Epiphany saves files to root file system by default, and reverts to this behavior each time it's launched

[Feathertail]

Binary package hint: epiphany-browser

PROBLEM: Epiphany saves downloaded files to the root file system by default. Note that by default it cannot actually do so, as it does not have read/write permissions to that directory. Instead it just stalls and can't save anything.

FURTHER PROBLEM-NESS: While using Edit -> Preferences to change the folder to download things to works, closing Epiphany and starting a new instance will result in its having reverted to the undesirable behavior (trying to save to the root file system).

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR: Epiphany will remember where I tell it to save downloaded files, and will have a default behavior (like saving files to the desktop) that actually makes sense.

HYPOTHESIS: Epiphany's failure to remember my preferences may be the result of some interaction between Epiphany and the GNOME Global Menu Applet that I have installed. Trying to save downloaded files to the root file system doesn't seem to make sense, though.

Using Mint 7 (based on Ubuntu 9.04), and Epiphany 2.26.1 with the Gecko 1.9 backend.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: LinuxMint 7
Package: epiphany-browser 2.26.1-0ubuntu1
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: epiphany-browser
Uname: Linux 2.6.28-13-generic x86_64
UnreportableReason: This is not a genuine LinuxMint package

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Also, please answer these questions:
* Is this reproducible?
* If so, what specific steps should we take to recreate this bug?

This will greatly aid us in tracking down your problem and resolving this bug.

[Feathertail (feathertail-deactivatedaccount)]

STEPS TO RECREATE THIS BUG

1. Open Epiphany.
2. Open Edit -> Preferences.
3. Make sure the box that says "Automatically download and open files" is checked.
4. Note that the "Download folder" is set to "File System" by default.
5. Wonder why it is set to do that, when it doesn't even have read/write permissions to access that directory.
6. Attempt to download something. Confirm that the download starts but makes no progress (stays at 0 bytes received), because it's not able to save files to that directory.
7. Set the "Download folder" to a directory that you have read/write permissions to (like your Desktop).
8. Attempt to download something again. Confirm that the download is successful.
9. Close Epiphany.
10. Open Epiphany again.
11. Attempt to download something. Confirm that the download starts but makes no progress.
12. Open Edit -> Preferences.
13. Note that the "Download folder" is set to "File System" again.

IF THAT DOES NOT REPRODUCE THE BUG

1. Install the GNOME Global Menu Applet by adding their PPA to your software sources list, following the instructions at http://code.google.com/p/gnome2-globalmenu/wiki/InstallingonUbuntu .
2. Try it again.

SPECULATION

It may be that the GNOME Global Menu Applet which I have active is keeping some functions of Epiphany's menu from working correctly, in which case this is a problem with the GNOME Global Menu Applet and should be filed as a bug with them.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

Even if this is a problem with the GNOME Global Menu Applet, it doesn't make any sense for the default directory for downloads to be saved to to be one that Epiphany can't save to. It's a setting that nearly every user will have to tweak; the only difference for users of the GNOME Global Menu Applet is that we have to tweak it every time we want to download something in a new instance of Epiphany. It's a bad default behavior, and it needs to be changed.

[Victor Vargas (kamus)]

I tried to reproduce this issue here under Ubuntu Lucid with 2.30.2-1ubuntu1 but default folder is "/home/user/Downloads", maybe this was changed in newer versions, please could you check if is possible under latest release included in Lucid? Thanks!

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to New. Thanks again!.