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Contributor kramer65 on Nautilus

Nautilus should have a progress bar for those files you're downloading  
Written by ironfisher the 23 Mar 10 at 15:52. New
Nautilus should have a progress bar for those files you're downloading so it let you know if the folder where you are has some files being downloaded and they might be corrupted.

Of course, this can be extended to the files being transferred (copy/move).

For example: You are downloading some file with transmission. Let's say "movie.mkv" on the folder "Downloads". If you go to that folder Nautilus should tell you that the file might be corrupted. So if you open it, totem will fail.

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Solution #1: Nautilus plugin that show the progressbar and sync whith the download manager
Written by ironfisher the 23 Mar 10 at 15:52.
Nautilus can have some plugins to get the progress status and show a progressbar on the file (below or wherever)

For example: A plugin may get from Transmission the percent number of the progress for the file. This progress is shown as a progressbar below the file
157
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Solution #2: That plugin may be in the downloader program
Written by ironfisher the 23 Mar 10 at 15:55.
Transmission, for example, tells Nautilus to show a progress bar as the file is not completed.
-156
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Solution #3: Additional ".download" file
Written by michele74 the 23 Mar 10 at 19:23.
A simple way to do this, is that other programs like web browsers and download manager write an additional file, for example, with extension ".download" and a dot prefix.
This file should be like a conf/ini file, with lines like "progress=59%".
When download finished, the file is deleted.
-125
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Solution #4: Just notify that the file is being downloaded
Written by la_serpe the 23 Mar 10 at 20:00.
Use a different icon for "files in progress" so it would be clear that the file is currently being downloaded. Let the browses download plugin to do the rest.
408
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Solution #5: Use D-Bus/create a daemon for all file transfers
Written by matyy the 25 Mar 10 at 10:50.
Well I am not really clear about the technical side of it all, so someone else has to "refine" it. My idea is that it should be a consistent solution for all kind of file transfers - accessible for a lot of download programs and file browsers. A solution just for transmission and nautilus wouldn't be much more than a dirty hack.

When you have a daemon that controls all file transfers it can manage the download status and send notifications when downloads are done. This could also solve idea 24057 ( http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/24057/ ).

The best would be if you could configure everything at one place than - tell it where progress bars are shown, when it should send notifications and so on.


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Solution #6: Make it themeable
Written by forteller the 28 Mar 10 at 17:14.
This is a fantastic idea, but some people might not like the way it looks in this mockup. Some would like to have a progress bar underneath the file, some would like a bar on top of the icon, some might rather want the percentage shown on top of the icon, or in a small badge in the top right corner of the icon, etc.. It should be easy for theme creators to change the look and feel of this.
66
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Solution #7: File/dir metadata: target size
Written by sllih the 30 Mar 10 at 19:48.
Add target size as additional metadata of files or directories. Then show and update progress bar by the difference between target and actual size.
For example, the target size is 10MB and the actual size is 5MB, so the progress is 50%. This could work even if downloading is paused, postponed or abandoned.
3
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Solution #8: xattr
Written by a.shaferov the 22 Apr 10 at 13:52.
Extended attributes:
- downloaded_from
- downloaded_percent
- downloaded_by - application which downloads this file of dir. To use in context menu.

Update attributes from download manager (or torrent client).
Simple plugin to display info from xattrs.
10
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Solution #9: Also add a progress bar for files that are moved to another location
Written by elypter the 27 May 10 at 19:19.
to be able to distinguish it the download progress should be aligned to the right
eg:
_________######
instead of:
######_________

See the 14 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 26 Feb 13 at 06:01) >>

Auto unmount after copy finished  
Written by marlinc the 12 Mar 12 at 22:54. New
I was thinking about a way to make Nautilus automaticlly unmount a USB-drive after a copy finished
12
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Solution #1: Checkbox
Written by marlinc the 12 Mar 12 at 22:54.
You could make a little checkbox in the bottom that says: Automatically unmount after copy
9
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Solution #2: Smarter unmount
Written by AmanicA the 20 Mar 12 at 11:50.
I think if the user tries to unmount a device that is in use it should tell you what is using it and in the case of active copy processes, it should give you an estimate time until the unmounting or progressbar and allow you to cancel.
0
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Solution #3: Add an action queue
Written by snecci the 8 Apr 12 at 13:46.
Add actions to a queue, so you can add "copy file" and then "unmount".

See the 4 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 12 Apr 12 at 07:59) >>

Nautilus context menu : "Copy to" / "Move to"  
Written by l0xin the 2 Sep 10 at 23:39. Not an idea
Home folder sub-folders as targets would be nice.
36
votes
closed
Solution #1: Provide home folder targets
Written by l0xin the 2 Sep 10 at 23:39.
Provide the Ubuntu sub-folders of the home folder (Music / Documents / Videos) as targets.
22
votes
closed
Solution #2: Make it like Firefox's bookmarks
Written by Darwin Survivor the 3 Sep 10 at 04:41.
When you bookmark something in firefox, it lists the last 5 folders you placed bookmarks in before. Beside that is a little down-arrow that when clicked opens a sort of "save file" dialog so you can save it anywheres.

This would be really useful in nautilus.
57
votes
closed
Solution #3: Places folders as targets
Written by la_serpe the 3 Sep 10 at 15:55.
Use folders from Places menu instead.
-12
votes
closed
Solution #4: #3 + Bookmarks
Written by Glaedr the 8 Sep 10 at 17:01.
You can select both places and bookmaks of nautilus as target...
-5
votes
closed
Solution #5: Save-As type dialog
Written by Darwin Survivor the 16 Sep 10 at 07:55.
Having an option that allows you to browse to a folder in a "save-as" type window would be very nice.
1
votes
closed
Solution #6: Both folders and save-as
Written by flyamer the 12 May 11 at 06:53.
There should be a possibility for saving both to chosen folders immedialety, and an option to choose a different folder anywhere in the system with "save as"-type dialog.
2
votes
closed
Solution #7: Add "Browse folders" to "Copy To" and "Move To".
Written by Voidcode the 21 Jun 11 at 00:52.


See the 2 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 29 Oct 11 at 16:47) >>

Show a status-bar in nautilus when loading contents of a large folder  
Written by kramer65 the 6 Jan 09 at 16:33. Not an idea
I often have to load folders which contain a lot of pictures or music. This always takes some time which is very annoying.

It would be nice to see some kind of status bar which shows how far nautilus is in reading the contents of the folder.
237
votes
closed
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #17080
Written by kramer65 the 6 Jan 09 at 16:33.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #17080 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!
186
votes
closed
Solution #2: Show file list quickly - then start metadata retrieval process
Written by marvo the 14 Jan 09 at 11:44.
A status bar is just prettyfying the symptoms of a bad design.
Nautilus ought to display the sorted file list immediately (in fractions of a second) and then start to build the thumbnails and retrieve the meta information.
43
votes
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Solution #3: Show files that will fit in Nautilus window quickly
Written by Lex the 15 Jan 09 at 20:27.
It is important to show files that will fit on the screen quickly.
1) first files fit in the Natilus window without metadata
2) load up metadata for files
3) load rest without metadata (starting with files near "view")
4) load metadata for rest
-23
votes
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Solution #4: Thumbnail large folders automatically
Written by Shane Fagan the 19 Jan 09 at 22:42.
Create a small thumbnail containing a file list and sizes of the files. This would be done when a folder becomes bigger than like 100mb.

See the 18 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 19 Oct 11 at 14:36) >>

home folder contains many auto generated non-personal files and folders  
Written by choad the 10 Mar 09 at 15:12. New
at the moment the default file browser view is set to your home directory, but this directory is also used for a lot of system-ish files and folders. for example in my home directory i have



i know this is not the default view, but even so this is the kind of thing an ubuntu user ends up looking at after they've used their computer for a while and populated it with their own stuff.

it's kind of sterile and non personal. it's also confusing to the novice, they may think "well if this is my folder, what are all these files/folders that i didn't create?"
-247
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Solution #1: have a "My Files" directory to further separate your personal files
Written by choad the 10 Mar 09 at 15:12.
By default have the file browser view open in "My Files"



but have "home" right there in the path bar, so it's just one click away.
-516
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Solution #2: Use Desktop for storing files
Written by Psycho_zs the 10 Mar 09 at 18:59.
and leave ~/ for configs stuff
127
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Solution #3: Keep as is (Let the user organize her own files)
Written by aysiu the 10 Mar 09 at 19:57.
I don't see a problem here. My home directory doesn't look like that.
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Solution #4: Use ~/Documents for user-created files
Written by Cé the 11 Mar 09 at 11:00.
The directory ~/Documents already exist in Ubuntu, so the only change needed is the link in the "Places" menubar, and the default place when the filebrowser start.
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Solution #5: Use ~/.config for app settings
Written by fmorel90 the 11 Mar 09 at 14:56.
Convince developers to put their application settings under ~./config so that the Home folder looks neater even when hidden files are shown.
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Solution #8: Make the .hidden file more accessible
Written by zeroangelmk1 the 28 Mar 09 at 18:20.
~/.hidden is a text file which is supposed to allow the file manager to prevent certain files and folders in the home from being viewed in normal mode (unless 'view hidden files' is enabled). Mentioning this in a tip dialogue or creating a link to a program which edits this file for the user would be useful.
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Solution #10: Gconf
Written by cheesehead the 25 Mar 09 at 00:39.
Use Gconf for many config settings. That's what it's for, it's already included in the default install, and it offers many benefits to the apps that use it. Including KDE apps (Gconf does not require Gnome).
Many upstream projects could use volunteer love to help convert from .conf files to Gconf settings.
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Solution #13: use an enviroment variable
Written by benpicco the 26 Mar 09 at 03:12.
EDIT: So just use $XDG_CONFIG_HOME
http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-0.6.html

By using an environment variable, everyone can decide where the config goes - one could even set $XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/tmp/ to try something out without overwriting the existing configuration - or having multiple configs for the same application with no effort. It's a flexible solution which would be even more easy to implement. (considering applications use getenv("HOME") to determine the home folder, the only change would be to replace getenv("HOME") with getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME").)
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Solution #14: make one or the other set of folders LOOK different
Written by codexx the 1 Apr 09 at 06:08.
Either make the user folders or the autogenerated folders, have different icons.

This can be done in addition to other suggestions and i imagine be relatively simple
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Solution #18: Add Hidden button to Nautilus
Written by jamesisin the 7 Apr 09 at 06:26.
It certainly would help these matters if there was a simple button which would allow us to toggle hidden files on and off.
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Solution #19: Allow us to simply right click individual files or folders, and "hide" them
Written by tchalvakspam the 9 Apr 09 at 02:42.
Often app or config files and folders -can't- be moved, or renamed with a dot, or perhaps they will just be frequently auto-created even if they were moved. So we need to be able to just hide files or folders that we don't want to see ourselves, but still get used in that location by applications. Make that simple to do from the right click menu.
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Solution #20: Relocating .dotfiles and .folders to Library Folder under $HOME
Written by mykeus the 10 Oct 09 at 07:05.
I tend to edit configurations alot and one thing i did like about OSX was making use of Library Folder under each user home directory.

$HOME/.config are conforming to old standard and is it nasty.

$HOME/library not only can we eliminate the .dotfile orgy in each directory and better organize the home structure, but it would assist in user accessible files. ex. ruby gems, perl modules, skins, icons.
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Solution #21: Report Upstream Bugs for every GUI-App not conforming to freedesktop.org
Written by xeniac the 3 Oct 09 at 23:31.
Every graphical Application in Ubuntu should be conform to the Basedir Spec from the Free Desktop Project (See:
http://standards.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/latest/index.html)

* User specific config files should be stored in gconf, or in $HOME/.config

* named pipes, cache-files, and any other application data should be saved under $HOME/.local/share/$APP_NAME

Every GUI application that does not conform to this spec, should be cousiderd faulty and a bug should be reported to fix it in upstream.

Pure CLI Packages should'nt be affected by this, to preserve UNIX compatibility.
-15
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Solution #22: Prevent removing.
Written by Lachu the 29 Oct 09 at 18:30.
Prevent user from removing this files/directories. Each hidden file in user home directory should been protected from being removed by user. Nautilus, Dolphin, etc. should show warning messages in this situation.

See the 23 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 8 Oct 11 at 18:24) >>

Opening files with applications  
Written by pubsbin the 8 Aug 09 at 04:13. New
If you have a file, like a document or a picture, it's quite difficult to open it with some special application.

Example:
I have a drawing, MyFile.svg (scalable vector graphics). I have seen it but now i want to modify it, but Inkscape is not installed and therefore it doesm't appear in the "Open With" menu.

For opening MyFile.svg with Inkscape i have to:
- Open Add-Remove Applications
- Choose Inkscape and install it.
- Go back to the file and execute Open With.

This process could be simplified.
79
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Solution #1: Add possible installable applications in Open With Menu
Written by pubsbin the 8 Aug 09 at 04:13.
The "Open With" menu, in addition of showing all the available applications, it could also have an option for
installing another related application and, once installed, opening the file with it.

In our case, the Open With menu for MyFile.svg would include an option
"Inkscape (must install)".

When choosed, Ubuntu will install Inkscape and then open the file. With one click.
33
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Solution #2: Similar to Solution #1, but make it a separate area
Written by Darwin Survivor the 8 Aug 09 at 23:50.
Instead of listing all the possible applications that could be used to open the file (xml is HUGE), simply adding a "search for other software to open this file" button which would then open a window showing software to install would enable the same functionality while keeping the original application selection window un-cluttered.
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Solution #3: Propose the "most used" option
Written by Rodrigo the 9 Aug 09 at 20:25.
Ubuntu has feedback on user (well those that agree) so the "open with" could have something like:
- "the most used option by other users to open this kind of file is:" ZZZZZZ
or something similar.
That way if a user comes from a different OS, and does not know which program he/she has to use to open that file the system gives him a hint.
7
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Solution #4: Edit button in all viewing programs
Written by germclown the 24 Aug 09 at 08:38.
Encourage all file-viewing programs to have an "edit" button. Edit button will open an installed program associated with that file. (This could have a dropdown a la Firefox Back/Forward if multiple options exist.) Failing that, a package manager will open with that file type as a search term. Search starts automatically. To help this, encourage devs to list files supported in a base install, and files supported through known plugins, as part of their package descriptions. Perhaps a notifier to explain the newly opened window.

This will only reduce the number of steps if the user is already viewing the file when they decide to edit it. But it will be significantly more user-friendly in all cases.
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Solution #5: Install applications on-demand. File extension based.
Written by another_sam the 24 May 10 at 09:56.
Comes from
http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/24921/

1.- On the repositories, each available application publishes which file extensions is able to work with.

2.- At home, user double-clicks a file with an extension for which there is not an application associated to in his system. Eg: ".rar".

3.- Ubuntu offers a number of applications that claim to be able to work with that extension. The most popular is pre-selected.

4.- User clicks "Next", system asks for password, user enters the password, system installs the application, system associates the ".rar" extension with that application, and finally system opens that file with that application.

This is application installing on-demand. Maybe not feasible in proprietary systems. Why not on Ubuntu?
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Solution #6: Add right-click menu option: Open with > search in USC
Written by bruno9779 the 26 May 10 at 12:08.
This function could be implemented as an extension to the Ubuntu Software Centre.

The user would right click a file and find as first submenu of "Open with": "search USC for compatible apps".

if clicked, the results in USC for that extension are displayed on screen.

Some short description of the extension specifications could also be provided.

The Ubuntu team would also be relieved of the task of choosing "the app" for any file extension.

A great advantage is also that using the apt-based USC, all additional repositories that an user may have added, are taken into consideration.

See the 8 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 15 Jun 10 at 18:03) >>

Better visualization of unmounted drives in Nautilus  
Written by gazilla the 15 May 09 at 03:38. Implemented
When a drive (USB disk, etc) is mounted the view in Nautilus is like this (see ATOM)...


When the drive is unmounted, but not yet removed, the view changes to this...


As the visualization of the drive is very similar to other mounted drives it is difficult to tell which drives are mounted and which are not.

Please vote for the solution you like and only vote down the other solutions if you think they are wrong in some way (and a comment would be nice).
-347
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#1): Move the icon and drive name to a new section
Written by gazilla the 15 May 09 at 03:38.
Create a new section in the Places panel to house unmounted drives, like this...

848
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#2): Grey out the icon and drive name
Written by gazilla the 15 May 09 at 03:54.
Simply grey out the icon and the name of the drive, like this... (see also Solution #5)

-317
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#3): Both Solution#1 AND Solution#2
Written by gazilla the 15 May 09 at 03:59.
Create the new section in the Places panel and put the greyed out icon and drive name there, like this...

258
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#4): Add a (re)mount icon
Written by Valsodarg the 20 May 09 at 23:57.
Add a mount icon (simplest is to invert the unmount icon and change color to green)


392
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#5): Combine Solution #2 and Solution #4
Written by nizarus the 24 May 09 at 09:56.
Solution#2 for visibility and Solution#4 for simplicity (simple click to mount)
Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us
-88
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#6): enhanced Solution #1 and #4
Written by derLars the 24 May 09 at 14:37.
I think there should be a permanent section of mountable/mounted places instead of the current mix of places, mountables and bookmarks.

Having an own section for it and having a proper marking of unmounted entries (preferably skinable, since I personally don't like the greying out and would prefer something like plain italics) would greatly benefit the usability.
-155
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#7): Different Background Colour
Written by kir360 the 25 May 09 at 16:11.
I think the graying out of the unmounted devices may induce the ill feeling that the driving is not working properly( might be with the windows culture :P ...

so I propose a different background color for the mounted and unmounted devices.. like an orange background for the mounted devices... that must make it easy to distinguish b/w the mounted and unmounted devices...

See the 11 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 15 Oct 09 at 00:09) >>

Make drag-n-drop easier by only bringing window to front when it is "unclicked"  
Written by kramer65 the 3 Feb 09 at 12:38. New
I often want to drag-and-drop a lot of files from one folder to another one. I then have the source folder maximised and the folder where it should go on top of it in a smaller size.

I then click on the files which I selected in the source folder which is in the background and want to drag it to the new folder which is (smaller) in the front. When I click-and-hold the files however, the folder on the front disappears and I always have to drag to the panel ... wait ... folder opens ... and drag on to the new folder.

If you do this very often it gets really annoying.

It would be easier if a window is only selected when you "unclick" your mouse button.
15
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Solution #1: Only bring folder to front if mouse is "unclicked"
Written by kramer65 the 3 Feb 09 at 12:38.
So when I click-and-hold you should be able to drag the file sonto the folder which is in the front.
Only when I click-and-let-go it should bring the folder you click from the background to the front.
17
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Solution #2: Use the taskbar for dropping the files
Written by fazillatheef the 4 Feb 09 at 04:45.
In this case the files selected should be dropped in the taskbar (where nautilus task is shown ) causing the files to go to the folder that is opened in nautilus. This maybe a major change . But can be used to open files for other applications(other than nautilus).

Just my thought
-3
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Solution #3: Set your destination window to "always on top" or use the compiz scale plugin.
Written by r0g the 5 Feb 09 at 04:29.
Right clicking the destination window's top bar and seting it to "always on top" would solve your problem but, IMHO, there is an even better solution.

If you set up the compiz scale plugin (built in) to trigger on a corner (I have mine set up to trigger on the bottom left) you can drag a file to the corner - exposing all the open windows like expose does on the mac - and then hover over the target to change focus to it and drop.

Works like a charm without resorting to the bottom panel (which is the first thing I remove on a fresh install) or changing the fundamentals of the windowing system.

See the 4 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 9 Feb 09 at 09:35) >>

Notifier when File Operation finishes  
Written by seppo0010 the 10 Oct 08 at 04:11. New
Copying a large amount of files or a huge file takes a long time and you might be expecting it to finish to do something else.
However Nautilus doesn't have any kind of notification when this finishes, just closes the copying windows.
34
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Solution #1: Optional popup notification
Written by seppo0010 the 10 Oct 08 at 04:11.
Have a checkbox on the copying window that let's you enable a finish notification popup.
1
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Solution #2: Use standard Ubuntu Notifications to notify process completion.
Written by bhishan the 13 Dec 10 at 17:15.
Use standard Ubuntu Notifications that appear at the top-right corner to notify process completion.

See the 9 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 30 Nov 08 at 09:54) >>