nextcloud / nextcloud/text

Text app locks files, and doesn't release the lock, when invoked through the desktop client

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#8,769 5 comments 5 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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1. to develop bug
Dominant language
JavaScript
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Forks
133
Avg merge
1d 20h
Merged PRs (30d)
110

Description

Describe the bug

Under GNOME, with the nautilus-nextcloud extension, it is possible to open the Text app directly from the local file manager. The Text app locks the file, which the desktop client turns read-only locally, but when the browser window is closed, the lock is not released, and the local file remains read-only.

The lock is indefinite, and there is no way to unlock the file, except maybe through the web-interface, but this workflow doesn't use the web-interface.

To Reproduce

  1. Open a synced folder in GNOME Files
  2. Right-click on a markdown file, select Nextcloud, and Open in browser.
  3. Make a change to the file in the new browser window.
  4. The local file now turns read-only.
  5. Close the browser windows.
  6. The local file remains read-only.

Expected behaviour

The file should be unlocked when the editor is closed, and the local file should return to its previous permissions.

Server details:

  • Nextcloud version: 34.0.0
  • PHP Version: 8.4.21
  • Database: MariaDB 11.8.6

Client details:

  • OS: Debian Trixie
  • Browser: Firefox
  • Browser version: 140.12.0esr
  • Device: various laptops
Logs
Nextcloud log (data/nextcloud.log)

There are messages like these:

[notes] Error: Controller failed with OCP\Lock\ManuallyLockedException
	PUT /index.php/apps/notes/api/v1/notes/1044138?
	from 192.168.1.243 by historywalks at 13 giu 2026, 08:59:21

[webdav] Error: Exception thrown: Sabre\DAV\Exception\Locked
	PUT /remote.php/dav/files/historywalks/Notes/Early%20history/Refugees.md
	from 192.168.100.10 by historywalks at 12 giu 2026, 13:22:07

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by reproducing the GNOME Files and browser workflow, then trace the notes API PUT and WebDAV lock messages shown in the issue. Identify where the editor-close lifecycle should release the lock; done means the local file becomes writable again after the browser windows close, without requiring the web interface.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
javascript
Domain
api, backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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