ADR 0174: video selection and file actions
Date: 2026-09-05 Status: Accepted
Context
Section titled “Context”Reviewing several video files required a separate Play click for each preview. File actions were concentrated in the preview header, so copying a path or downloading a file first required opening it.
Decision
Section titled “Decision”Video previews attempt playback when opened. An adjacent Autoplay videos switch defaults to on and persists in browser storage across file viewers and tabs. Changing the switch affects subsequent opens. Enabling it does not start an already paused video. Native video controls remain available, and a browser that refuses automatic playback gets a short instruction to press Play.
Selecting the video already in the preview sends a pause request. It preserves the position and never resumes or restarts a paused video. Selection intent travels through React context so a repeat click before metadata or the renderer loads also suppresses the pending automatic start. A play/pause toggle on the file card was rejected because repeat clicks would unexpectedly resume playback.
File cards and list rows expose the same actions through right-click, an always-visible ellipsis button, and the keyboard context-menu shortcut. Opening a menu does not open its target file or change playback. Menu actions cover previewing, opening another tab, downloads, path/name/link copying, containing folders, native file-manager reveal, folder pinning, and refresh. Folder menus omit file-only operations. Existing file endpoints continue to enforce access policy; this change adds no filesystem mutation endpoint.
The menu is a viewport-clamped portal with arrow-key navigation, Home/End, Escape dismissal, and focus restoration. Keeping it outside the scrolling file list prevents clipping at pane boundaries. Triggers are separate buttons, so clicking the ellipsis cannot also activate the file card.
This defines local file browsing behavior. Autoplay is a preference within the browser profile and origin, not an account setting synchronized between devices.
Result
Section titled “Result”The production build passed 21 browser interaction checks with no runtime errors. Checks covered audible autoplay under normal browser policy, repeat selection while playing or paused, selection before metadata loaded, saved preferences, file and folder actions, keyboard navigation, and menu placement on desktop and mobile. TypeScript, formatting, and 10 adjacent browse and HTML preview tests also passed.