308423 - collapsible file dialog hides directory view unnecessarily, by default

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: File Handling, defect)

Description

[Tim Connors]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8b4) Gecko/20050908 Firefox/1.4
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8b4) Gecko/20050908 Firefox/1.4

Firefox 1.5b1 has a file save dialog (presumably fileopen etc as well) that on
linux with new gnome or gtk libraries (presumably -- for I find this behaviour
on an upto date linux installation, but not in which I have /only/ installed the
new firefox), has a collapsible file dialog with no directory view by default. 
This means, for half the time I want to save something, I have to make an extra
mouse click, forcing me to take my hand off the keyboard.

I can appreciate that people want to make firefox and/or gnome/gtk more friendly
to beginners, but I wouldn't mind them thinking about us poor experienced users
too, who like to keep our RSI to a minimum.  I personally see very little
benefit in this case of hiding the directory view, as new users will be
interested in that sort of thing as well.

Perhaps the best solution, if this collapsible view /must/ be included, is to
remember what it was last set to (and of course, save this setting over
sessions).  If I last pressed "expand", then I want it to be expanded next time
too...  Or at least have it as an about:config setting.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. save file/webpage (ctrl s)
2. press expand
3. select a directory and work from there

Actual Results:  
It saved to a new directory

Expected Results:  
2. should have been made redundant.

Comment 1

[Kuba Suder]

You're absolutely right! I've seen that before in firefox on fedora, but I thought it was just fedora's modification... now I've just downloaded fx 1.5 rc2 and run it, and I thought: what the hell, they've added that thing here too... I'm really sorry to say that, but that dialog just sucks, there's no other word for it. If I didn't want to be able to choose the directory, I would use the option "Save all files to this folder" in preferences, wouldn't I? So if I checked "Ask me where to save every file", that's because I want to be able to choose the directory easily...

Please, think about changing this, as Tim wrote... 

Comment 2

[Tim Connors]

Hasn't been picked up yet -- perhaps was with the wrong component -- changed to "download manager" now...

Comment 3

[Kuba Suder]

Still no changes...

Comment 4

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

This bug was reported on Firefox 2.x or older, which is no longer supported and will not be receiving any more updates. I strongly suggest that you update to Firefox 3.6.3 or later, update your plugins (flash, adobe, etc.), and retest in a new profile. If you still see the issue with the updated Firefox, please post here. Otherwise, please close as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
http://www.mozilla.com
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+mode

Comment 5

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.x or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.