Unable to save media or files via Desktop on Linux, while Android works fine

[arcivanov]

Using a supported version?

• [X] I have searched searched open and closed issues for duplicates.
• [X] I am using Signal-Desktop as provided by the Signal team, not a 3rd-party package.

Overall summary

Files don't save on Signal on Linux 7.12, 7.11

Steps to reproduce

1. Receive a file (playable video OR text MIME)
2. Click on Save
3. Dialog pops up to save file, click save
4. Dialog closes, nothing happens.

No file is create locally of any length.

NB!!! The Debug Log doesn't save locally either. So it looks like a global UI problem.

Expected result

File saves, like before

Actual result

No file is saved.

Screenshots

No response

Signal version

7.12.0

Operating system

Fedora 40

Version of Signal on your phone

Android 7.8.1

Link to debug log

https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.12.0/154122acdbd7e63197c790160a5db61424b156bf6e7457f6bad8255fc3438c1b.gz

[HITMAnsOFT]

Same issue on Kubuntu 22.04.4 LTS, Signal 7.12.0, both Snap and official deb packages.

[akutuzov]

Same here, also Kubuntu 22.04.4 and Signal 7.12.0

[ghost]

Same issue on Arch with version 7.12.0. The only way I've found to save images is to open it and drag the actual image to my file manager (which doesn't give any indication of dragging anything, but still works). This doesn't work with videos or other file types, though, because they can't be dragged.

Also when clicking the download button, this gets written to the journal, as well as to stderr if Signal is started from a terminal:

[122855:0615/153714.144870:ERROR:select_file_dialog_linux_portal.cc(760)] Portal returned error: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.AccessDenied: Portal operation not allowed: Unable to open /proc/122855/root

[rafasaurus]

Same issue on Arch linux wtih version 7.12.0.

[trevor-signal]

Thanks for the reports. 7.11 introduced a new Electron version (v30), which is possibly related. I've created an Electron Fiddle gist here: https://gist.github.com/trevor-signal/95c543c5e7cd398c6957c78b5cc9fe94. I'd love to know if the save dialog opens on:

• Electron 30.0.9 (current)
• Electron 29.1.5 (used by Signal 7.10)
• Electron 31.0.1

Thanks for your help!

[arcivanov]

There is no problem with the opening of the save dialog. It's just after the save dialog is closed with "Save", nothing happens.

[trevor-signal]

Others, can you share debug logs? We're having difficulty reproducing.

[mrvanes]

Another debug log: https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.12.0/3c05aa67fa8f85922db87ba1cf7e02a474325806f232b17c8c3595c2da1cc9fd.gz

Maybe mentioning that I'm running Signal Desktop in a Wayland session helps?

[arcivanov]

Yes, I'm also on Wayland.

[rafasaurus]

• 29.1.5

I have tested as you say, only in 29.1.5 opens file dialog, with 30 and 31 file dialog does not even open, I'm using xorg on Arch.

[HITMAnsOFT]

I am running on Xorg. Fiddle opens dialog fine on all versions, but as @arcivanov said both in the description and in the comment, nothing is actually saved.

[HITMAnsOFT]

https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.12.0/25f7eb0913a7754d2d5d5fd6fb110a4ccdd25920a4d26c3a31d223d724507f09.gz

[palant]

For what it’s worth, this is unrelated to flatpak. If I run the signal-desktop binary directly, it runs outside of the flatpak sandbox but is still unable to save files – dialog opens but clicking “Save” doesn’t actually save the file. Signal 7.13.0 on Fedora 40 (KDE, Wayland).

Thanks for the reports. 7.11 introduced a new Electron version (v30), which is possibly related. I've created an Electron Fiddle gist here: https://gist.github.com/trevor-signal/95c543c5e7cd398c6957c78b5cc9fe94. I'd love to know if the save dialog opens on:

* Electron 30.0.9 (current)

* Electron 29.1.5 (used by Signal 7.10)

* Electron 31.0.1

Thanks for your help!

@trevor-signal I’ve slightly modified your fiddle to actually display the file path returned by showSaveDialog(). The affected Electron versions always return an empty path, that’s the issue here. Versions I tested:

• Electron 29.1.5: not affected
• Electron 30.0.2: not affected
• Electron 30.0.3: not affected
• Electron 30.0.4: affected
• Electron 30.0.5: affected
• Electron 30.0.9: affected
• Electron 30.1.2: affected
• Electron 31.0.1: affected
• Electron 31.0.2: affected

In affected versions, the dialog looks considerably different. Given that and the regression range, it’s a safe bet that this regression was caused by electron#42110.

[palant]

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.

[would1920]

\

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.在对此进行试验时，我找到了一种解决方法。最初，“保存文件”对话框在文件列表上方错误地显示“/”。首先单击“Home”，这将使其显示“Home”（列出的文件不会更改，但某些图标会更改）。然后您可以选择目录/文件名并保存即可。目录路径似乎存在一些问题。

It worked for me!!!

[cheazycrust]

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.

can confirm this worked for me too!!

[arcivanov]

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.

Confirm this works for me too! Great job!

[mrvanes]

Yes, it works. Thx! Tiny correction to the observation: the dialog initially points to ./ (for me). Not /.

[cegfault]

Indeed the dialog initially points to ./

I tried changing the dialog prompt to ~/ (home directory), which solves this problem on linux. / also solves the problem, but ~/ may be preferred for obvious reasons.

[zparihar]

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.

Great Catch! It worked for me. Doesn't sound like its electron. Sounds like its just the programming of the default path.

[trevor-signal]

This should be resolved by Electron 31.2.0, via https://github.com/electron/electron/pull/42685, which is currently in v7.17.0-beta.1

[RES-1]

This does not seem to have solved the problem:

https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/42250#issuecomment-2243770637

[toxpal]

Same problem here, at least now I know I have to manually remove / from path...

[Wardevour]

7.17.0 still has the problem. Reinstalling doesn't seem to help.

While experimenting with this, I found a work-around. Initially, the Save File dialog incorrectly displays “/” above the file list. Click “Home” first, which will make it display “Home” there (listed files don’t change but some icons do). Then you can select directory/file name and saving will work. There seems to be some issue with the directory paths.

The workaround above still works

[kamazeuci]

7.20.0 production still has the problem

[koutheir]

Version 7.20.1 production still has the problem on Debian 12, using package signal-desktop installed using apt. Running on X11.

[arcivanov]

On Signal 7.24.1 for Linux. The / directory has been replaced by "$HOME", which seems like the sign of progress. However the name of the file is now lost and has to be entered manually to save.

[palant]

Signal 7.24.1 for Linux here as well, I see no changes whatsoever. I still see exactly the same thing as in https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/6912#issuecomment-2186296007.

[godspeedyou]

7.28.0 now shows sth like: http://signal-2024-10-13-190627_005.jpeg as the file name.

It's funny how there seem to be changes every few versions to this function, but this issue just doesn't get fixed.

[arcivanov]

7.28.0 now shows sth like: http://signal-2024-10-13-190627_005.jpeg as the file name.

It's funny how there seem to be changes every few versions to this function, but this issue just doesn't get fixed.

I confirm on Fedora 41.