Administrator approval

[steve]

I'd be happy for us to split this issue into two parts - one a bug, and the other an enhancement.

The bug is that the out-of-the-box default save/export directory is not writeable for regular users when Audacity is correctly installed.
I agree that "Documents" would be a big improvement, and as good a default as anywhere else.

The "enhancement" part is what we do for default save/export directory beyond after the out-of-the-box default. I think this part would benefit from some discussion as to what the most useful and least unexpected behaviour would be.

Ideally, both parts would be "fixed" at the same time, but for 2.1.3 I would want at least the bug part to be fixed.

[Gale Andrews]

I'd be happy for us to split this issue into two parts - one a bug, and the other an enhancement.

OK, done.

Bug 1304: (P2) Starting Save or Export directory is not set, so is unwritable or requires authentication for most users

Bug 1305: (P3) Improve recall and customisation of starting Save and Export directories.



Gale

[steve]

Thanks Gale.

Just a thought about making the default save/export directory the same as the import/open directory: There's quite a high chance that the imported data comes from read only media (for example, reading files from an MP3 CD), or from some other unsuitable location (web browsers will often default to downloading to a "temp" folder, or from a read only network drive). I expect the chance of this happening with audio files is much more likely than with say text documents, due to audio files often being very large.

If we do have an option to select the imported file directory as the default export directory, then I think it would be best that Audacity tests to see if the location is writeable (though apparently such tests may fail on network drives). If the location is not writeable, then Audacity could use a fallback strategy, such as the last used export directory, and ideally informing the user what it has done.

[Gale Andrews]

Thanks, Steve. Yes, and of course the preference for "Original file" for Save/Export directory would still have the file save dialogue open at "last used" if there was no original file.

Given opening a project already changes the save directory to the path the project was opened from, I guess we already have the writable problem to a small degree, though I agree it may be more likely to happen for audio files.


Gale

[steve]

To clarify the starting point of this proposal:
1) What are the out-of-the-box default export / save directories for correctly installed Audacity on each platform?
2) Could "Documents" be a problem when running Audacity from a USB stick with "Portable Settings"?

[Gale Andrews]

To clarify the starting point of this proposal:
What are the out-of-the-box default export / save directories for correctly installed Audacity on each platform?

You mean, in the proposal? It was suggested:

Windows: Users\username\Documents
Unix/Mac: ~/Documents .

Could "Documents" be a problem when running Audacity from a USB stick with "Portable Settings"?

Only if Audacity could not write to the hard drive file system? Are you thinking of a Linux live USB stick?

Gale

[steve]

You mean, in the proposal?

No, I mean now, Audacity 2.1.2 RC3.

Only if Audacity could not write to the hard drive file system? Are you thinking of a Linux live USB stick?

I've not really experimented with running Audacity from a USB stick. I recall that on (some?) Windows systems one can log in with a "guest" account. Does such an account have a writable "Documents" folder?

[Gale Andrews]

You mean, in the proposal?

No, I mean now, Audacity 2.1.2 RC3.

I've described that already. On Windows and Mac, first time installation, export and save use the current directory, then after reset preferences, save still uses the last used path but export reverts to current directory.

I don't use Linux often enough to figure out what it does. I understood that wx2.8 opened at the most recent directory in some system recent directories list and I don't know what wx3 does. I always get save and export opening after reset preferences at home/gale. Save project always opens at home/gale in a new Audacity session, wherever I last saved a project, because we don't write save project path to audacity.cfg.

FWIW this wxGTK3 documentation https://developer.gnome.org/gtk3/3.0/Gt ... setting-up argues against specifying the directory on Linux, instead letting GTK "choose".

Only if Audacity could not write to the hard drive file system? Are you thinking of a Linux live USB stick?

I've not really experimented with running Audacity from a USB stick. I recall that on (some?) Windows systems one can log in with a "guest" account. Does such an account have a writable "Documents" folder?

I believe so though I have not tested. The Guest account on Ubuntu has a Documents folder and I believe it is the same on Mac. I guess Audacity can always create a Documents folder in the Guest account if it doesn't exist, then open the dialogue there.

Ubuntu and Mac will delete the Guest user's files when the Guest logs out, but I believe Windows (at least Windows 7) retains the files after logout.


Gale

[Gale Andrews]

Only if Audacity could not write to the hard drive file system? Are you thinking of a Linux live USB stick?

I've not really experimented with running Audacity from a USB stick. I recall that on (some?) Windows systems one can log in with a "guest" account. Does such an account have a writable "Documents" folder?

I believe so though I have not tested.

I tested on Windows 10, though the Guest account won't actually appear on the lock or login screen without opening the Local Group Policy Editor, Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment, then remove "Guest" from the "Deny log on locally" item.

Windows 10 Home does not have the Local Group Policy Editor, so users of Windows 10 Home apparently have to create a standard account then use the command line to add the account to the Guest group and remove it from the Users group.

So, not many users will have a Guest account they can log into on Windows 10.

Anyway, I can confirm the Guest account has the full range of user folders including "Documents". Audacity opened save in the Guest's Documents folder, and opened export in Program Files (x86)\Audacity. As expected Windows won't save there and gives no User Account Control prompt. It offers to save in the Guest's Music folder.

Saved and exported files survive Guest log out.


Gale

[steve]

FWIW this wxGTK3 documentation https://developer.gnome.org/gtk3/3.0/Gt ... setting-up argues against specifying the directory on Linux, instead letting GTK "choose".

On Linux, the default Save, Save As and Export directory (reset preferences, nothing imported, nothing previously saved / exported) is the directory that Audacity was launched from. Usually for a fully installed build this will be the home directory, but if launched from the command line it could be anywhere. I'm inclined to ignore that advice if we can get consistent cross-platform behaviour working reliably.

Thanks for testing the guest account business - that looks like one less thing to worry about.