1055659 - Autofocusing about:home page does not work if browser.newtab.url is set to about:home

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Core :: DOM: Content Processes, defect)

Description

[Mike Conley (:mconley) (:⚙️)]

STR:

1) Open an e10s browser window
2) Set browser.newtab.url to about:home
3) Open a new tab

ER:

The search input in about:home should gain focus after the tab loads.

AR:

The search input never gets focused.

Works for non-e10s windows.

Comment 1

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

Hi Mike, the STR's you gave a broken for me.  I have to create a new about:config entry of browser.newtab.url set to about:home. Restart the browser, then open a new tab. I don't get the Home page. It still opens about:newtab.

Comment 2

[Mike Conley (:mconley) (:⚙️)]

(In reply to [:tracy] Tracy Walker from comment #1)
> Hi Mike, the STR's you gave a broken for me.  I have to create a new
> about:config entry of browser.newtab.url set to about:home. Restart the
> browser, then open a new tab. I don't get the Home page. It still opens
> about:newtab.

Heh, yeah, we made it so that you can't override the newtab URL via prefs anymore[1]. I guess we have to include a new step between (1) and (2) - install something like New Tab Override: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/

[1]: For reasons I fully agree with.

Comment 3

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

Ah ha!  I think it is the add-on that is causing the problem, Mike.  Disable the new-tab-override add-on. Then just type in the url bar "about:home", hit enter, focus goes to the content search field of the home page, as wanted.  Re-enable the add-on, and try the same, just type "about:home", hit enter.  The homepage is loaded but the focus remains in the urlbar.

Comment 4

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

Hmmm, I can't reproduce the bug in new non-e10s window with the new-tab-overrideadd-on enabled.  The bug only occurs with e10s enabled and the new-tab-override add-on installed/enabled.

STR's:

1) Open an e10s browser window
2) install https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/new-tab-override/
3) In the add-ons "more"  select option: about:home
4) Open a new tab (though it's not necessary, you can also enter about:home into the url bar)

ER:

The search input in about:home should gain focus after the tab loads.

AR:

The search input never gets focused.

Comment 5

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

Tested on 
Win 7, Nightly 47.0a1, 20160203030249
Mac 10.9.5, Nightly 47.0a1, 20160204030229
Ubuntu 14.04, Nightly 47.0a1, 20160204030229

Comment 6

[Firefox Bug Husbandry Bot]

With Firefox 57 only WebExtensions are permitted and are, by default, e10s compatible.