Nativefier: Clarify download status, completion, and path to downloaded files

Created on 7 Apr 2017 · 10Comments · Source: jiahaog/nativefier

Description

Downloading of files was implemented after feature request https://github.com/jiahaog/nativefier/issues/185 . It works, but suffers from multiple UX problems:

We should at least notify when the download completes.
Location of downloaded files should be clear.
There could be some sort of visual progress indicator. Maybe not a full-fledged bottom bar like Chrome's as Nativefier aims at a chrome-less experience, so maybe just an overlay?
As proposed in comment below https://github.com/jiahaog/nativefier/issues/335#issuecomment-292813164 , prototyped below in https://github.com/jiahaog/nativefier/issues/335#issuecomment-304673053 , and asked for in https://github.com/jiahaog/nativefier/issues/377 , we should have a "Save as" contextual action enabling selection of destination folder.

Specifications

Nativefier 7.1.0
OS: All

feature-request

Source

ronjouch

👍10

Most helpful comment

Hey
I just found a way to enable "Save As" (not sure if this is already mentioned before).
Earlier, my web app was by default downloading the file straight to the download folder.

So basically, I just opened up the source files and edited the "main.js".
In main.js, I changed this if (!opts.saveAs) { item.setSavePath(filePath); } to this if (opts.saveAs) { item.setSavePath(filePath); } _Removed the '!'_
This worked absolutely fine, as now the "Save As" dialog box poped whenever there was a download event.

Nativefier 7.3.1, Node.js 4.5.0, macOS

sameerkumar18 on 29 May 2017

👍8 ❤3

All 10 comments

By the way, where are files downloaded? I created draw.io with Nativefier and when I export something (for example, pdf, png) nothing seems to happen. I'm just a beginner with Nativefier actually.

bartier on 9 Apr 2017

By the way, where are files downloaded? I created draw.io with Nativefier and when I export something (for example, pdf, png) nothing seems to happen.

@bartier files are downloaded straight to your OS-defined Downloads folder. Typically, that would be:

Windows: C:\Users\bartier\Downloads
macOS/Linux: ~/Downloads

ronjouch on 9 Apr 2017

@ronjouch Thanks! Additionally, it would be nice if there was an option to change where the file downloaded will be saved (Downloads folder or always asks where to save).

bartier on 9 Apr 2017

👍4

Hey
I just found a way to enable "Save As" (not sure if this is already mentioned before).
Earlier, my web app was by default downloading the file straight to the download folder.

Nativefier 7.3.1, Node.js 4.5.0, macOS

sameerkumar18 on 29 May 2017

👍8 ❤3

@sameerkumar18 In this case probably the entire _if statement_ could be removed leaving just the dialog opening code:

item.setSavePath(filePath);

Basically it's just a way to force dialog box popup on each download request.

zuck on 5 Jun 2017

👍3

At least notify when the download completes is what i wanted.
I can not find item.setSavePath(filePath); in source code.
version: 7.4.0

kainecy on 12 Jun 2017

+1 ... a way to at least change the download path would be great. It doesn't even have to be a flag, I'm willing to hardcode it manually if that's what it takes. I just want it on my desktop.

tjkohli on 9 Nov 2017

O hai everyone interested in this bug: @githubbob42 just contributed PR https://github.com/jiahaog/nativefier/pull/526 , which means a slew of electron-dl options are now available to customize the download experience. So #499 is closed, but the present #335 "Better UX" bug remains open and welcoming contributions.

Feel free to mention here how you use the new --file-download-options flag (that may give ideas to others, and we can include interesting use cases to the documentation), and thanks again to @githubbob42 !

ronjouch on 26 Jan 2018

I believe on Windows, the tab in the task bar shows progress/activity while it's downloading (not sure about the other platforms). Also, there is an openFolderWhenDone option in electron-dl that "_reveals the downloaded file in the system file manager, and if possible, selects the file_" when the file has finished downloading. While this isn't as nice as a progress overlay it's a workaround for the other requested features.

As for how I use the --file-download-options, #499 gives a detailed (albeit complicated) example of why I needed the option, but any site/app that has/wants links for downloading files (<a download="myFile.txt" href="...">Download Me</a>) files would definitely benefit from setting the option.

If you're not familiar with the HTML5 download attribute, see: