Can't rename files on a random basis (18.04)

[Brice Terzaghi]

This issue has started appearing on Ubuntu MATE 18.04 (upgraded from 17.10), never occurred on previous versions.

Sometimes, when I want to rename a file with Caja, nothing happens: pressing F2 does nothing, can't select the Rename option in the menu. The "Rename files" option (plugin that allows for batch renaming) works, though. Renaming from the terminal works too.

It seems to happen randomly on files that have nothing special in their names. When it does, I can move the file elsewhere, rename it, then put it back in its original folder, where it will be renamable again. It can also happen that I rename a file, then can't rename it again until I move it elsewhere.

It doesn't seem to be a permissions issue as they're in folders that belong to me. I can't find a pattern that would trigger specific files, it seems completely random.

[Etienne Papegnies (etienne-papegnies)]

Yeah, I have seen something like that indeed.
Couldn't reproduce either at the time because of the randomness.

[Brice Terzaghi (terzag)]

I may have find a pattern today while working on files: for some reason, it seems that the impossibility to rename happens when there is a scrollbar displayed (i.e. the list of folders/files doesn't fit in Caja's window). But for sure, it doesn't happen *when* the scrollbar appear, nor if there is already too much content for the window −and thus a scrollbar− when it opens. What I can say it that when I encountered the issue today, resizing the window so that all files were visible (scrollbar disappeared) allowed me to rename them, while resizing it back so that the scrollbar reappeared prevented me to rename the exact same files.

[Brice Terzaghi (terzag)]

I've published a video showcasing the issue (https://youtu.be/cgJ6gJzgZ3A). Sorry, it's not very explicative as I did it quickly with OBS, so here is a bit of context:
- I have Caja opened in a dir which has just enough files to fille its window
- at first, I can rename a file, two lines are ok, can still rename it
- when the name is long enough (3 lines) so that a scrollbar appears, I can no longer rename it: at about 00:23, when I select the file, I'm repeatedly pressing F2 but it has no effect
- if I then resize the window so that the scrollbar disappears, I can rename the file again
- if I resize it again as it was just before, can't rename the file
- *but* if I resize it again to make it smaller (so, there is still a scrollbar), I can rename it

From what I can guess, it seems that the issue happens when the last row of files shown in the window (when they're bigger than the visible zone) has a specific amount of their name cut. It's really weird.

[Brice Terzaghi (terzag)]

Issue still present in Ubuntu MATE 18.10. Really annoying.

[Kody Dagley (dagleykd)]

Just posting to confirm I am currently having this same bug on a specific folder with Caja 1.20.2 on Linux Mint 19 MAte 64-bit. As mentioned above, renaming works fine in List View and Compact View, but it will not work in Icon View in that specific folder. I can move the file out of that folder, rename it there and move it back, but renaming IN that folder unless in Icon or Compact View does not work.

Very frustrating. Hope this gets looked into soon as it seems to have been around for awhile!

[Brice Terzaghi (terzag)]

Just to be sure it's the same bug, can you rename the folder if you resize the window?

[Kody Dagley (dagleykd)]

Yes, confirmed - if I resize the window so that the scroll bar disappears and all the files are in-frame, I can successfully rename files or folders again in that folder in any View mode.

[Robert Meineke (rmeineke)]

Same behavior for me. Fairly stock install of Ubuntu Mate 18.04 with all updates installed. Caja v1.20.2.

[Arek (arcio007)]

Linux Mint Mate 19.1 64 bit, Caja 1.20.2, 76 folders on /media/user/Dane ext4 partition. For me, changing the size of the window works. Then I can change the name of the directory. the change of the size of icons also works (Ctrl ++, Ctrl + -), then I can also change the name of the directory.
List View and Compact View works to.

[Kody Dagley (dagleykd)]

Having this issue on Linux Mint MATE 19.2 - Caja 1.22.1

Have had it on Mint 18.3 and Mint 19.1 as well, plus Ubuntu MATE...very irritating!

[Rik (riksoft)]

Caja 1.22.3 (on Debian Buster)
Same problem.

The problem is not the presence of the scrollbar per se: it happens only when the vertical scrollbar appears and the window is not reduced more than 5/10mm from such point.

For that reason it looks random.
The workaround is simply changing the heigh of the window of +/- 1cm in hight.

[Syrius Amis (syriusamis)]

Fix reproduction (tried on Ubuntu MATE 20.04 LTS with MATE caja 1.24.0)

- fill a directory with enough files that it spans the entire Icon view but does not create any scrollbars
- adjust the window height so a vertical scrollbar just appears
- renaming functionality breaks

See reproduction in attached video

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Will pressing <F2> fix the issue?

[Syrius Amis (syriusamis)]

No, pressing F2 does not fix the issue. All forms of rename through Caja are broken in this state.

After breaking it with the method shown in the video in my previous post any of the following fixes it:
- add a single file to the directory so another line of files starts
- remove enough files so the vertical scrollbar disappears
- increase the window height so the scrollbar disappears
- decrease the window height some undetermined value (see attachment)

The attached video shows me pressing F2 every time the window height is changed and you can clearly see that F2 triggers "something" (scrollbar sometimes jumps) even when the rename input doesn't appear and if I decrease the height enough it suddenly starts working.
Again increasing the height breaks it at the same position it started working.

Note that rename is broken for ALL files in the directory, not just the bottom row.

My only guess is that the content is just enough to trigger a vertical scrollbar and in this state drawing the rename input field triggers some kind of resize that undoes the input.

[Syrius Amis (syriusamis)]

May be unrelated but on my system the height range where the rename functionality is broken is about 16px which is exactly the height of a selected filename text in my case.

Attachment shows the window bottom where the rename breaks (LEFT), the position where it works again (MIDDLE) and for comparison a highlighted filename (RIGHT)

[Norbert (nrbrtx)]

Then please report this bug to upstream at https://github.com/mate-desktop/caja and post link to it here.
While writing bug-report please check bug existence in upcoming Ubuntu MATE 21.10 or in 21.04 with applied https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-mate-bot/+archive/ubuntu/daily-brew .
Thanks.

[Syrius Amis (syriusamis)]

Link to upstream:
https://github.com/mate-desktop/caja/issues/1444

[smurf (luca-dgh)]

This bug affects me too.
Ubuntu Mate 20.04.3

[John F (footpenis)]

22.04.1 LTS
MATE caja 1.26.0

bug still persists

[Kody Dagley (dagleykd)]

Seconding this - running Linux Mint MATE and I've seen the same bug still happening on Mint MATE 20.3, Mint MATE 21 and Mint MATE 21.1...

Very surprised it's not been solved yet as it's been around a long time!