qvm-open-in-(d)vm behaviour with directories

[alimirjamali]

How to file a helpful issue

Qubes OS release

R4.2

Brief summary

According to a user on forum:

However, qvm-open-in-vm does not work correctly when I’m giving it a directory.

User tries to open a directory in a disposable and got confused, expecting it to be copied to Disposable and be opened in File Manager.

Steps to reproduce

• Run qvm-open-in-dvm DIRECTORY
• A DispVM is spawned
• It shuts down immediately

Expected behavior

Either show an error message if the target is not a regular file; or copy the entire directory to destination VM and open it in Thunar (or applicable File Manager)

Actual behavior

Confusion

[unman]

Since both manpage and help state that these apply to files, the "expected behavior" is misplaced. If anything I favor the first option - error message - what about all those other possible targets that wont work?

[alimirjamali]

what about all those other possible targets that wont work?

The patch I submitted exactly does that. Clear error message on targets that won't work (directories, symlink, ...). But we have to consider that this tool is also used to open URLs. So it had to be allowed in the conditions.

[andrewdavidwong]

Since both manpage and help state that these apply to files, the "expected behavior" is misplaced.

In Linux, directories are files.