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Renaming folder doesn't sync to other users #2063
Description
Steps to reproduce
- Rename shared folder via Web interface
- Sync folder with other user
- Second user doesn't see new folder name
Expected behaviour
All users should see the same new folder name
Actual behaviour
Every user got his own folder name
Server configuration
Operating system: CentOS 7
**Web server: Apache/2.4.6 (CentOS)
**Database: mysql 5.5.38
**PHP version: 5.5.38
**Nextcloud version:10.0.1 (stable)
**Updated from an older Nextcloud/ownCloud or fresh install:updated from old ownCloud
Where did you install Nextcloud from:
Signing status:
Signing status
Login as admin user into your Nextcloud and access
http://example.com/index.php/settings/integrity/failed
paste the results here.
List of activated apps:
App list
If you have access to your command line run e.g.:
sudo -u www-data php occ app:list
from within your Nextcloud installation folder
The content of config/config.php:
Config report
If you have access to your command line run e.g.:
sudo -u www-data php occ config:list system
from within your Nextcloud installation folder
or
Insert your config.php content here
(Without the database password, passwordsalt and secret)
Are you using external storage, if yes which one: local/smb/sftp/...
Are you using encryption: yes/no
Are you using an external user-backend, if yes which one: LDAP/ActiveDirectory/Webdav/...
LDAP configuration (delete this part if not used)
LDAP config
With access to your command line run e.g.:
sudo -u www-data php occ ldap:show-config
from within your Nextcloud installation folder
Without access to your command line download the data/owncloud.db to your local
computer or access your SQL server remotely and run the select query:
SELECT * FROM `oc_appconfig` WHERE `appid` = 'user_ldap';
Eventually replace sensitive data as the name/IP-address of your LDAP server or groups.
Client configuration
Browser:
Operating system:
Logs
Web server error log
Web server error log
``` Insert your webserver log here ```Nextcloud log (data/nextcloud.log)
Nextcloud log
``` Insert your Nextcloud log here ```Browser log
Browser log
``` Insert your browser log here, this could for example include:a) The javascript console log
b) The network log
c) ...
</details>
Activity
nickvergessen commentedon Nov 9, 2016
This is actually the expected behaviour, because the name might be different for each user and the users can rename the folder on their end.
apodosenin commentedon Nov 9, 2016
Ok, not very good for centrally managed shared folders. Perhaps I'm not using your product in correct way. Any options to change this behaviour?
I've got another issue, if someone is editing file and other user renames it at the same time than file is duplicated after first user saves changes. Looks like this is by design too. Am I correct?
secure11 commentedon Feb 16, 2017
Commenting on this as for a centrally managed share folders/file system, if User 1 renames a file, ALL users should see it as renamed. Not following this behavior would be a big show stopper for any company thinking of migrating from sharepoint or dropbox to NextCloud? If two users are trying to make changes to 1 file and 1 user renames (not copies) it, both users are now working on different documents, and the other user doesn't even see (in the web or a synced version) the NEW file name??? What use case in a shared environment are you thinking the users should be able to have the same files/folders only give them different names without other users seeing the changed names? I can't even think of a use case where that is helpful, and doesn't end in a bad situation of identical files with different names not seen by all users who supposedly have access to the file(s)?
JaredBoone commentedon Feb 17, 2017
Please consider reopening this. In my opinion, it is a valid bug. A shared file or folder that is renamed should still be properly shared.
nickvergessen commentedon Feb 20, 2017
@secure11 you seem to misunderstand. Only the most outer folder you shared with someone is not renamed.
Example:
level1with UserBlevel1level1andlevel1 (2)from UserAlevel1/level2/level3tolevel1/level2/levelClevel1 (2)/level2/levelClevel1tolevelAlevel1 (2)The problem is that UserB could rename the
level1 (2)at any point (e.g. tolevel1 (UserA)) at which point we shouldn't automatically rename the stuff any more.That is also a misunderstanding. Renaming a file does not remove or corrupt shares.
JaredBoone commentedon Mar 3, 2017
@nickvergessen I don't mean that the share is removed or corrupted. I mean that if UserA shares a file1.jpeg with UserB, then UserA renames the file to file1.jpg then the file rename does not propagate to UserB. In the specific case reported to me by a user, he shared a file with a large number of users then realized that the file extension was wrong and wanted to correct it, but the new filename did not propagate to the other users. To work around this he renamed the file and then unshared and reshared it with each of the users. I got the impression from the user that he found this process inconvenient. Perhaps it's worth considering a way to make this more convenient? Thanks!
nickvergessen commentedon Mar 6, 2017
I guess it makes some sense. Maybe @jancborchardt can comment on it.
Maybe we could/should rename mounts that use the
same nameorsame name (%d)kjantin commentedon Jun 2, 2017
I am also configuring NextCloud to be used as a centrally managed share folders/file system and am running into the same kinds of issues shared in this thread. It would be ideal if a file that is renamed, is then renamed for all other users it is shared with.
secure11 commentedon Jun 2, 2017
jancborchardt commentedon Jun 3, 2017
What are your takes here @karlitschek @schiessle @nickvergessen?
If I remember correctly we deliberately chose this path because lots of people mentioned they wanted to use their own ordering.
If however most other solutions do it in the way as described here, and our way results in confusion, we should adjust it. :)
secure11 commentedon Jun 4, 2017
47 remaining items
agentlibre commentedon Feb 11, 2020
I read it too as an issue rather than a feature. I'm promoting FOSS to layperson users within my organization and this naming desync creates a lot of confusion and mistrust. I love NextCloud and would like to contribute further to its development to the best of my abilities; yet, this renaming issue is a hard blow for proper collaborative work.
Another note: can't tell whether it is related or not, but it seems I cannot delete a "main" folder for the others without having it re-appear on their own web interface...
Isn't there some sort of ownership's right attached to a folder you create? This could perhaps be a first lead to solve the issue.
madhums commentedon Feb 26, 2020
It's not intuitive to ask each user to rename a folder or to get everyone on the same page for a folder name, especially if you are working in a big team with thousands of people. Could you please fix this?
jospoortvliet commentedon Feb 26, 2020
I think that there are two cases here.
Scenario one: shared workspace for a team or entire organization
You want to share a folder with a team because it is to be a shared resource, a place where the team works in and with for an extended time. Say a Marketing folder, or the Engineering folder. You share because you are the manager or just put in charge of creating and distributing this resource. You might be an admin or sub-admin. As potentially many people have access to the shared resource, to keep everyone 'on the same page' it is easiest if the name stays under your control. You are essentially enforcing a way of working and organizing to facilitate smooth collaboration in a larger group.
This is clearly what @madhums is talking about at #2063 (comment)
Scenario two: a one-off share
You uploaded a few docs you are working on with one or two colleagues. This is kind of a scratch space, something you work on for a week or maybe two. You share because you just happened to be the one who gathered or created the content, not because you have a special role, most certainly you're not an admin. As only a few people have access, it's best if the resource fits in everybody's own workflow. They can move the folder or, yes, even give it another name - if that's easier for them to remember what it was about. It is a temporary resource so your priority is to lower the barrier for the few ppl working on this and let them work how they prefer.
This was described by #2063 (comment)
So, I think we actually have a 'perfect' solution for this and should close this issue. But first I want to point out that this isn't much of a private user issue - we cover scenario 2 (which is a typical SMB/private user case) just fine, with the default.
If you're a business and you had a subscription, as part of onboarding, you would have discussed how you work with us. And we'd have told you what the best way of dealing with such issues is: create a groupfolder. That does EXACTLY what you need, with a few added bonusses: people can't unshare it, you can set fine grained access control lists and more. If you work with 'thousands of people' like @madhums does then yes, this is your solution, don't just share a folder with everyone because that will get you in trouble.
Consider this free advice - and consider the loss in productivity your thousands of people experienced because you didn't simply discuss this with the right experts earlier on in the setup of your instance.
GillesMocellin commentedon Feb 26, 2020
Hi @jospoortvliet,
Last time I checked, groupfolders do not work with encryption (server side). That's a blocker for some enterprises.
nickvergessen commentedon Feb 27, 2020
Since groupfolders can not be external storages atm, the argument of serverside encryption is invalid as per our explanation (warning box on https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/18/admin_manual/configuration_files/encryption_configuration.html )
GillesMocellin commentedon Feb 28, 2020
Ok, another downside of groupfolders.
So we should have a better way to share files with external storage and encryption.
My use case needs scalability and big storage, so I aim to use external object storage via S3.
joeltheukranian commentedon Apr 1, 2020
My client needs the rename to work as well. Each user does not want a name other than the original name given. Most of the people using it are non-techies, so having "labels" and names will likely confuse them. Please advise on your plan.
They are looking seriously into paid support. Because we will need it.
My suggestion would be an addon that forces rename across the board to all users. Or a configuration change (ofcourse) "force_rename_propagation = true".
Excpt0r commentedon Sep 9, 2021
@jospoortvliet
Thanks for the free advice.
Just my free feedback, no complaint. I like OSS to succeed.
handkerchief333 commentedon Feb 5, 2023
EddyLB commentedon Feb 16, 2023
More detrimental is that the share is also lost if the user having shared the folder renames it afterwards. A really big issue.
solracsf commentedon May 12, 2023
To be clear here, ATM, the options are:
If you're using GroupFolders, i could also recommend Workspace (requires GroupFolders): https://github.com/arawa/workspace
kaffeeringe commentedon Jul 22, 2024
I spent half a day today trying to find out why a share can have a different name for me than for a colleague. I then came across this ancient thread and was initially horrified that this was supposed to be an intentional behavior of Nextcloud.
However, it can be practical if people set up their Nextcloud in the way that suits them best.
But you should really think about how organizations should work with Nextcloud. Creating a functional account that creates and shares all shared resources is an okay solution: Folders, address book, calendar, etc.
It is inconsistent if you have to set up shared folders via an external app, but have to create and share other resources via a functional account.
It would actually make sense if an admin could create a new workgroup including resources and assign the necessary accounts to this workgroup. Currently, you have to do all this manually: https://kaffeeringe.de/2024/07/02/projektmanagement-mit-nextcloud/
timirons commentedon Sep 6, 2024
This is still a major problem for us. Maybe we could have a setting to fix folder names as it is a nightmare. All we can do is unshare and reshare.
I can understand the two use cases, but for corporate file structures, it doesn't work very well at all.
Mathias-U1F596 commentedon Oct 15, 2026
The user who shares a folder should have the option to decide whether renaming the folder also changes its name for recipients. However, this behavior should not be hardcoded or enforced by the developers as the only possible option. It should be configurable, allowing users to choose the behavior that best fits their needs.