[gstreamer-bugs] [Bug 557154] New: Allow totem to run without write-access to home directory

[GStreamer (bugzilla.gnome.org)]

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  GStreamer | gstreamer (core) | Ver: 0.10.21
           Summary: Allow totem to run without write-access to home
                    directory
           Product: GStreamer
           Version: 0.10.21
          Platform: Other
        OS/Version: All
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: normal
          Priority: Normal
         Component: gstreamer (core)
        AssignedTo: gstreamer-bugs at lists.sourceforge.net
        ReportedBy: mfburdett at gmail.com
         QAContact: gstreamer-bugs at lists.sourceforge.net
     GNOME version: 2.21/2.22
   GNOME milestone: Unspecified


Please describe the problem:
I would like to be able to run totem and totem-video-thumbnailer without write
access to the user's home directory (or without even having a home directory),
for security reasons.  The apps are launched via automated processes and
running as an un-privileged (or, under-privileged) user.

I noticed that after upgrading from gstreamer 0.10.20 to gstreamer 0.10.21,
totem-video-thumbnailer did not function without write access to its home
directory, presumably to write to ~/.gnome2 or ~/.gstreamer-0.10 directory. 
After creating a home directory and giving the user write access,
totem-video-thumbnailer functioned as expected.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Attempt to use totem-video-thumbnailer to create a thumbnail as a user with
a nonexistent home directory.

Actual results:
No thumbnail is created.

Expected results:
If you create a writable home directory, totem-video-thumbnailer now creates a
thumbnail.

Does this happen every time?
Yes.

Other information:
I am not sure if this bug is in gstreamer or totem.  Also I only tested on the
released versions of gnome and gstreamer specified.


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