Option to change the click-on-file behavior (download)

[ghost]

Feature request.

Scope
When you browse directories using the browser, files are listed.
When you click a file, the behavior (if you dont have an online office solution) is to download the file.
The subject of this feature request is this click-on-file behavior.

Context
Most of the time end users download large files by mistakes (and they end up on the client workstation taking storage / backup space); whereas they sometimes only want to check comments and activities on files. Providing a way to disable this download behavior would resolve the issue.

Describe the solution you'd like
Provide an option to change the described behavior. For instance:

• Default: download or edit (if editor configured)
• Menu: open the right click menu
• Do nothing: only open the details pane

[GuillermoMarcel]

I'd love to see this implemented as a configuration to avoid downloading a lot of files

[thomasfrobieter]

Since NC 25 we have the option "edit local" in the context menu, this should be a third option, in addition to the ones listed in the topic.
Nextcloud office is simply not usable for normal users, the hurdle to set up a Collobora server is much too high. OnlyOffice is to buggy. So the edit local option is kind of a game changer, but users won't look for it in the context menu, so replacing the default option would be pure gold.

[roberix]

Hi.

I would love to see that implemented.

My users are saving tons of sensistive files in the local Download folder (a security horror show). Especially files which are not opened by collabora or otherwise in browser. This is also valid for the case where you search a file and click on in in the search list --> you are ending up in the folder of the file (which is good) but also you are starting an potential unwanted download.

Many thanks

REgards

Rob

[arublov]

@skjnldsv can I take this task?

[skjnldsv]

@arublov you don't have to ask, feel free to dive at it! 🎉
Though, please note that this feature is UX disruptive and might require various changes/requests from both tech and desgign teams when you have a working PR :)

1. Either you suggest your idea on how to tackle that here, and create a discussion where we can ask said teams
2. Or you go for your idea straight away and explain why you think this is the way to go over xxx or yyy solution in the description :)

Good luck and have fun! 🤗

[arublov]

Summary

USER:

1. A new parameter in the settings interface, allowing users to choose the default behavior.

2. Behavior options when clicking:

• Download by default: The file will automatically download when clicked.
• Open in browser: The file will open in the browser if possible.
• Open the details panel: Clicking on the file will do nothing except open the details panel.
• Online office, RAW and etc.... (how to handle such applications if a default value is set)
• Are there any other options?

3. Implementation of the user interface: here I would like to hear the team's opinion, maybe there are some references.

4. Handling exceptions: It is also worth considering exceptions, for example, if certain types of files should always be downloaded regardless of user settings.

5. Documentation, is it necessary to update the project documentation?

6. Creating tests for this functionality.

ADMIN:

1. Adding a parameter to the config or admin panel (what would be better config or admin-panel?):

• Choosing the default value for what happens when a file is clicked.
• Can users choose for themselves what happens when a file is clicked?

---

While such thoughts and questions for discussion in order to understand in what direction to develop this functionality.
As the discussion will be supplemented and I will be glad if you guide me in the right direction in the logic and so in the technical implementation. @skjnldsv thank you in advance!

[roberix]

Dear @arublov.

As a enterprise user whois affected by this in a large scale I would like to explain what is our problem.

We do have tons of sensitive files in our download folders because of the default click behavior.

On the other hand I kindly ask you not to break with the nc workflow which is well designed. Downloading should be an intentional action in the context menu. When NC can show the document in browser by any mean - it should do so (image, pdf, office …). In case nc can’t show the file in browser then any other meaningful action (e.g details) but definitely not downloading.

I hope you succeed to find a simple and easy solution.

Thank you for trying.

BR.

Rob

[ga-it]

Dear @arublov and @skjnldsv

This is critical for us because of the behaviour of Collabora Office.

We have thousands of MS Office docs on our server.

Default file link option is to open in Nextcloud Office.

There is no way to disable "save on exit" - even if autosave is disabled.

This means that every time a user clicks on a file, a new Collabora Office version of the file is created as the most recent - and you lose all the MS Office features, formatting etc that are incompatible. That is a separate Collabora issue that has been reported and remains unresolved after many years. ( https://forum.collaboraonline.com/t/disabling-auto-save-in-collabora-online-code/597 )

Being able to set the default option in file settings from the three dot menu could help alleviate this or be a more desired general option.

I would like to set the default option to open the file details sidebar as default for example.

The above issue is amplified by file link sharing which then opens the file by the recipient - exacerbating the problem.

This almost makes Nextcloud unusable for us as an alternative to Alfresco (default action opens the file details page).

It is however important to be able to specify how a link behaves - either as a non-default or alternative link option. For example, where we share view-only PDFs - we want these to open as watermarked files in Nextcloud office.

[it-tsa-bs]

Hello together,

my organisation has exactly the same problem with opening documents in collabora by left-click by default. This causes formatting problems with ms office format and resulted in switching off our collobra server to avoid these problems. Unfortunately we now have no longer a online office for collaboration.

Wished features are:

• "edit locally" by left-click
• "open in online office" as context menu entry
• open context menu by left-click

[Loopsitude]

Hi there,

In my organization we use NC for file approval.

Yes, indeed we'd love to have the possibility to have details opened on left-click !

Regards,

Nicolas

[Sir-Nimbus]

Hello,

could it also be considered to implement an optional double click alternative for opening / downloading files with single click just selecting the file or showing file information?

Best Regards

[susnux]

I think this is the same as #5065
Meaning to be able to define what to do with a file on click.