1851537 - Downloaded files do not replace original, even after confirming the action. They always create a copy instead (e.g. file.png, file(1).png).

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: File Handling, defect)

Description

[ckoscelansky]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64; rv:109.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/117.0

Steps to reproduce:

Downloaded a new version of a file, which prompted the option to either open or save it.
I clicked save, which prompts me to replace the original in the download location.
I confirmed the action to replace.

Actual results:

A copy is made in the download location instead of deleting the original (e.g. file.png, file(1).png).

Expected results:

The original file should have been replaced, with an identical filename.

Comment 1

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The Bugbug bot thinks this bug should belong to the 'Firefox::File Handling' component, and is moving the bug to that component. Please correct in case you think the bot is wrong.

Comment 2

[ckoscelansky]

UPDATE: Does not always occur. May be specific to this website:
https://online-voice-recorder.com/

Comment 3

[Monica Chiorean]

I tested on Win10x64 using FF build 117.0(20230824132758) and this is the way Firefox currently works not just the site mentioned by you but also if I download docs from google drive and I don't know the reason behind it, gijs any thoughts. Thank you.

Comment 4

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to Monica Chiorean from comment #3)

I tested on Win10x64 using FF build 117.0(20230824132758) and this is the way Firefox currently works not just the site mentioned by you but also if I download docs from google drive and I don't know the reason behind it, gijs any thoughts. Thank you.

Did you set downloads to "Always ask whether to open or save", and perhaps also "always ask me where to save files" (as opposed to saving everything in the Downloads directory)? In comment 0,

Downloaded a new version of a file, which prompted the option to either open or save it.

means the reporter saw the "old" "what do you want to do with this file" dialog, and then potentially chose where to save it. In this case there is supposed to be a dialog from Windows (or whatever OS) that asks whether you want to overwrite an existing file. If you then choose to replace, no new file should be created. I just doublechecked and this works fine for me. I also tried the site linked in comment #2 and this also worked for me (ie the file was replaced instead of creating new copies).

Comment 5

[Monica Chiorean]

(In reply to :Gijs (he/him) from comment #4)

(In reply to Monica Chiorean from comment #3)

I tested on Win10x64 using FF build 117.0(20230824132758) and this is the way Firefox currently works not just the site mentioned by you but also if I download docs from google drive and I don't know the reason behind it, gijs any thoughts. Thank you.

Did you set downloads to "Always ask whether to open or save", and perhaps also "always ask me where to save files" (as opposed to saving everything in the Downloads directory)? In comment 0,

Downloaded a new version of a file, which prompted the option to either open or save it.

means the reporter saw the "old" "what do you want to do with this file" dialog, and then potentially chose where to save it. In this case there is supposed to be a dialog from Windows (or whatever OS) that asks whether you want to overwrite an existing file. If you then choose to replace, no new file should be created. I just doublechecked and this works fine for me. I also tried the site linked in comment #2 and this also worked for me (ie the file was replaced instead of creating new copies).

I was referring to default options, that even though I have option "always ask me where to save files" checked it still doesn't overwrite the saved file but instead it adds new copies (see link recording for this https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eaMwaU2mmGBolyBS6SebWjMqvyCSwxQ9/view?usp=sharing). Thank you for the quick reply.

Comment 6

[Monica Chiorean]

Attachment: screenshotDownloads.png

Reporter can you please attach a screenshot with the settings from about:preferences -> Downloads and Applications options for the file that you used. Thank you.

Comment 7

[ckoscelansky]

I do not seem to have image-uploading permissions. There is no interface for it, and neither drag-and-drop or copy-paste works.

Anyway, my settings are like yours, except that for MPEG Audio, it is set to Save File. Changing it does not fix the issue.

However, I've narrowed it down further. The issue occurs when recording on the aforementioned site, then changing the volume on https://mp3cut.net/change-volume and trying to save over the old file.

Comment 8

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to Monica Chiorean from comment #5)

I was referring to default options, that even though I have option "always ask me where to save files" checked it still doesn't overwrite the saved file but instead it adds new copies (see link recording for this https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eaMwaU2mmGBolyBS6SebWjMqvyCSwxQ9/view?usp=sharing). Thank you for the quick reply.

Your screencast shows you setting the filetype to "always open". In that case we don't ask for a location - that is expected. See bug 1738916 for the history of that decision. From comment 0 it seems clear that the reporter does not have this option enabled, because Firefox asks them whether to open or save the file when they get offered it by the website.

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #7)

I do not seem to have image-uploading permissions. There is no interface for it, and neither drag-and-drop or copy-paste works.

There is an "Attach New File" option right under the list of attachments. It looks like a button but is really a link and it goes here, so you can also just click that to upload a file (and there, both the normal file input "browse..." method or drag/drop / copy/paste can be made to work).

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #7)

However, I've narrowed it down further. The issue occurs when recording on the aforementioned site, then changing the volume on https://mp3cut.net/change-volume and trying to save over the old file.

Are you saving the file from this other site, or do you change the volume on mp3cut and then go back to the first tab/site and then save it again from there? I admit I'm confused - a screencast would probably help.

Does this happen in any directory? And/or is there anything peculiar (e.g. network drive, non-NTFS/FAT filesystem, custom permissions?) about the filesystem/directory where you're saving the file?

Comment 9

[ckoscelansky]

I'm recording the files on the first site, saving them, and then saving the changed-volume file from the other site, attempting to replace the original.

I tried it in a different directory, and the bug actually didn't occur. I'd been saving in a folder within the standard "Downloads" directory on my OS, which is where the issue was happening.

Comment 10

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #9)

I'd been saving in a folder within the standard "Downloads" directory on my OS, which is where the issue was happening.

Anything particular about that folder (where it didn't work correctly)? Any non-standard permissions? Are there perhaps lots of similarly-named files already in that folder?

Comment 11

[ckoscelansky]

(In reply to :Gijs (he/him) from comment #10)

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #9)

I'd been saving in a folder within the standard "Downloads" directory on my OS, which is where the issue was happening.

Anything particular about that folder (where it didn't work correctly)? Any non-standard permissions? Are there perhaps lots of similarly-named files already in that folder?

The latter is true. I record a lot of samples with similar names, often multiple takes of the same thing that saved over each other. Nothing unusual with the permissions. It's just a folder nested in a couple other folders in Downloads.

Comment 12

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The severity field is not set for this bug.
:Gijs, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 13

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #11)

(In reply to :Gijs (he/him) from comment #10)

(In reply to ckoscelansky from comment #9)

I'd been saving in a folder within the standard "Downloads" directory on my OS, which is where the issue was happening.

Anything particular about that folder (where it didn't work correctly)? Any non-standard permissions? Are there perhaps lots of similarly-named files already in that folder?

The latter is true. I record a lot of samples with similar names, often multiple takes of the same thing that saved over each other. Nothing unusual with the permissions. It's just a folder nested in a couple other folders in Downloads.

OK, when we say "lots"... is it perhaps 1000 or 10,000 files all named something like basename(9999).mp3 or whatever?

Comment 14

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Unfortunately without more information there isn't much we can do here. We can reopen the bug if more information becomes available.