1568855 - When a homepage is set via policies, preferences still says the homepage is Firefox Home

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect, P1)

Description

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

If you change the home via policies (or other locking methods), the homepage setting in preferences does not reflect those settings.

It shows Firefox Home as the homepage.

It should show Custom URL

Comment 1

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

The problem is here:

https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/rev/40e889be8ff926e32f7567957f4c316f14f6fbef/browser/modules/HomePage.jsm#

Just because the default value matches the current value doesn't mean that it's Firefox home.

We should be explicitly checking for about:home.

Comment 2

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 1568855 - Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs.

Comment 3

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/4d8cee124c4e
Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs. r=jaws

Comment 4

[Alexandru Michis [:malexandru]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/4d8cee124c4e

Comment 5

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Comment on attachment 9080734 [details]
Bug 1568855 - Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs.

Beta/Release Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined: In enterprise and distribution situations, prefs don't reflect the actual homepage/
• 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: Lock a homepage via policy.
  Verify that prefs has Custom URL and is shows the URL
• List of other uplifts needed: None
• Risk to taking this patch: Low
• Why is the change risky/not risky? (and alternatives if risky): Automated test, only affects this unique case.
• String changes made/needed:

Comment 6

[Pascal Chevrel:pascalc]

Comment on attachment 9080734 [details]
Bug 1568855 - Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs.

P1, low risk patch with tests, on mozilla-central for a few days without reported regressions, approved for 69 beta 11, thanks.

Comment 7

[Oana Pop-Rus]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/ae374ec61861

Comment 8

[Hani Yacoub, Desktop QA]

I'm having difficulties reproducing/verifying this bug, I'm not sure what I'm not doing right but I'll write down the steps:

1. Created a folder called "distribution" in the directory where Fx is installed.
2. Created a file called policies.json under the distribution folder and apply the following code inside the json file:
   {
   "policies": {
   "Homepage":{
   "URL": "https://www.facebook.com",
   "StartPage":"homepage",
   "Locked":true
   }
   }
   }
3. Launched Firefox.

But the homepage and also " browser.startup.homepage" pref are not changed.

Comment 9

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

This is working for me. Is it possible you are using Windows and already have group policy enabled so policies.json isn't read?

What does about:policies say?

Comment 10

[Hani Yacoub, Desktop QA]

I tried on both Windows 10 and on Mac (on mac I put policies.json in "resources" folder).
On Windows I tried to disable "Turn off background refresh of Group Policy" but I had the same results.

In about:polices#active it says: The Enterprise Policies service is inactive.

Please let me know if you have other suggestions.

Comment 11

[Julien Cristau [:jcristau]]

I'm assuming we'll want this on esr68 eventually.

Comment 12

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

policies.json should go in a distribution folder in resources (not just resources)

Comment 13

[Emil Ghitta, QA [:emilghitta]]

I have managed to reproduce this issue using Firefox 70.0a1 (BuildId:20190716112534) on Windows 10 64bit.

This issue is verified fixed using Firefox 70.0a1 (BuildId:20190813095543) and Firefox 69.0b12 (BuildId:20190807220259) on Windows 10 64bit, macOS 10.10.5 and Ubuntu 18.04 64bit.

Leaving a ni? on myself as a reminder to verify this on esr as well.

Comment 14

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Comment on attachment 9080734 [details]
Bug 1568855 - Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs.

ESR Uplift Approval Request

• If this is not a sec:{high,crit} bug, please state case for ESR consideration: Makes preferences code more clear around policies and homepage
• User impact if declined: Preferences don't properly reflect the homepage
• Fix Landed on Version: 69,70
• Risk to taking this patch: Low
• Why is the change risky/not risky? (and alternatives if risky): Has baked on trunk.
  Has automated test.
• String or UUID changes made by this patch:

Comment 15

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

Comment on attachment 9080734 [details]
Bug 1568855 - Setting a new default homepage should switch to Custom URL in prefs.

Policy engine fix. Approved for 68.1esr.

Comment 16

[Sebastian Hengst [:aryx] (needinfo me if it's about an intermittent or backout)]

https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-esr68/rev/c7f2b8a87171

Comment 17

[Vlad Lucaci, Thunderbird QA (:vlucaci)]

I have managed to reproduce this issue using Firefox 70.0a1 (BuildId:20190716112534) on Windows 10 64bit.

This issue is verified fixed using Firefox 60.9.0esr (BuildId:20190901094603) on Windows 10 64bit, Ubuntu 16.04 64bit and macOS 10.14.6.

Comment 18

[Julien Cristau [:jcristau]]

Vlad, I'm confused by comment 17. This fix was made on esr68 not esr60?

Comment 19

[Vlad Lucaci, Thunderbird QA (:vlucaci)]

Hello Julien,

Re-verified and confirming this as verified fixed on 68.1.0esr(Build ID:20190826132627) on Windows 10 64bit, Ubuntu 16.04 64bit and macOS 10.14.6.

Sorry for the confusion.