No camera option on the attachment menu

[Utopiah]

• Operating System : Linux (DanctNix on PineTab2)
• Delta Chat Version: https://download.delta.chat/desktop/v1.46.8/deltachat-desktop-1.46.8-arm64.tar.gz
• Expected behavior: In a chat, when clicking on the attachment menu, a "Camera" option should appear
• Actual behavior: only Files and Contacts appear, Video also once configured
• Steps to reproduce the problem:
• Screenshots:
• Logs:

Edit: the (external) camera does work at it was tested in a video call initiated by Delta Chat Desktop.

[Simon-Laux]

Using mobile linux is currently not a supported use case on deltachat desktop, for mobile linux deltatouch exists. That being said, depending on the effort we could think about adding this, though I'm not sure how this option would fit a desktop client.

@r10s, @nicodh, @WofWca what do you think?

[Utopiah]

I'm not sure how this option would fit a desktop client.

Well the idea here is to take photos of things, just like with a mobile really.

Thanks for the link to deltatouch, it could indeed be a good way even though packaging does not really seem ready https://codeberg.org/lk108/deltatouch/issues/1 except for Ubuntu.

Alternatively, is there a "pure" Web client I could rely on then with the camera to take photos feature? Taking photos and sending them is a core part of my use case.

PS: I can't give too much details on the why but it's basically for people who can't easily or conveniently write, they could still use delta-chat to send send images of sketches and things to communicate, so basically inclusiveness.

[r10s]

though I'm not sure how this option would fit a desktop client

it may be of some limited use, eg. whatsapp and telegram have it as well (though i never needed that, just noticed it when checking the menu :) it may also underline the independence of a phone. i cannot judge the effort.

but it is not important right now.

this is a feature request that is in competition with all other feature request at https://support.delta.chat/c/features/6 , so i suggest to move discussion over there and close this issue.

[WofWca]

Perhaps we could conditionally disable this if we detect that it's a "regular" PC with only the front camera.

For reference, Telegram Desktop doesn't have such a feature (update: only on Windows. on MacOS it does), but WhatsApp Desktop does.

About the implementation: AFAIK there is no such a built-in "camera" widget, where you can switch cameras, choose between video and audio, etc, so this is not super trivial.

[r10s]

Perhaps we could conditionally disable this if we detect that it's a "regular" PC with only the front camera.

EDIT: why? as pointed out above, the idea is to take photos eg. of things from desktop. and why not a selfie? :)

For reference, Telegram Desktop doesn't have such a feature, but WhatsApp Desktop does.

Telegram Desktop has the feature at least on macOS:

iirc, there is always some confusion with macOS and Telegram as there is another native client - which, however, is the most recent used on on macOS, and also the Telegram client that is on the store.

this is not super trivial.

EDIT: yes, i think as well, to make this "right", it is quite some work, including new bugs and additional requests to handle afterwards. probably straight forward, and a thing that can be finished, but still work. as said, i'd close this issue and move to forum.

[Simon-Laux]

Alternatively, is there a "pure" Web client I could rely on then with the camera to take photos feature?

not a pure client, but if you come back in a few weeks there will be an experimental browser target in the packages/target-browser folder. It still needs a local server but there you can run it in whatever browser you like. Though it's the same code as desktop, with less features implemented because that browser version is only meant for development at the moment. See https://fosstodon.org/@treefit/113119831949777217