------- is not normal, it's probably a bug, I think unace used to do things like that, but unace is old I'm not sure it's still maintained.

So I'm closing this as it's not a gmb issue.