1555584 - "SearchSuggestEnabled"=false doesn't affect to search suggestions on the independent search bar

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Enterprise Policies, defect, P1)

Description

[YUKI "Piro" Hiroshi]

Abstract

An enterprise policy "SearchSuggestEnabled" introduced with the bug 1513532 affects only to the awesomebar, and doesn't affect to the separate web search bar inserted by the user.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install Firefox.
2. Create policies.json as:

   { "policies": { "SearchSuggestEnabled": false } }
   

3. Put policies.json to C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\distribution\policies.json.
4. Start Firefox.
5. Go to the toolbar customization.
6. Drag the "Search" item fron the palette and drop onto the toolbar.
7. Finish the toolbar customization.
8. Type something into the input field inserted with the step 6.

Actual result

Suggested search terms are listed.

Expected result

There is no suggested items.

Environment

• Nightly 69.0a1 (Build ID: 20190529215251)
• Firefox 68.0b5 (Build ID: 20190527103257)

Comment 1

[YUKI "Piro" Hiroshi]

https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/rev/7556a400affa9eb99e522d2d17c40689fa23a729/browser/components/enterprisepolicies/Policies.jsm#1059
The policy SearchSuggestEnabled affects to browser.urlbar.suggest.searches, but the separate search bar is controlled with browser.search.suggest.enabled. Is it intentional, or just missed?

Comment 2

[YUKI "Piro" Hiroshi]

Attachment: Bug 1555584 - SearchSuggestEnabled policy should affect to the separate search bar

Comment 3

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

I'm wondering if we should turn off personal search history as well?

Comment 4

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Also, I think browser.search.suggest.enabled might turn off both?

Comment 5

[YUKI "Piro" Hiroshi]

My understanding about the motivation of this policy item is: prevent sending of too much user input (they may include privacy, secret information, or others) before searching. Some my client companies already use MCD configs to disable suggestions completely as following for the purpose:

lockPref("browser.search.suggest.enabled", false);
lockPref("browser.urlbar.suggest.searches", false);

So I think there is no reason to leave search suggestion of the separate search bar (it may be shown with another policy "SearchBar": "separate") enabled.

On this viewpoint, "reducing of items listed below the search field" is out of range, so I think that search histories should be controlled with another separate policy item like SearchHistoryEnabled.

Comment 6

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Makes sense.

After this lands, we'll request uplift to 68.

Comment 7

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/2d9760d817d3
SearchSuggestEnabled policy should affect to the separate search bar r=mkaply

Comment 8

[Arthur Iakab [arthur_iakab]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/2d9760d817d3

Comment 9

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Comment on attachment 9068622 [details]
Bug 1555584 - SearchSuggestEnabled policy should affect to the separate search bar

Beta/Release Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: SearchSuggestions policy doesn't affect searchbar
• Is this code covered by automated tests?: Yes
• Has the fix been verified in Nightly?: No
• Needs manual test from QE?: Yes
• If yes, steps to reproduce: Set policy. Verify that search suggestions don't show up in the searchbar.
• List of other uplifts needed: None
• Risk to taking this patch: Low
• Why is the change risky/not risky? (and alternatives if risky): Only affects policy, automated test.
• String changes made/needed:

Comment 10

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

Hello,
Reproduced the issue using Firefox 69.0a1 (20190529215251) on Windows 10x64.
The issue is verified using Firefox 69.0a1 (20190602221035) on Windows 10x64, macOS 10.14, Ubuntu 18.04.

Comment 11

[Julien Cristau [:jcristau]]

Comment on attachment 9068622 [details]
Bug 1555584 - SearchSuggestEnabled policy should affect to the separate search bar

tweak a policy added in 68, approved for 68.0b7

Comment 12

[Alexandru Michis [:malexandru]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/2a5542ec3628

Comment 13

[Alexandru Trif, Desktop Test Engineering [:atrif]]

Hello,
The issue is verified using Firefox 68.0b7 (20190603181408) on Windows 10x64, macOS 10.14, Ubuntu 18.04.