How to add custom File Actions to the Files app context menu in NC33?

šŸ’» Development
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1

Hi everyone!

Iā€™m developing a custom app for Nextcloud 33 and Iā€™m stuck on something that should be simple: adding a custom action to the Files app context menu (the 3-dot menu you see next to files).

What I want to achieve

Add a ā€œPrintā€¦ā€ entry to the context menu, similar to the built-in actions like:

- Download

- Rename

- Delete

- etc.

The print functionality itself works fine - I just need a way for users to trigger it from the Files interface.

What Iā€™ve tried

I followed the official `@nextcloud/files` documentation and implemented it like this:

JavaScript/TypeScript:

```typescript

import { registerFileAction } from ā€˜@nextcloud/filesā€™

const printAction = {

id: 'printserver-print',

displayName: () => 'Print',

iconSvgInline: () => '<svg>...</svg>',

enabled: ({ nodes }) => nodes.length === 1,

exec: async ({ nodes }) => {

    // Open print dialog

}

}

registerFileAction(printAction)

```

PHP side:

- Registered event listener for `LoadAdditionalScriptsEvent`

- Loading script with `Util::addInitScript()` for early execution

- Script loads successfully, no errors in console

The Problem

Everything *seems* to work:

- Script loads without errors

- `registerFileAction()` executes successfully

- My action appears in the `getFileActions()` registry (I can see it in the console)

- The print backend works when called directly

**
BUT:**

- The action never appears in the actual context menu

- The callbacks (`enabled()`, `displayName()`) are never invoked

Interesting observation

When I check `getFileActions()` in the browser console, I only see:

```javascript

[ā€˜contacts-importā€™, ā€˜printserver-printā€™]

```

But the context menu shows dozens of actions (Download, Rename, Delete, etc.) - none of which appear in this registry!

This makes me think: Is `@nextcloud/files` even the right API for the context menu?

I also tested with a .vcf file - the Contacts app uses the same `@nextcloud/files` API, but the ā€œImportā€ action doesnā€™t appear in the menu either.

My Questions

1. Is there a different API for the Files app context menu? Maybe a server-side registration or legacy system?

2. What is `@nextcloud/files` actually for? Viewer integrations? Inline actions? Something else?

3. Are there working examples of apps that successfully add actions to the Files context menu in NC33?

4. Should I consider an alternative approach? Like a button in the toolbar instead?

**
Environment**

- Nextcloud 33.0.2 (fresh test installation)

- @nextcloud/files 3.10.1

- PHP 8.2.32

- Tested on clean system with only my test app

What Iā€™ve researched

- Read the official docs: https://nextcloud.github.io/nextcloud-files/

- Analyzed the Contacts app implementation

- Looked at core Files app code (`apps/files/src/actions/`)

- Tested 7 different registration approaches

- Confirmed early script loading works

Iā€™m really stuck here and would appreciate any pointers! Has anyone successfully added custom actions to the Files app context menu recently?

Thanks in advance!

2

Nextcloud v33 uses @nextcloud/files 4..x not 3.x.

Also are you really trying this on 33.0.2? Thatā€™s 5 maintenance releases behind (33.0.7 is latest).