1014059 - In-content prefs' Saved Passwords has usability flaw

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1035540

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect)

Description

[Richard Newman [:rnewman]]

On Mac, both Saved Passwords and the master password dialog are sheets.

This doesn't work well with in-content prefs, because you can no longer interact simultaneously with a page and with prefs (unless you have the foresight to open a new window first).

The flow goes like this:

* Hit Cmd-comma. A new tab will open containing prefs. Pick Security.

* Click "Saved Passwords". You get a sheet hanging from the window.

* Optional: click "Show Passwords". The first sheet disappears (!), replaced by the MP sheet, then when you enter your MP the first sheet reappears. Ouch.

* Switch tabs.

* Switch back to try to continue your password-related task (change your eBay password, kids!), and observe that the passwords sheet has gone away.


Expected: switching to a different tab does not dismiss my task and force me to click twice, redo a search, and re-enter my MP every time I switch back.

Actual: not that.

Comment 1

[Nicolas Barbulesco]

That's why a separate window is better than a tab inviting itself in a current window.

Even if the prefs become in-content, they can come as a new window. Thus they would not hide the current tab of the user.

Currently in Firefox 29 we have the advantage of a separate window. Please do not break this.

Comment 2

[Matthew N. [:MattN]]

Solved by bug 1035540 which doesn't use a sheet and instead shows the dialog in-content. Bug 1035625 will make it resizable again.

(In reply to Nicolas Barbulesco from comment #1)
> Currently in Firefox 29 we have the advantage of a separate window. Please
> do not break this.

The preference version will be in-content but for now you can still get the passwords in a window using the Page Info dialog.