305736 - error saying "msnim is not a registered protocol" when clicking a link. works in IE, but not FF

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, defect)

Description

[RoB]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.7.10) Gecko/20050717 Firefox/1.0.6
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.7.10) Gecko/20050717 Firefox/1.0.6

It is a relatively new feature in the latest MSN Messenger program which works
in a similar way to the AOL messenger's [see example]. it seems to work in IE,
but not with FireFox. i get an alert saying "msnim is not a registered protocol".

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.create a hyperlink
2.link it to "msnim:chat?contact=[e-mail]" or similar
3.click the link
Actual Results:  
get an alert saying "msnim is not a registered protocol".

Expected Results:  
in IE:
-you get an alert saying: "Are you sure you want to start a conversation with
<[e-mail]>? Do not share personal information with unknown
or unfamiliar contacts. [OK] [Cancel]"
-clicking "OK" opens MSN messenger and a conversation window with whoever's
email address is specified in the link.

Comment 1

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

If you run start/run in windows and enter
msnim:chat?contact=[e-mail], what Do you get ?

Comment 2

[RoB]

it works fine

Comment 3

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

It should work fine if the protocol handler is registered and calling external
protocol handlers works fine in Mozilla/Seamonkey and also Firefox. (on my
system and i didn't see any bug reports about problems in this area).

It seems that MS Messenger doesn't correctly register itself as external
protocol handler.

What is the content of the registry key under HCR\MSNIM ?
(right click in the registry editor on the msnim key and select export to get
the contents as file)

Comment 4

[RoB]

try it for yourself:
www.jdalley.com/fferror.html

Comment 5

[RoB]

Attachment: the registry key (i think)

Comment 6

[Phil Ringnalda (:philor)]

*** Bug 329167 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 7

[John Ericson]

I can confirm that this is a bug (but I can't change the status since I don't have the canconfirm permission). I just ran into this problem on this site:

http://dev.live.com/

On the bottom of that page is a link that says:

TechEd06 Bot for Messenger => msnim:chat?contact=[e-mail]

When I click this link I get the same alert message as is reported by the bug creator. The hyperlink works in Internet Explorer and using start/run.

I use:
Firefox 1.5.0.3 [Swedish]
MSN Messenger 7.5 (Build 7.5.0324)

Comment 8

[Shirley Forster]

I understand that Microsoft will be releasing information about the range of msnim: functions (msnim:chat?   msnim:add?  msnim:voice?  and  msnim:video?) in December 2006.  It would be a good idea to have this fixed before then!!

BTW, the equivalent aim:goim? function for AOL Messenger works as it should, successfully bringing up AOL after the "application being opened" warning message. 

However the equivalent ymsgr:sendim? function for Yahoo Messenger gives the same error as msnim:chat?, as described in the previous posts re this error.

Comment 9

[Martijn Wargers (dead)]

Attachment: testcase

See also this message for some possible useful info:
http://groups.google.com/group/mozilla.feedback/browse_thread/thread/db384e85b11b501c/8e6df0d5d40497d8#8e6df0d5d40497d8
"
 MSNIM handlers are useful, but It seems that these protocols are not
working in Firefox
It seems that FireFox will just check HKCU and HKCR for the handlers,
whereby MSNIM is registered as a Protocol Handler in the registry :
HKLM\Software\Classes\Protocols\Handler\msnim

I really appreciate if FireFox scans through
HKLM\Software\Classes\Protocols\Handler\ too.

and here is some reference to the problem 
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger&tid=724f6552-b380-4b9e-a75c-0a9109e96744&p=1
"

I guess somewhere here things need to be tackled to get this working:
http://lxr.mozilla.org/seamonkey/source/browser/components/shell/src/nsWindowsShellService.cpp#231

Comment 10

[Steve England [:stevee]]

Reporter, do you still see this problem with the latest Firefox 2? If not, can you please close this bug as WORKSFORME. Thanks!

Comment 11

[RoB]

(In reply to comment #10)
> Reporter, do you still see this problem with the latest Firefox 2? If not, can
> you please close this bug as WORKSFORME. Thanks!
> 

the problem still exists in 2.0.0.4

Comment 12

[Martijn Wargers (dead)]

I'm also seeing this on trunk.

Comment 13

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

This appears to be special cased by the OS for Start -> Run as well as handled directly by IE, handed off to IE for the Start -> Run case, and IE then opens up MSN IM / Windows Live.

workaround:
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/The+protocol+is+not+associated+with+any+program

Comment 14

[James Ross]

I see no evidence in this bug to suggest anything is special-cased - Firefox is not using the OS to launch the URL, it is instead checking itself and doesn't handle COM plugable protocols (where a CLSID is registered and supports an interface for handling URLs). It's just the case that Firefox is attempting to replicate OS functionality and this is one case it isn't handling.

Comment 15

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Taking a quick look it appears that most other protocol registrations under HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Handler are also set under HKCR (e.g. under HKLM or HKCU \Software\Classes whereas msnim is not. We also use IApplicationAssociationRegistration to determine the handler on Vista and it would seem that it is not returning a handler for msnim on Vista.

Comment 16

[Jason Barnabe (np)]

Not sure of the truthfulness of this, but one of the feedback comments on the sumo page says:

This info doesn't apply to Windows Vista. Vista uses the "Default Programs" control panel applet to choose the default browser. The Firefox folks will need to start registering some Capabilities in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications if they want Firefox to be listed as a default browser choice. See MSDN Library page http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776873(VS.85).aspx for details.

Comment 17

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Jason, I am using Vista and Firefox does register the capabilities etc. for Vista. IApplicationAssociationRegistration mentioned in comment #15 is what is used on Vista to determine the application to use for a protocol such as msnim. Regretfully, it doesn't return a handler on Vista for msnim with Windows Live installed though IE and Start Run do launch Windows Live when using an msnim URL. Interestingly, the Search in the Start Menu on Vista which will launch http, https, etc. does not launch Windows Live likely due to the same reason Firefox doesn't though Start -> Run does.

Comment 18

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

If you are still experiencing this please comment in this bug or better yet please file a new bug. Thanks!