multiple selection boxes in nautilus desktop/icon view

Bug #305879 reported by Paul Heidelman
20
This bug affects 1 person
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Nautilus
New
Low
nautilus (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Low
Ubuntu Desktop Bugs

Bug Description

Binary package hint: nautilus

When "click and drag" selecting on the desktop, it is possible to leave the previous selection rectangle on the desktop by clicking again. For example, using a mouse, I click and drag, creating a box. Without letting go, I use the mouse-click button on my laptop to click again. This causes another box to appear, leaving the old one behind. This can be done multiple times. The only way to clear it is to restart nautilus.
I am running a fully updated Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex on my Dell laptop.

Revision history for this message
Paul Heidelman (phissure) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Pedro Villavicencio (pedro) wrote :

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?
* Are you using compiz? Does it happens without it?

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

Changed in nautilus:
assignee: nobody → desktop-bugs
importance: Undecided → Low
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Paul Heidelman (phissure) wrote :

It is reproducible. You can make as many boxes as you want, and, after clearing them, more boxes can be created.

In order to reproduce this:
 - Connect two cursor-controlling devices (such as two mice, or a single mouse and touchpad)
 - Left-click and drag with one device, creating a selection box
 - While still holding the button down, left-click the other input device
The old selection box (the one created from the first click) will remain there.

I am not running Compiz or any special-effect software (besides the Nvidia driver).

I have tested this on Hardy Heron, and I cannot recreate the bug. It happens only in Intrepid Ibex.

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A. Walton (awalton) wrote :

I can reproduce with the given instructions and have forwarded the bug upstream.

Changed in nautilus:
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
status: Confirmed → Triaged
Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) wrote :

Wow, sounds cooool (but irritating). Doesn't going to desktop 2 and back or full-screening something (and back) clear the desktop?

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Tom (tom6) wrote :

Does all the stuff in the various boxes remain selected? or only the stuff in the last box?

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Tom (tom6) wrote :

Grrrr that was freaky & NOT FUN. lol

Only the items in the last box remained selected but i couldn't do anything with them. The right-click menu worked but acted as tho the mouse arrow was on an empty area of the desktop - i couldn't delete anything. I could create new folders/documents and it looked as though the keyboard might be able to rename them if i was quick. I couldn't get anything from the taskbars/panels to respond, not even the logout icon. It looked like i would have to reboot using the main button on my case - a hardware switch!!

I tried unselecting and re-selecting the 'Keep Aligned' box from the right click and suddenly everything was back to normal except the wierd 'arty' boxes. Coooool :) I recommend NOT trying this out though, unless it happens 'by mistake' ;)

Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) wrote :

Ubuntu 8.10 with Nautilus 2.24.1, my cpu is an Amd and i trialled this bug with and ati graphics card with proprietary driver enabled - not a laptop. Both mices(?) mouses(?) errr, one mouse was a usb one and so was the other mouse

Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) wrote :

Actually it's still not back to normal. I still can't do anything with any of the icons on my desktop. The boxes are still there (but looking pretty).

I can use the panel/taskbar applets and menu's tho and i'm able to switch between the different desktops and between open applications.

Revision history for this message
Paul Heidelman (phissure) wrote :

If you are "stuck" on the desktop, press Alt+F2 and type "killall nautilus"
That should clear it.

Changed in nautilus:
status: Unknown → New
Revision history for this message
Wandrews (seskinore) wrote :

While trying to connecting to my personal webspace to update a page the server causes me to lose icons from the desktop in Ubuntu 9.04.
I normally use this built in FTP programme and it normally works great. However this time it cleared my desktop icons and all open folders and I was presented only with the wallpaper. All programmes continue to open but I can't open any folder.
When I reboot everything returns to normal and is okay until I attempt to connect to any of my webspace accounts
Any ideas.

Wandrews

Changed in nautilus:
importance: Unknown → Low
Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

The bug is old and Ubuntu changed quite a lot since, there has also been no activity here nor similar reports. Closing since we believe the issue as described is deprecated but feel free to file a new report if you still have problems in recent Ubuntu versions.

Changed in nautilus (Ubuntu):
status: Triaged → Invalid
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