GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 322160
attachments should be opened read-only (usability)
Last modified: 2006-05-25 22:06:10 UTC
Version details: 2.2.3 Distribution/Version: Fedora Core 4 This scenario applies to an unexperienced user. 1. From Evolution, open a .doc attachment in OpenOffice.org. (Other document types and programs work as well.) 2. In OpenOffice.org, spend a long time making changes. 3. Save and close document. 4. Some time later, try to find your changed document. Actual results: Changes are saved to cache directory, and later changes may be lost or difficult to find. Expected results: Attachments are opened in read-only or "template" mode. (When saving in "template" mode, the user is prompted where to save the document instead of saving to the location from where it was opened.) Additional information: An easy, general solution may be to mark the file read-only on the fileystem. A specific solution would be to pass command-line parameters to the helper applications. Additional information: This attachment problem generally applies to all e-mail clients (including web-based clients). Lately, I have noticed several documents lost through the problem.
In the Mozilla Bugzilla analogue to this issue (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=220808), there was a good suggestion: monitoring the cache directory for changed files. When a file in the cache is detected as changed, Evolution should not delete it or overwrite it.
hmm... pretty good idea. if readonly means that i have to use "save as", it would be even a wonderful idea. just had the same case two weeks ago. :-)
Andre, Yes, that is the idea: that the user cannot accidently save changes in attachments to the temporary directory. So, here is a clarification and summary of the possible ways to implement this enhancement: 1. In the filesystem, mark file read-only. 2. Detect when files are changed in temporary directory. If change detected, do not erase or overwrite file; instead, prompt user where to move file. 3. Pass application-specific parameters to open file read-only (for OpenOffice.org, use "-view"). 4. Pass application-specific parameters to open file in "template mode" (for OpenOffice.org, use "-n"). 5. Open attachments in a permanent location such as ~/Documents. (This idea is probably not so good.)
Here goes my vote for taking this up. Srini ?
Cool. It is a nice idea to keep track of modified attachments. I would suggest you to add it to the planning page in go-evolution.org. I think it is just possible to make the attachments read-only in the current release time frame.
@Srini: I guess, not only in current time frame, rather, it should be readonly and evolution shouldn't try to do fancy stuff depending on the attachment-type or helper application that it uses to open them. (just my 2 cents)
Fixed to HEAD.
*** Bug 319297 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***