New Document feature missing from Nautilus 3.20+

Bug #1632027 reported by Jeremy Bícha
174
This bug affects 53 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
Nautilus
Invalid
Wishlist
nautilus (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Low
Unassigned

Bug Description

Ubuntu has a patch ( 16_unity_new_documents.patch ) to enable a 'New Document' function in the right-click context menu. This patch was not ported to Nautilus 3.20 so this Ubuntu-specific feature is missing in Ubuntu 16.10.

https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-desktop/nautilus/ubuntu/view/head:/debian/patches/16_unity_new_documents.patch

While this patch being disabled is noted in the debian/changelog, here's a formal bug to document the issue and maybe give it a bit more visibility so that it will be fixed.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
Package: nautilus 1:3.20.3-1ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-17.19-generic 4.8.0-rc7
Uname: Linux 4.8.0-17-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Mon Oct 10 12:54:50 2016
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
GsettingsChanges:
 b'org.gnome.nautilus.preferences' b'open-folder-on-dnd-hover' b'false'
 b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'sidebar-width' b'171'
 b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'geometry' b"'1106x542+436+438'"
 b'org.gnome.nautilus.icon-view' b'default-zoom-level' b"'small'"
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-11 (59 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" - Alpha amd64 (20160811)
SourcePackage: nautilus
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
usr_lib_nautilus: gnome-terminal 3.20.2-1ubuntu5

Revision history for this message
Jeremy Bícha (jbicha) wrote :
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in nautilus (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
BronsonMathews (bronsonmathews) wrote :

ok ive added a screenshot showing the weird spacing issue thats happening on nautilus 16.10. The icons have all get crushed up together making this view useless....

Revision history for this message
BronsonMathews (bronsonmathews) wrote :

and the 16.10 version of the same view is unreadable

Revision history for this message
BronsonMathews (bronsonmathews) wrote :

also noticed other things seem weird such as
- shortcut keys are always showing in right click menu (no way to disable this either!)
- The dividers seem very visually awkward now in the right click menu, on 16.04 is was very flat, now on 16.10 its very deep and gouging to look at.

Revision history for this message
BronsonMathews (bronsonmathews) wrote :

ops these were supposed to be part of my other bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/1634334

oh well, they're all related.

Ive tried to install nemo as a replacement in the meantime till this is fixed...

Revision history for this message
BronsonMathews (bronsonmathews) wrote :

Ah one other frustrating feature is the way the new pop-ups in nautilus occur when a file transfer or action happens and finish.
There needs to be a way to turn these off and disable them completely!

Revision history for this message
Jeremy Bícha (jbicha) wrote :

Bronson, this bug is only about the "New Document" feature. I don't think any of the other stuff you mentioned is directly related to this issue. Please file a separate bug for each separate issue. That will make it much easier to see the status of a specific issue.

Revision history for this message
StefG BZ (stefg-bz) wrote :

To have the "New Document" menu item back in the mean time, just add an empty file named "empty" for example in ~/Templates.

Changed in nautilus (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Low
Revision history for this message
Or Schiro (orschiro) wrote :

@stefg-bz,

I created an empty file named "empty" in ~/Templates but I still don't have the context menu entry.

Revision history for this message
Jacek Sroka (zephod-4) wrote :

Placing files in ~/Templates directory does not work. What to do?

Revision history for this message
astroscion (astroscion) wrote :

Same problem than in comment #10, but trying to reset the ~/.config (e.g. http://www.linuxslaves.com/2016/05/fix-ubuntu-no-icons-panels-launcher-except-background.html) seems to fix the problem for me.
No more investigations...

Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Or Schiro (orschiro) wrote : Re: [Bug 1632027] Re: New Document feature missing from Nautilus 3.20+
Download full text (3.8 KiB)

Wow!

Will this ever be backported to Ubuntu 16.10?

On Mon, Mar 13, 2017 at 3:51 PM Jeremy Bicha <email address hidden> wrote:

> ** Description changed:
>
> Ubuntu has a patch ( 16_unity_new_documents.patch ) to enable a 'New
> Document' function in the right-click context menu. This patch was not
> ported to Nautilus 3.20 so this Ubuntu-specific feature is missing in
> Ubuntu 16.10.
> +
> + https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-
> +
> desktop/nautilus/ubuntu/view/head:/debian/patches/16_unity_new_documents.patch
>
> While this patch being disabled is noted in the debian/changelog, here's
> a formal bug to document the issue and maybe give it a bit more
> visibility so that it will be fixed.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
> Package: nautilus 1:3.20.3-1ubuntu3
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-17.19-generic 4.8.0-rc7
> Uname: Linux 4.8.0-17-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu7
> Architecture: amd64
> CurrentDesktop: GNOME
> Date: Mon Oct 10 12:54:50 2016
> EcryptfsInUse: Yes
> GsettingsChanges:
> - b'org.gnome.nautilus.preferences' b'open-folder-on-dnd-hover' b'false'
> - b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'sidebar-width' b'171'
> - b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'geometry' b"'1106x542+436+438'"
> - b'org.gnome.nautilus.icon-view' b'default-zoom-level' b"'small'"
> + b'org.gnome.nautilus.preferences' b'open-folder-on-dnd-hover' b'false'
> + b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'sidebar-width' b'171'
> + b'org.gnome.nautilus.window-state' b'geometry' b"'1106x542+436+438'"
> + b'org.gnome.nautilus.icon-view' b'default-zoom-level' b"'small'"
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-11 (59 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 16.10 "Yakkety Yak" - Alpha amd64
> (20160811)
> SourcePackage: nautilus
> UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
> usr_lib_nautilus: gnome-terminal 3.20.2-1ubuntu5
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to a
> duplicate bug report (1643656).
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1632027
>
> Title:
> New Document feature missing from Nautilus 3.20+
>
> Status in nautilus package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Ubuntu has a patch ( 16_unity_new_documents.patch ) to enable a 'New
> Document' function in the right-click context menu. This patch was not
> ported to Nautilus 3.20 so this Ubuntu-specific feature is missing in
> Ubuntu 16.10.
>
> https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-
>
> desktop/nautilus/ubuntu/view/head:/debian/patches/16_unity_new_documents.patch
>
> While this patch being disabled is noted in the debian/changelog,
> here's a formal bug to document the issue and maybe give it a bit more
> visibility so that it will be fixed.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.10
> Package: nautilus 1:3.20.3-1ubuntu3
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.8.0-17.19-generic 4.8.0-rc7
> Uname: Linux 4.8.0-17-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.3-0ubuntu7
> Architecture: amd64
> CurrentDesktop: GNOME
> Date: Mon Oct 10 12:54:50 2016
> EcryptfsInUse: Yes
> GsettingsChanges:
> b'org.gnome.nautilus.preferences' b'open-folder-...

Read more...

Revision history for this message
Shuhao (shuhao) wrote :

This seems to affect 17.10

Jeremy Bícha (jbicha)
tags: added: artful bionic zesty
removed: rls-y-incoming yakkety
Revision history for this message
Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa) wrote :

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu Package testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://packages.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1632027

tags: added: package-qa-testing
Revision history for this message
michaelcole (8-launchpad-michaelcole-com) wrote :

This is such a basic feature, how can it possibly take 2 years to accept a patch? I just want to make a new text file. What is this "Templates" folder for if not this?

Revision history for this message
michaelcole (8-launchpad-michaelcole-com) wrote :

This post may or may not be true, but the workaround seems to be `sudo apt install nemo` and to use nemo instead.

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2018/01/ubuntu-18-04-lts-will-ship-older-version-nautilus

Revision history for this message
Norbert (nrbrtx) wrote :

If this will continu, most users who want to work comfortably will be forced to migrate to another file manager (as Caja in MATE DE - old good Nautilus successor).

Revision history for this message
林博仁(Buo-ren, Lin) (buo-ren-lin) wrote :

Affected to Ubuntu 18.04 as well, it's weird such basic feature doesn't exist in upstream GNOME in the first place...

Revision history for this message
林博仁(Buo-ren, Lin) (buo-ren-lin) wrote :

I have filed the bug to GNOME upstream: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/issues/407

Unfortunately currently Launchpad doesn't support GitLab issues so it can't be directly linked to this bug report.

Revision history for this message
林博仁(Buo-ren, Lin) (buo-ren-lin) wrote :

According to the upstream developer the feature *does* exist, but has a prerequisite requirement that the user's template folder must have at least one template file in order to make the "New Document" submenu appear.

The upstream report has been updated to make Files preserve the same behavior as with the previous implementation in Ubuntu.

Revision history for this message
林博仁(Buo-ren, Lin) (buo-ren-lin) wrote :

Add (old) bug report

Changed in nautilus:
importance: Undecided → Unknown
status: New → Unknown
Changed in nautilus:
importance: Unknown → Wishlist
status: Unknown → Invalid
Revision history for this message
Charlie Daly (cdaly) wrote :

The workaround as suggested by Steve G and others is not very satisfactory because the first thing that you want to do after creating a new document is change the name. Previously, after creating the document you were immediately in a text field so that you could change the name. Using the workaround, you have to select the document and select that you are changing the name before entering the name. It is pointless extra work.

Revision history for this message
MadsRH (madsrh) wrote :

I'll add my frustration here as well and possibly a solution.

I think we all agree that this is a basic feature and removing it results in a horrible user experience. The key here is IMHO the lack of discoverability. I wouldn't call myself a beginner user and yet I had no idea that the disappearing "New document" in the contextmenu was related to the Template folder.

Anyway, I’ll be sad to see yet another LTS shipped where this isn’t fix, so what do you think about this simple solution:

If the Templates folder is empty, a submenu entry is added in the contextmenu, which simply is a link to the Template folder. And ofc as soon as you put something in the Template folder, the user sees only that in the submenu. We already have a help text inside the folder and a "learn more..." link.

It’s not ideal, but it increases discoverability which is key here.
What do you think?

This would need to be a patch since upstream don't want it :/

Revision history for this message
Hans Deragon (deragon) wrote :

Adding templates file to ~/Templates works for Nautilus 1:3.36.3-0ubuntu1 (Ubuntu 20.04), but the right context menu is not available if one has no more empty space left in the window to right click (say when you display a directory with 50+ files in it).

My comment suggest probably another bug report, but I could not find one searching the web regarding this issue. If you know of such bug report, please provide the link. I am reporting this problem here since it is related and causes a discovery problem too if it is impossible to access the right click dialog box.

Norbert (nrbrtx)
tags: removed: artful zesty
Revision history for this message
Tero Gusto (tero-gusto) wrote (last edit ):

This still (surprisingly) seems to be an issue in Ubuntu 22.04 ...

Perhaps Ubuntu could add support for having the templates in a hidden folder such as ~/.templates, and ship it just a single empty file, as a starting example? I just tried this experiment, which worked well:

mkdir ~/.templates
touch ~/.templates/document.txt

Edit relevant bit in ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs:

XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="$HOME/.templates"

I was able to right-click in a folder and given a "New Document > document" option.

(Comment also added in Gitlab issue #407 mentioned by 林博仁 (Buo-ren, Lin) on 2018-05-06 above)

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