Codec alert refers mysteriously to "this file" and "the selected file"

[James "Doc" Livingston]

Binary package hint: gnome-app-install

The text of the dialog that pops up when you need to install a codec to play a file is somewhat confusing, especially if the application that causes it isn't Totem. We're hopefully going to land support for this in Rhythmbox in the near future, and because Rhythmbox imports files in the background (with no user interaction, if library watching is on), the dialog makes no sense in some situations.

"The required software to play this file is not installed. You need to install suitable codecs to play media files. Do you want to search for a codec that supports the selected file?"

1) The phrases "this file" and "the selected file" are fairly meaningless when the dialog is triggered by an import in the background, as the user has no idea what file it refers to.
2) In some situations, what is causing the dialog to pop up isn't a file at all, e.g. if the user tries to play an MP3 internet radio station.
3) In the future this could be run for things other than playing/reading files, e.g. transcoding to copy tracks to a portable audio player, or requirements for plugins.

While testing, I had the dialog pop right after I started to play a song - so saying that the file can't be played sounds odd when a track just started playing.

I'm not sure exactly how this could be done better, as I don't think the installer app gets enough information to make a decision on what to say, and writing more generic text would make it less clear what is happening.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

This package has been removed from Ubuntu. Closing all related bugs.