I really hate that new Linux filepicker in 1.5b1

Discussion of general topics about Mozilla Firefox
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Ashitaka
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Location: This is certainly a nifty trick. I wish I could put some HTML code here.

Post by Ashitaka »

Robert S. wrote:You can change it back to the built-in filepicker by modifying the following in nsFilePicker.js which is located in the app's components directory. After making the change you have to re-register the components which is easily accomplished by disabling then re-enabling an extension and then restarting.
Thank you. This thing sucks donkey cocks.
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RichardNeill
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Post by RichardNeill »

> You can change it back to the built-in filepicker by modifying the following in nsFilePicker.js
[snip]

Thank you so much! The improvement is incredible: on a fast (3GHz) machine, the new GTK filepicker takes 26 seconds (yes, really!) to appear, during which the browser hangs.
The built-in one is far more user-friendly, and faster.

*Please* can we get the original one back by default - or at least an easier pref to enable it.

I have no objection to Mozilla using GTK (although the author of the new filepicker ought to be taken out and shot) - but I do wish it had less GNOME in it (there are quite a few preferences in Tbird/Fx which cannot be configured at all from within the app, but which depend upon settings in gnome-control-panel. I don't even have this installed!
sjf
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Post by sjf »

Robert S. you don't know how greatful I am.
I was becoming so frustrated with with that gtk file picker that I was afraid I was going to have to go elsewhere, thank god there's a solution.
I wish I could pay you back, if you ever need a favour...

Btw is there a way to change nsFilePicker.js in your firefox profile without having to change the global copy, ie for a box you don't have root on?
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Thumper
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Post by Thumper »

I personally don't mind in the slightest having one less bit of silly new UI to deal with on a GNOME desktop and I can't wait for the Print dialogue to go the same way.

- Chris
Kylotan
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Post by Kylotan »

It's a good idea to support a native file picker, but pretty bad when it penalises KDE users. This seems like another instance of "we want the benefits of this now, and are quite happy to break or impair things for everybody else because they can always file another bug on that later". Whatever happened to regression testing, and making fixes that don't break something else? (Sorry Chris, I felt exactly the same way about your XP Luna menu fix, although in practice I think that was less damaging than having to wait 26 seconds for a dialog box to open.)
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Thumper
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Post by Thumper »

That's fine, not everyone has to agree (although less death threats would have been nice). The point is that compromise rarely produces good software. If everyone waited until the GTK filepicker was perfect then it would never *get* perfect. My Luna fix did literally exactly what I wanted it to do, which is (a) placate me in the ultra-short-term and (b) annoy Silver into fixing it properly.

- Chris
ichabod
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Unity with Gnome

Post by ichabod »

I don't understand why firefox has to be a gnome application now. The original file picker was attractive, expanded by default, did in fact have a button for creating a new directory, a checkbox for showing/hiding hidden files, etc.

Why should windows and mac have an attractive usable save dialogue while on linux we're stuck with whatever gtk offers? I mean, I admit to a strong dislike of almost everything gtk but that's not my point. My point is, users see firefox in windows and like it, but when they see gnome save dialogue (that's unaffected by themes apparently) it's a reflection of linux and not a reflection of some Mozilla dev's personal preference (which it is).

I dare the Mozilla devs to make the windows file picker look like what I have to use in Linux now. DARE THEM. They will never do that, because dowloads will stop immediately and they know it. The know it's horrid and they gave it to us anyway because while they strive to please Windows and Mac users, we're in the "If you don't like it learn to code and fix it yourself" class. Windows users don't have to hear that, they get appeasement and an attractive application.
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Thumper
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Post by Thumper »

I don't understand why firefox has to be a gnome application now.


Because only GNOME people are hacking on it. Because it's the default browser on every GNOME-supporting distro. Because the XUL filepicker is yet another codepath that has to be kept un-bitrotted for the sake of a tiny minority of users who demand things their way.

They will never do that, because dowloads will stop immediately and they know it.


What a ridiculous pile of claptrap.

I mean, I admit to a strong dislike of almost everything gtk but that's not my point.


Yes it is. It's precisely your point. if you were using GNOME you wouldn't be complaining.

There's something quite awesome about people who honestly think the toolkit UI peers do things out of malice.

- Chris
ichabod
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Post by ichabod »

...What a ridiculous pile of claptrap.

How so? It's true that Mozilla would never force the gtk look and feel on Windows users because they know it would be rejected. It follows then that Windows users get appeasement and Linux users get what the developers like.


...if you were using GNOME you wouldn't be complaining.

Yes! That is precisely my point. That the mozilla devs made a decision to become a "Gnome Application".

...for the sake of a tiny minority of users who demand things their way.

First off, KDE users are not a "tiny minority". Secondly, I'm not demanding anything except that Mozilla-Firefox be independant of Gnome or KDE with regards to themes and all configuration options. It has been so until 1.5, and I assert that the decision was based on personal preference and not maintainability or any other technical reasons. That's not to say they did it out of "malice". They did it because what I (as a KDE user) think about their product is irrelevant to them.

They would not cross that line with Windows users.
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Thumper
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Post by Thumper »

ichabod wrote:It's true that Mozilla would never force the gtk look and feel on Windows users because they know it would be rejected.


They wouldn't enable Unix keybindings on Windows either, but that doesn't mean they should necessarily be wrong in GNOME.

I assert that the decision was based on personal preference and not maintainability or any other technical reasons.


And you're wrong. Check the bug comments. Check mconnor's blog. In fact, check any source whatsoever outside of the kvetching of random KDE users.

First off, KDE users are not a "tiny minority".


Of what? Firefox users? Yes they are.

They did it because what I (as a KDE user) think about their product is irrelevant to them.


Correct. Nobody making money from your distro is giving them money or patches. Feel free to feel oppressed.

They would not cross that line with Windows users.


They're interested in retaining Windows users.

- Chris
Havin_it
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Post by Havin_it »

Hey, Robert S's fix doesn't seem to work any more (FF 1.5.0.3 on Gentoo). Can we get it back?
mogliii
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Post by mogliii »

Hi,

I would like to revive this thread.

Since Firefox 1.5.0.4 this method seems not to be working. My firefox, where I changed nsFilepicker.js, and had the intended filepicker, switched back to the Gnome-like one after update. (The nsFilepicker.js was overwritten). and even with making this change again, I still shows the GNOME-picker.

Does anyone have more information and how to enable it in 1.5.0.4?

This problem occured on two computers, one running Kubuntu, and one running Xubuntu.
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James
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Post by James »

Well you appear to be using the Ubuntu supplied version of Firefox in case that has an impact.


The good news is Firefox 3.0 and now Firefox 2.0 (after June.12 nightlies) will have a pref ui.allow_platform_file_picker that if set to false will set it to the xul filepicker. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Ui.allow_platform_file_picker
Havin_it
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Post by Havin_it »

Sorry, should have mentioned this when I figured it out myself.

When an update replaces the GNOMEified nsfilepicker.js and you run it, even after re-hacking it you need to re-register the browser chrome (or something) for it to take effect. The simplest way to do this is to temporarily disable one of your extensions (or install/uninstall an extension or theme) and restart Firefox.
rickst29
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Post by rickst29 »

Thumper wrote:If you're going to get it reversed then you're going to need some solid arguments. Personally I think your efforts would be better served filing bugs on GTK's filepicker.

- Chris

Been there, did that. Bugs to "add and sort on file-updated TIME, not just date, and file SIZE" even had code attached-- but being a 100% newby to Gnome, I hadn't the faintest idea how to internationalize it.

It's still sitting there today, (about 2 years later) with quite a few votes and dups. NOTHING was ever done by the Gnome Devs, except to whine how I didn't submit proper diffs with all the language support already done for them (by me, and sorry, I don't speak French. Or Italian. Or Portuguese.... <b><u>I</u></b> can't do that for them).
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