Export will overwrite other files of the same name in the selection
Submitted by Jim Nelson
Link to original bug (#716803)
Description
---- Reported by jim@yorba.org 2010-09-27 14:43:00 -0700 ----
Original Redmine bug id: 2608
Original URL: http://redmine.yorba.org/issues/2608
Searchable id: yorba-bug-2608
Original author: Jim Nelson
Original description:
Select two files in Shotwell that have the same file (i.e. base) name. Export both to the same directory. The second exported file will overwrite the first.
Related issues:
- duplicated by shotwell - 5739: Export of multiple files with same basename (Duplicate)
---- Additional Comments From shotwell-maint@gnome.bugs 2013-05-16 14:44:00 -0700 ----
History
Comment 1
Updated by Jim Nelson about 3 years ago
This is also ticketed here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/648424
Comment 2
Updated by Jim Nelson about 3 years ago
Properly linked: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/648424
Comment 3
Updated by Adam Dingle about 3 years ago
- Priority set to High
Note patch attached downstream. Upping to high.
Comment 4
Updated by Adam Dingle over 2 years ago
- Target version set to 0.10
Comment 5
Updated by Eric Gregory over 2 years ago
- Assignee changed from Anonymous to Eric Gregory
Comment 6
Updated by Eric Gregory over 2 years ago
This one is quickly turning into a rat-hole. There's three use cases:
-
I export one file, which will overwrite an existing file. Currently, we pop-up a dialog box asking what the user wants to do. (If I export via drag- and-drop, this process has some serious problems*, but let's assume that it worked as expected.)
-
I export two files with the same name. Right now they overwrite each other, but ideally they should not.
-
I export two files, let's say they're both called a.jpg, to a folder which already contains a file called a.jpg. Should we allow the user to overwrite the file?
(*There's a bug with canceling the operation. More importantly, there is no method in the UI to resolve the filename overlap if you want to export a file to a folder where a file of the same name already exists!)
My thinking currently is we should re-do this process as follows:
-
Export filenames are always unique; if there's already an a.jpg, we just make an a_2.jpg and so on. The concept of “overwriting†any file, existing or not, goes away.
-
When exporting via File->Export, we just ask for a folder. Rather than asking you to enter the filename when exporting one file or a folder when exporting multiple files, we consistently require a folder.
Comment 7
Updated by Eric Gregory over 2 years ago
One addition to my previous comment -- Jim points out that Export is the same as Save in Direct Edit Mode, so we have to be careful not to break that.
Comment 8
Updated by Adam Dingle over 2 years ago
-
Target version deleted (
<strike>
_0.10_</strike>
)
Lucas and I just discussed this. We think that overwriting is sometimes useful: for example, a user may export a few photos, then make a few last- minute edits in Shotwell and then want to export them again, overwriting the files they exported the first time. But then again, generating unique filenames is also sometimes useful. So we think we should show a dialog giving the user the choice between these two behaviors whenever an export would overwrite an existing file. That would happen both when using File->Export and when using drag and drop. (Saving in direct edit mode should probably not offer to generate a new filename, though, I think.)
Implementing this would involve a string change, and it's too late for that for 0.10. Dropping from this release. Eric, thanks for looking into this and pointing out this design question.
Comment 9
Updated by Adam Dingle over 2 years ago
- Assignee changed from Eric Gregory to Anonymous
Comment 10
Updated by Jim Nelson about 1 year ago
- Target version set to 0.14.0
Comment 11
Updated by Jim Nelson 11 months ago
- Category set to library-mode
Comment 12
Updated by Jim Nelson 11 months ago
- Target version changed from 0.14.0 to 0.15.0
To simplify this, let's go with Eric's suggestion with one addition: the folder selection dialog should have an "Overwrite?" checkbox, off by default. If selected, Shotwell will overwrite a previously existing file (this means it has to track what files it's writing during this export) rather than generating a new name.
We'll try and get this in 0.15.
Comment 13
Updated by Jim Nelson 8 months ago
- Target version changed from 0.15.0 to 0.16.0
Comment 14
Updated by Jim Nelson 6 months ago
-
Target version deleted (
<strike>
_0.16.0_</strike>
)
--- Bug imported by chaz@yorba.org 2013-11-25 21:47 UTC ---
This bug was previously known as bug 2608 at http://redmine.yorba.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2608
Unknown version " in product shotwell. Setting version to "!unspecified". Unknown milestone "unknown in product shotwell. Setting to default milestone for this product, "---". Setting qa contact to the default for this product. This bug either had no qa contact or an invalid one. Resolution set on an open status. Dropping resolution
Resolution: RESOLVED OBSOLETE