Directory/file selection not clear

[Alexis Scheuer]

Hello.

In your application, you choose to separate the background image selection in two parts: first selecting a directory and then selecting the file. The directory selection does not make any change, only the file selection does.

This is IMHO confusing, particularly when a regular random change of the background image is asked. In that case, the file selection is not (so) important.

I think you should add a popup dialog, when a new directory is selected but no file chosen, as this leads to information loss, saying something like: "Directory change will only be taken into account if you choose a file. Do you want to cancel directory selection or choose a file?"

It took me twice about half an hour to understand your application's behaviour, as I only need to use it every two years, when I upgrade from a distribution to the next. Adding this popup would be a great help for me, and certainly for other users also. I may even do it myself, if you tell me where in your code file selection is done (this could be done in about 15 minutes, I guess).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: xfdesktop4 4.12.3-2ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-79.100-generic 4.4.67
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-79-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.6
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Mon Jun 19 08:18:10 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-07-29 (1420 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130423.1)
SourcePackage: xfdesktop4
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-07-30 (323 days ago)

[Toddandmargo-n (toddandmargo-n)]

$ rpm -qa xfce4\*
xfce4-datetime-plugin-0.6.2-6.el7.x86_64
xfce4-panel-4.12.0-4.el7.x86_64
xfce4-settings-4.12.0-7.el7.x86_64
xfce4-panel-devel-4.12.0-4.el7.x86_64
xfce4-terminal-0.6.3-4.el7.x86_64
xfce4-notifyd-0.2.4-8.el7.x86_64
xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin-0.2.4-4.el7.x86_64
xfce4-session-4.12.1-8.el7.x86_64
xfce4-about-4.12.1-3.el7.x86_64
xfce4-notes-plugin-1.8.1-2.el7.x86_64
xfce4-session-engines-4.12.1-8.el7.x86_64
xfce4-power-manager-1.6.0-2.el7.x86_64
xfce4-appfinder-4.12.0-4.el7.x86_64

Hi All,

EPEL's 4.12 update just came through for Scientific Linux 7.2. This issue is also reproducible on Fedora Core 23.

When you go into Desktop Settings and change the Background directory path, then exit, the changes do not take.

Looking at /home/todd/.config/xfce4/desktop/backdrops.list, my chosen pictures are listed.

I miss my backgrounds. Please fix!

Many thanks,
-T

[Toddandmargo-n (toddandmargo-n)]

Hmmmm. After clicking on one of the picture from the directory, the path took and did not revert to the default.

<ctrl><a> did not select them all.

I think the bug here is that simply selecting the directory is not enough. You have to select one picture from the directory, then the directory sticks. And it selects all the pictures in the directory just by selecting one.

[Andreldm-2 (andreldm-2)]

Moving to Xfdesktop.

[Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)]

This was mentioned on the Xfce forums too, but no enhancement request was forwarded to the Xfce bug tracker.

https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=9614

https://bugzilla.xfce.org/

[JimDean (jdean55)]

Still seeing this on Fedora with xfdesktop 4.12.4.

Unless the first image is selected the directory setting isn't remembered.

[Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)]

Added the upstream report.

[Theo Linkspfeifer (lastonestanding)]

I think it makes sense to fall back to the directory which contains the currently active background image. Any reason why the user would change to a different directory, but not select a new image?

[JimDean (jdean55)]

(In reply to Theo Linkspfeifer from comment #4)
> I think it makes sense to fall back to the directory which contains the
> currently active background image. Any reason why the user would change to a
> different directory, but not select a new image?

It is superfluous to select an image if you have selected the "change the background in" option. All you need is the directory and that option will regularly change the background using the images in that directory.

If the random option is selected any image in the directory should be used first. If random is not selected then start with the first image in the directory.