733954 - Option to Preserve Last-Modified Date on Downloaded Files

Status: NEW

(Toolkit :: Downloads API, enhancement)

Description

[David E. Ross]

Generally, file-transfer applications preserve a file's last-modified time-stamp.  An option to allow this in Mozilla applications was developed and then rejected under bug #178506.  This would still be a desired capability by some users, evidenced by the 31 votes in favor of bug #178506 and the 1,100 users of the Preserve Download Modification Timestamp extension reported by addons.mozilla.org.  

This newer RFE merely requests an option, thus avoiding disturbing those who prefer that the last-modified time-stamp reflect when a file was downloaded.  

This RFE is submitted because the Preserve Download Modification Timestamp is apparently no longer being maintained.  The install.rdf file indicates compatibility through Firefox 4.0.* and SeaMonkey 2.1b3.  The current browser versions are Firefox 10.0.2 and SeaMonkey 2.7.2.  Yes, the install.rdf file can be tweaked to make the extension compatible with current browser versions; and there are other compatibility mitigations.  However, an extension can at best be considered only a workaround for a bug or desired capability and not an actual solution.

Comment 1

[Sergey Bychkow]

I have Debian Iceweasel (rebranded Firefox clone) v10.0.2 with Preserve Download Modification Timestamp add-on installed. And it works without any patch in the installer. AFAIK Mozilla changed behavior in compatibility tests.

Comment 2

[Marcio]

Surely the possibility of downloading files with their original filestamps would be a great enhancement on Firefox.

I needed this feature today, as I had to download today some files a partner put on a server a week ago, and I would like to have their original filestamps preserved.

I agree with David that it is better to offer this as an option instead of changing the default browser behaviour, thus not disturbing those accostumed to its current behaviour.

Comment 3

[David E. Ross]

Implementation of bug #825588 will break the Preserve Download Modification Timestamp extension (and possibly other extensions).  This demonstrates why an extension can only be temporary workaround for the capability requested here.

Comment 4

[David E. Ross]

It appears that the Preserve Download Modification Timestamp extension does not work with SeaMonkey/2.20.  It can be installed, but time stamps reflect when the download occurs instead of when the file was last modified on the server.  HELP!!

Comment 5

[Renski]

I just registered so I could upvote this.
At least, it could be made an option via about:config?

A workaround now is to use DTA or another d/l manager via FlashGot. But of course that's a bit cumbersome, and a d/l manager doesn't work everywhere (file hosters)...

Comment 6

[David E. Ross]

I am a SeaMonkey user, not a Firefox user.  Thus, I strongly question why a bug report that I submitted has been changed from Core to Firefox.

Comment 7

[Lewis Rosenthal]

Agreed, David. I hate to use bugzilla as a discussion forum, but Benjamin seems to be on a roll moving core bugs to Firefox, today. Like you, I wonder why.

Comment 8

[David E. Ross]

As the originator of this bug report and a SeaMonkey user (not Firefox), I am restoring the product to Core.  As File Handling is no longer a Core component, I am forced to specify General as the component.  

If someone wants to limit this capability to Firefox, he or she should submit a new bug report.

Comment 9

[David E. Ross]

Bug #907764 and bug #918188 needed to be fixed if the Preserve Download Modification Timestamp extension were ever to be fixed as an alternative to the implementation of this RFE.  Both of those bug reports have now been closed as WontFix with the explanations " ... legacy extensions are not supported anymore."  This illustrates why the implementation of wanted capabilities cannot depend on extensions other than as temporary workarounds.  

No longer is there an alternative to the implementation of this RFE.

Comment 10

[robpat]

It is impossible to implement this in Web Extensions.
downloads.DownloadItem does not have the HTTP response header nor the last modified timestamp.
downloads.download() does not generate webRequest events, therefore it is impossible to get the HTTP response header and the last modified timestamp by intercepting HTTP requests.
The most annoying part is downloaded files cannot be accessed for security reasons.
Last modified timestamp of files can only be set by external executable through native messaging.
I agree setting last modified timestamp of files should have native support.

Comment 11

[AvidSeeker]

Are there any updates on this issue?