1026717 - Options dialog implicitly cancelled by 'sync' links

Status: UNCONFIRMED

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect)

Description

[Patrick O'Keeffe]

Steps to reproduce:
Open the 'Options' dialog. Make some changes. Switch to 'Sync' tab. Decide you want to (create a sync account|sign in|learn more about older version) and click hyperlink.

Actual results:
All your changes will be discarded, the Options dialog is closed, and a new tab opens with your chosen destination.

Expected results:
The changes made in the Options dialog should not have been discarded without consulting me. Sure it's minor but it's also quite rude.

Possible solutions, in decreasing preference:
1) Load target in background, without closing Options dialog
2) Ask user to apply or discard changes
3) Implicitly apply changes

Comment 1

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Tim, do you know why these links close the options window? The ones from old sync open links but don't close the options dialog, for example...

Comment 2

[Patrick O'Keeffe]

This is non-issue for Firefox on Linux (well Ubuntu at least) because changes are implicitly saved. There is just Close, not OK/Cancel. But the dialog does close when clicking a link.

Comment 3

[Tim Taubert [:ttaubert] (inactive)]

(In reply to :Gijs Kruitbosch from comment #1)
> Tim, do you know why these links close the options window? The ones from old
> sync open links but don't close the options dialog, for example...

I don't think that was a deliberate choice. Maybe we should just not close the dialog? On Windows where (iirc) the dialog is modal the user would have to close it themselves before being able to continue with the sync flow.

Comment 4

[Patrick O'Keeffe]

Confirming still present in 34.0.5 on Windows platforms.

(In reply to Tim Taubert [:ttaubert] from comment #3)
> Maybe we should just not close the dialog? 

Either (a) this or (b) check for changed prefs and if found, prompt to save changes.