An upload that did not arrive says why

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01GT37Z1Xtfd9pUuQtMTg6Yt

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ content repos pin the tag they run (see the end of this file).
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- An upload that did not arrive says why: larger than 20 MB (checked in the browser before anything is sent), a site that takes no files (no Garage configured), not allowed from here, or anything else. It used to say "try again, or with a smaller file" whatever the reason, which sent people looking for a smaller file when the site had no storage at all.
+
+## 0.6.7 (2026-09-30)
+
 - `leaves_after: { minutes: 10 }` on a state: a record that has been there that long leaves its bucket's lists (days, hours and minutes add up; swept every minute; the event log keeps it). Trainer: `leaves_after` per stage on a need. A Klingenberg Bygg card taken off the front page leaves the office's list ten minutes later instead of standing there greyed out.
 
 ## 0.6.6 (2026-09-30)

Cargo.lock

@@ -3357,7 +3357,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "portal"
-version = "0.6.6"
+version = "0.6.7"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "arc-swap",

Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "portal"
-version = "0.6.6"
+version = "0.6.7"
 edition = "2021"
 
 [lib]

src/app.rs

@@ -1310,6 +1310,12 @@ fn AlternativeCard(
                 };
                 let Some(files) = input.files() else { continue };
                 let Some(file) = files.get(0) else { continue };
+                // Too big is known before a byte is sent.
+                if file.size() > MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES as f64 {
+                    send_error.set(Some(t(&lang().get_untracked(), "upload_too_large").to_string()));
+                    sending.set(false);
+                    return;
+                }
                 match upload_file(&file, &question_id_for_submit, &alt_name_for_submit).await {
                     Ok(key) => {
                         map.insert(name.clone(), serde_json::Value::String(key));
@@ -1319,7 +1325,8 @@ fn AlternativeCard(
                     // say so.
                     Err(e) => {
                         leptos::logging::error!("upload of {name} failed: {e:?}");
-                        send_error.set(Some(t(&lang().get_untracked(), "upload_failed").to_string()));
+                        let status = e.as_string().and_then(|m| m.rsplit(' ').next().and_then(|n| n.parse().ok()));
+                        send_error.set(Some(t(&lang().get_untracked(), upload_refusal(status)).to_string()));
                         sending.set(false);
                         return;
                     }
@@ -2283,6 +2290,24 @@ pub fn uploaded_filename(value: &str) -> Option<&str> {
     rest.strip_prefix('-').filter(|name| shaped && !name.is_empty())
 }
 
+/// The largest file one upload may carry. Here, not in `upload.rs`,
+/// so the browser checks the same number before it sends anything.
+pub const MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES: usize = 20 * 1024 * 1024;
+
+/// Why an upload did not arrive, in words a person can act on, from
+/// the status `POST /upload` answered with (see `upload.rs`): too big,
+/// a site that takes no files, a page they may not send from, or
+/// anything else.
+#[cfg_attr(not(feature = "hydrate"), allow(dead_code))]
+fn upload_refusal(status: Option<u16>) -> &'static str {
+    match status {
+        Some(413) => "upload_too_large",
+        Some(503) => "upload_unavailable",
+        Some(403) => "upload_forbidden",
+        _ => "upload_failed",
+    }
+}
+
 /// What a refused server call says, without the wrapping a person
 /// has no use for.
 fn server_message(e: &ServerFnError) -> String {
@@ -3241,6 +3266,21 @@ mod responsible_tests {
 mod picture_tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn an_upload_refusal_says_which_it_was() {
+        assert_eq!(upload_refusal(Some(413)), "upload_too_large");
+        assert_eq!(upload_refusal(Some(503)), "upload_unavailable");
+        assert_eq!(upload_refusal(Some(403)), "upload_forbidden");
+        assert_eq!(upload_refusal(Some(502)), "upload_failed");
+        assert_eq!(upload_refusal(None), "upload_failed");
+        for lang in ["en", "no"] {
+            for status in [Some(413), Some(503), Some(403), None] {
+                let key = upload_refusal(status);
+                assert_ne!(crate::i18n::t(lang, key), key, "{lang} has words for {key}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn a_record_with_a_picture_is_shown_by_it() {
         assert!(is_picture("Portrett.JPG") && is_picture("a.webp") && !is_picture("rapport.pdf"));

src/i18n.rs

@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ fn lookup(lang: &str, key: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
         ("en", "sign_in") => "Sign in",
         ("en", "sign_out") => "Sign out",
         ("en", "nothing_here_yet") => "Nothing here yet.",
-        ("en", "upload_failed") => "The file could not be sent, so nothing was. Try again, or with a smaller file.",
+        ("en", "upload_failed") => "The file did not arrive, so nothing was sent. Try again.",
+        ("en", "upload_too_large") => "The file is larger than 20 MB, so nothing was sent. Choose a smaller one, or a picture taken at a lower resolution.",
+        ("en", "upload_unavailable") => "This site cannot take files at the moment, so nothing was sent. Let whoever runs the site know.",
+        ("en", "upload_forbidden") => "Files cannot be sent from here by you, so nothing was sent. Are you signed in?",
         ("en", "current_file") => "Now:",
         ("en", "keep_file") => "Choose a new one to replace it, or leave it as it is.",
         ("en", "nothing_here") => "Nothing here",
@@ -57,7 +60,10 @@ fn lookup(lang: &str, key: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
         ("no", "sign_in") => "Logg inn",
         ("no", "sign_out") => "Logg ut",
         ("no", "nothing_here_yet") => "Ingenting her ennå.",
-        ("no", "upload_failed") => "Filen kom ikke fram, så ingenting ble sendt. Prøv igjen, eller med en mindre fil.",
+        ("no", "upload_failed") => "Filen kom ikke fram, så ingenting ble sendt. Prøv igjen.",
+        ("no", "upload_too_large") => "Filen er større enn 20 MB, så ingenting ble sendt. Velg en mindre fil, eller et bilde med lavere oppløsning.",
+        ("no", "upload_unavailable") => "Siden kan ikke ta imot filer akkurat nå, så ingenting ble sendt. Si fra til den som har siden.",
+        ("no", "upload_forbidden") => "Du kan ikke sende filer herfra, så ingenting ble sendt. Er du logget inn?",
         ("no", "current_file") => "Nå:",
         ("no", "keep_file") => "Velg en ny for å bytte, eller la den være.",
         ("no", "nothing_here") => "Ingenting her",
@@ -109,6 +115,9 @@ mod tests {
             "sign_out",
             "nothing_here_yet",
             "upload_failed",
+            "upload_too_large",
+            "upload_unavailable",
+            "upload_forbidden",
             "current_file",
             "keep_file",
             "nothing_here",

src/upload.rs

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use serde::Serialize;
 
 use crate::server::AppState;
 
-pub const MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES: usize = 20 * 1024 * 1024;
+pub const MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES: usize = crate::app::MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES;
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Garage {