"Print" and "Save" actions in sd-viewer VMs are confusing

[eloquence]

Common viewer applications executed by the client when opening documents in disposable VMs include "Save as", "Save a copy", "Print" and similar features. Users may attempt to print or export documents using these built-in features.

Those attempts will fail (no printer or USB drive will be available, unless it's explicitly attached to the VM by a highly technical user). Attempts to save files in the VM itself will also fail, as the VM is destroyed when the application is closed.

Are there ways to reduce the potential for frustration from these actions?

In https://github.com/freedomofpress/securedrop-workstation/issues/267#issuecomment-508253115, @emkll discusses exposing printers to the sd-viewer VMs, with the printer itself being attached to another VM. Similarly, could a virtual drive be used to pass files through to another VM that handles the export to a USB drive?

In the absence of such a passthrough architecture, are there creative ways to inform the user about how to print and export files if they attempt to do so from within a viewer application?

[eloquence]

Ways that have been suggested to message the user:

• "dummy" printer driver whose name or behavior points the user in the right direction
• intercepting system print or "save as" dialogs
• designating a staff member to sit next to the journalist and say "don't click that" if they attempt to save or print from within an sd-viewer VM (j/k)

[redshiftzero]

Note that the transfer of modified files edited in applications in disposable VMs is supported by Qubes, e.g. if you do qvm-open-in-dvm <file> and modify <file> in whatever program opens it in the disposable VM, the changes will be saved, the modified file is transferred back to the calling AppVM prior to destroying the AppVM by default (you have to turn this off using qvm-open-in-dvm --view-only)

[eloquence]

2022-08-10 review notes:

• Clarified issue title/description (svs-disp name was changed to sd-viewer)
• Labeled UX
• Still worthy of continued discussion on how to solve for this

[zenmonkeykstop]

Recent user feedback indicates that this is still a point of confusion. To be addressed with printing improvements.