'Permissions dialog' on directories requires TWO mouse clicks to grant a permission

[Jeremy7701]

 * Nemo version (5.2.4)
 * Is issue with desktop or windowed nemo?
 * Distribution - (LMDE5.)
 * Graphics hardware *and* driver used
 * 64 bit

Issue

When using the nemo permissions dialog to grant extra authority on a directory, a single left-click does not have any effect.
A double-click or two separate left-clicks are required.
Removal of a permission, does however, only require a single left-click.

Note:- Changing the Control theme from Mint-Y to Mint-X appears to solve this problem.

Steps to reproduce

Create a directory.
Use the permissions dialog, clicking once on an empty permission; close dialog.
Use the permissions dialog a second time and observe that no extra permission has been granted.

Repeat the above, only this time click twice (or double click) on an empty permission; close dialog.
Use the permissions dialog a second time and observe that it worked correctly.

Expected behaviour

I would expect a single left-click to be sufficient.

Other information

Note that ordinary files work correctly - no double clicking is required.

[ghost]

Not using LMDE so I may be wrong but are you sure this is not a theme thing? As I recall those checkboxes are three-state and at least in a Mint-X theme under regular Mint the three-state is clearly visible. Maybe the theme you're using is incomplete or defective lacking the proper checkbox images to illustrate the intermediary state. My apologies if that is not the case.

[Jeremy7701]

Not quite the default theme, in that I'm using a Mint-X icon theme.
I'm referring to the folder permissions, not the file permissions (which are clearly tri-state).
I wonder if the folder permissions are being treated as tri-state - but with two of the states being 'off'?

Example:-

[ghost]

The Controls part in your setup - according to the screenshot - is still Mint-Y, and that is precisely responsible for the checkbox icons.
In my Mint 19.2 with Mint-X Pink Controls the folder properties for i.e. the Music folder in Home do allow three states.

However, considering the files checkboxes do display the intermediary state images we can conclude that indeed there is a bug somewhere in the code, maybe a typo that calls a nonexistant variable or something similar.

[Jeremy7701]

However, considering the files checkboxes do display the intermediary state images we can conclude that indeed there is a bug somewhere in the code, maybe a typo that calls a nonexistant variable or something similar.

@Drugwash2 Thank you so much!!!
I've changed my Control theme from plain Mint-Y to plain Mint-X
There is virtually no change (visually) except that the bug disappears.

Have to wonder what choosing the third state ( the '-' indicator ) means for folder properties.
It seems to be mean "don't change the permission setting".

Perhaps it is only meant to have some effect for sub-folders in conjunction with "apply permissions to enclosed files"???

[ghost]

You're welcome, glad you found a solution albeit being a workaround.

The intermediary state could mean 'inherit from parent'. Not sure though, all this all permissions thing gives me headaches after about 20 years with Windows 98 SE.

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

I have the same or a similar problem but on Mint 21.0 Cinnamon and with seemingly any file or directory. The problem is with the 'execute' box (pictured below): two clicks are needed to alter the state of that box.

[Jeremy7701]

See #2988 (comment) & #2988 (comment) for a workround.
Because it is theme dependent it will affect any file/directory.
I still don't know what the third state (the '-') actually means, in a directory permission.

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

Thank you, Jeremy - but I am unsure what the workaround is. Is the workaround to use the Mint-X theme?

The bug at issue here seems pretty serious. Someone should see whether it is present on Mint 21.1 beta - except, ah, the beta is now closed.

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

Also: if someone will point me the relevant file within Nemo source's code, I could make an attempt to determine the cause of the problem.

[Jeremy7701]

The workround for me was to use Mint-X because it had a theme which was very similar to the Mint-Y theme I was using.
Although some themes implement the tri-state display, I'm not convinced that the "apply permissions to enclosed files" actually does anything.
I have not tested it, though.

For example:-

1. Is it recursive?
   Suppose we have A/B/filename and B has no write permissions, but A does; what permissions does 'filename' get if I apply permissions to the enclosed files of A.
2. If a file has a different owner to that of the directory - what happens?
3. Does the +X flag on a directory get copied?
   etc...

[Jeremy7701]

Choosing a Mint-X-Aqua instead of Mint-Y-Aqua for the "Applications" Theme is the workround, to display tri-state permissions.

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

Jeremy: thanks again.

There's a separate bug report (namely, #3000) for the 'apply permissions to enclosed files'.

The bug with which I myself am concerned here is not that one (the 'enclosed files' one) nor anything to do with 'tri-state' permissions _but concerns rather the simple 'allow executing the file as program' tick-bo_x. Admittedly though originally this bug report (#2988) was about 'using the nemo permissions dialog to grant extra authority on a directory'; still, the bug with which I am concerned does fall under the title of this bug report (that title being, '"Permissions dialog" on directories requires TWO mouse clicks to grant a permission').

[alexeymuranov]

Still an issue on LM 21.1.

If it is hard to figure out the double-click workaround.

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

It would be good were this bug - or is it two bugs? - got fixed in time for Mint 21.2!