Error message when clicking "Windows Network" needs to be improved

[David D Lowe]

After opening Files, clicking "Other locations" in the sidebar, and clicking the Windows Network icon, I get an error dialog, saying:

> Unable to access location
>
> Failed to retrieve share list from server: No such file or directory

Regardless of what is causing the error, there needs to be a better error message. I got the same error message before installing `samba` and now I still get it. The error message should help me discover what is happening and how to fix it.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: nautilus 1:3.20.3-1ubuntu3.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-28.30-generic 4.8.6
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-28-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Dec 1 10:11:50 2016
GsettingsChanges: b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'geometry' b"'1431x799+309+79'"
SourcePackage: nautilus
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to yakkety on 2016-10-13 (48 days ago)
usr_lib_nautilus:
 dropbox 2015.10.28
 gnome-terminal 3.20.2-1ubuntu5

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thank you for your bug report. Is that still an issue in newer version? If so could you give the output of "gio ls network:///"?

[David D Lowe (flimm)]

This is still an issue in Ubuntu 18.04.

Here's the output of the command you asked for:

$ gio ls network:///
Usage:
  gio COMMAND [ARGS...]
etc

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

sorry, the correct command is "gio list network:///"

[David D Lowe (flimm)]

$ gio list network:///
smb-root

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Thx, weird that it works from the command line but gives an error from the UI. Could you make a screenshot of nautilus and the error message you described?

Also could you start "GVFS_DEBUG=1 /usr/lib/gvfs/gvfsd -r" on a command line, try to browse the network section and add the log from gvfsd?

[David D Lowe (flimm)]

I've done what you've asked. To be clear, the bug report is about improving the error dialog, not about fixing the underlying problem, which I guess could be another bug report.

[V (vishalparkar)]

Thanks!

This is once again going to emphasize the much hyped tale, "Linux is only
for programmers and is only command driven!", isn't it? ☺️☺️☺️

On Mon, Feb 11, 2019, 1:11 PM David D Lowe <<email address hidden>
wrote:

> I've done what you've asked. To be clear, the bug report is about
> improving the error dialog, not about fixing the underlying problem,
> which I guess could be another bug report.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1646403
>
> Title:
> Error message when clicking "Windows Network" needs to be improved
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/1646403/+subscriptions
>

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

Right, the error is a problem that should be fixed, maybe you can open another bug about the fact that it's failing to list shares too?

Could you give the output of those commands?

$ nmblookup -M -- -
$ nmblookup -M workgroup
$ smbtree

It looks like the server handling the group is refusing the connection?

[David D Lowe (flimm)]

Here you go.

$ nmblookup -M -- -

Command 'nmblookup' not found, but can be installed with:

sudo apt install samba-common-bin

$ sudo apt install samba-common-bin
# cut for brevity
$ nmblookup -M -- -
name_query failed to find name
__MSBROWSE__#01
$ nmblookup -M workgroup
name_query failed to find name workgroup#1d
$ smbtree

Command 'smbtree' not found, but can be installed with:

sudo apt install smbclient

$ sudo apt install smbclient
# cut for brevity
$ smbtree
$

I checked, and I'm still getting the same error message in Nautilus after installing those packages.