GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 629886
nautilus file preview does not respect file size limit
Last modified: 2012-12-06 14:16:41 UTC
I am forwarding this bug from downstream: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/640785 to reproduce: 1. edit>preferences>preview 2. for other previewable files set it to smaller than 10mb (or any other size limit) 3. navigate into a folder containing some video files larger than said limit 4. watch the previews show up despite the setting
I wonder if that kind of setting is even needed in nautilus preferences.
This is intentional, because creating a preview for a video file some GB large is not more expensive than creating one for a 1MB video. This is also true for e.g. PDF files, but not for e.g. pictures, which is why we have that preference.
Cosimo Cecchi, Then perhaps a better solution would to be have a separate option for pictures instead of including it in "other previewable files" since the behavior is different.
Ben, I'm not advocating the current preference dialogue is optimal in making that clear for the user, but I think a redesign of that dialogue, although needed, is out of the scope of this bug report.
I second the opinion the wording is extremely misleading.
I am the reporter of the original bug from downstream. This is still a bug in nautilus 3.6.3. I cannot believe this misleading behavior is intended. Why even have the setting if it's ignored? It should be removed completely in that case, or reworded to only deal with pictures. I go into the Preview settings tab. Then I set "Only for files smaller than: [10 MB]" Then I expect this to be respected for all files. Note, "Only for ***FILES*** smaller than". If the setting does not apply to all files, then it shouldn't say "files". The interface text is actually lying about the behavior of the software. That is not user-friendly in the least bit. The wording is not simply "unclear", it is downright misleading. I apologize if I come off as being angry, that isn't my intention. :) I'm just very confused about the functionality of that setting in particular, and I'm interested in what kind of thought process would bring about this type of behavior in the software, assuming this is *by design*. I actually wouldn't mind the behavior that is going on now. If the computer wants to generate thumbnails for all files, regardless of size, then by all means go ahead (as long as it's relatively cheap). But when the interface promises that I can change the behavior, but I really can't, I find that frustrating and confusing (which also feeds frustration). Thanks for any further input!