Graphical file manager cannot perform file operations on multiple files

[Bob Harvey]

Can't report this for the ubuntu-filemanager-app, for some reason. See
https://bugs.launchpad.net/launchpad/+bug/1587487
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M10 tablet, OTA10.1
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I am accumulating files in the Download directory, and thought it would be a good idea to clear it out. I can't find any way to do it.

I tried with the touch interface, and then with a mouse and keyboard. I expected to be able to select or highlight files in some way and then be able to delete them. I can't.

a single touch or click on a file attempts to open it, and does not leave it selected in any way. there are no buttons for selection and no file-operation menus at all.

how am I supposed to clear out the download directory? or, indeed, select files for copying or moving or renaming in any way?

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

There is only one option in the settings menu, and I have turned it on.

I can't actually see that it made any difference at all.

There does not seem to be any form of 'edit' menu, no method of selecting (highlighting) files, and no way to invoke a delete, rename, or move style operation

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

oh look - it let me add ubuntu-filemanager-app here, even though it would not let me report a bug against that by itself. Weird.

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

Well, that's interesting. There is a "Ubuntu File Manager App" and a "Ubuntu FileManager App"

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

Comments 5 and 6 - Colin Watson has fixed up this bug so it is correctly filed, so those two need no longer confuse me.

The substantive issue with the file manager remains.

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

It is, curiously, possible to delete things in the download directory from the browser download screen, which is a work-round for that at least.. And, ofcourse, one can revert to the command line.

But the file manager still needs the more general missing actions (Delete, rename, move, copy)

[Bob Harvey (bobharvey)]

OK, updated the tablet to OTA11, and can now long-press a file to get a menu to do all these things.

Better, but it only works one file at a time.. Still no 'select' for multiple files.. I could do /that/ in gem on an amstrad 1512 in 1986

[Tony Pursell (ajpursell)]

I have added myself to this as selecting and copying files one by one is a real pain.

For instance, I take photos which are in the Pictures/com.ubuntu.camera folder on my SD card. If I want to copy them onto a network drive for my wife, I have to do this:

- copy file in Pictures/com.ubuntu.camera folder on my SD card onto clipboard (as #9)
- swipe up for Places
- select Network
- select WORKGROUP
- select network device
- select folder on network device
- select folder on network device
- press clip board icon
- swipe up for Places
- select SD card
- select Pictures
- select com.ubuntu.camera

then repeat for next photo file.

It would be great if there was some means of copying multiple files into the clipboard. (I have the fx file manager app on my Android phone which has an option to select multiple files.)

[Tony Pursell (ajpursell)]

Can I suggest the following UI changes to implement multiple selection of items:

(1) Add an extra item 'Multiple Select' to the Long Press menu. This turns on Multi Select mode and returns to the file list with the Long Pressed item selected.

(2) With Multi Select mode turned on, Single Tapping an unselected item selects it, and Single Tapping a selected item unselects it.

(3) With Multi Select mode turned on and more than one item selected, Long Press gives this menu, where n is the number of items selected:

Cut (n)
Copy (n)
Delete (n)
Clear Selected

'Cut' and 'Copy' put the selected items on the clipboard and returns to the file list with Multi Select mode turned off and all selected items deselected.

'Delete' asks for confirmation, with the following message

'Are you sure you want to permanently delete n items?'

- 'OK' deletes the items and returns to the file list with Multi Select mode turned off.
- 'Cancel' returns to the file list with Multi Select mode turned off and all selected items deselected.

'Clear Selected' returns to the file list with Multi Select mode turned off and all selected items deselected.

(4) The clipboard icon should be modified to indicate if multiple items are to be 'Cut'/'Copied'. Also consider if a confirmation message is needed before multiple items are 'Cut'/'Copied'.

Of course I have no idea what changes would have to be made to the progam to do this, so please accept my apologies if anything is impossible to implement.