1651986 - The "browser.ui.interaction.preferences_paneExperimental - Unknown scalar" warning is displayed in the "Browser Console" if an experimental feature is enabled/disable from the "about:preferences#experimental" page

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: Settings UI, defect, P3)

Description

[Marius Coman [:mcoman], Ecosystem QA]

Attachment: rec of the issue.gif

[Affected versions]:

• Firefox Nightly 80.0a1 - Build ID: 20200710094819

[Affected Platforms]:

• Windows 10 x64
• macOS 10.15
• ubuntu 18.04 x64

[Prerequisites]:

• Have the "Browser Console" opened.

[Steps to reproduce]:

1. Open the browser with the profile from prerequisites.
2. Navigate to the "about:preferences#experimental" page and check/uncheck any experimental feature.
3. Focus the "Browser Console" and observe the displayed warnings.

[Expected result]:

• No warnings are displayed.

[Actual result]:

• The "browser.ui.interaction.preferences_paneExperimental - Unknown scalar" warning is displayed in the "Browser Console".

[Notes]:

• Attached a screen recording of the issue.

Comment 1

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Dave, I think this is to do with the browser usage telemetry, is that right, and if so, is this something you can own? Jared is on leave this month...

Comment 2

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Yep

Comment 3

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Attachment: Bug 1651986: Add the missing scalar for interactions with the experimental section of preferences. r=gijs!

Comment 4

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

This is down to the new experimental section being added to preferences and bug 1620358 not adding a scalar for that. It's not clear to me if I need to fill out a new data collection request here or not, chutten can you advise?

Comment 5

[Chris H-C :chutten]

All new or expanded data collections in Mozilla products are subject to Data Review: this definitely qualifies.

While I'm here, you may wish to consider adding a "unknown/other" (in addition to adding the experiment section as a known/not-other case) case so that this doesn't log and instead shows up in its own location in your analyses.

Comment 6

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Attachment: Data review request

This is largely copy-pasted from bug 1620358 as this is gathering the same information.

Comment 7

[Chris H-C :chutten]

Comment on attachment 9164084 [details]
Data review request

PRELIMINARY NOTE:

There is a new version of the data collection review form with an additional question (the new Q6) asking about the data's documentation. In this case I know where the data is documented and will supply it in my response, but in future please use the new form: https://github.com/mozilla/data-review/blob/master/request.md

DATA COLLECTION REVIEW RESPONSE:

    Is there or will there be documentation that describes the schema for the ultimate data set available publicly, complete and accurate?

Yes. This collection is Telemetry so is documented in its definitions file [Scalars.yaml](https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/file/tip/toolkit/components/telemetry/Scalars.yaml) and the [Probe Dictionary](https://telemetry.mozilla.org/probe-dictionary/).

    Is there a control mechanism that allows the user to turn the data collection on and off?

Yes. This collection is Telemetry so can be controlled through Firefox's Preferences.

    If the request is for permanent data collection, is there someone who will monitor the data over time?

Yes, :mossop and :shong are responsible.

    Using the category system of data types on the Mozilla wiki, what collection type of data do the requested measurements fall under?

Category 2, Interaction.

    Is the data collection request for default-on or default-off?

Default on for all channels.

    Does the instrumentation include the addition of any new identifiers?

No.

    Is the data collection covered by the existing Firefox privacy notice?

Yes.

    Does there need to be a check-in in the future to determine whether to renew the data?

No. This collection is permanent.

---
Result: datareview+

Comment 8

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/c87b7ace41f7
Add the missing scalar for interactions with the experimental section of preferences. r=Gijs

Comment 9

[Atila Butkovits]

Backed out for Reftest failure at border-image-linear-gradient-slice-1.html.

Backout link: https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/bd7c35b7e234712f94f6dbb755ad983c1db8b07b

Push with failures: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&selectedTaskRun=EnFGRxM5SDuTttF5L46A5g.0&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception%2Cretry%2Cusercancel%2Crunning%2Cpending%2Crunnable&revision=c87b7ace41f7e78757ae2bb1cd2fb48ec1fd4e36&searchStr=r4

Failure log: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/logviewer.html#/jobs?job_id=310204972&repo=autoland&lineNumber=14684

Comment 10

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to Atila Butkovits from comment #9)

Backed out for Reftest failure at border-image-linear-gradient-slice-1.html.

Backout link: https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/bd7c35b7e234712f94f6dbb755ad983c1db8b07b

Push with failures: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&selectedTaskRun=EnFGRxM5SDuTttF5L46A5g.0&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception%2Cretry%2Cusercancel%2Crunning%2Cpending%2Crunnable&revision=c87b7ace41f7e78757ae2bb1cd2fb48ec1fd4e36&searchStr=r4

Failure log: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/logviewer.html#/jobs?job_id=310204972&repo=autoland&lineNumber=14684

It failed on the previous push too ( https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&selectedTaskRun=RVZ9ze5mQSiIERUXjZfmxw.1&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception%2Cretry%2Cusercancel%2Crunning%2Cpending%2Crunnable&searchStr=r4&revision=a3af9b09a6ea39889554f77bfdfb07bc776483e7 ). Also, this patch really shouldn't / can't affect reftests...

Comment 11

[Atila Butkovits]

(In reply to :Gijs (he/him) from comment #10)

(In reply to Atila Butkovits from comment #9)

Backed out for Reftest failure at border-image-linear-gradient-slice-1.html.

Backout link: https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/bd7c35b7e234712f94f6dbb755ad983c1db8b07b

Push with failures: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&selectedTaskRun=EnFGRxM5SDuTttF5L46A5g.0&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception%2Cretry%2Cusercancel%2Crunning%2Cpending%2Crunnable&revision=c87b7ace41f7e78757ae2bb1cd2fb48ec1fd4e36&searchStr=r4

Failure log: https://treeherder.mozilla.org/logviewer.html#/jobs?job_id=310204972&repo=autoland&lineNumber=14684

It failed on the previous push too ( https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&selectedTaskRun=RVZ9ze5mQSiIERUXjZfmxw.1&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception%2Cretry%2Cusercancel%2Crunning%2Cpending%2Crunnable&searchStr=r4&revision=a3af9b09a6ea39889554f77bfdfb07bc776483e7 ). Also, this patch really shouldn't / can't affect reftests...

Sorry for the trouble.
We'll reland.
https://treeherder.mozilla.org/#/jobs?repo=autoland&resultStatus=testfailed%2Cbusted%2Cexception&classifiedState=unclassified&revision=8f86457bb56d0e3eb83057083150a6d083f63182

Comment 12

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/8f86457bb56d
Add the missing scalar for interactions with the experimental section of preferences. r=Gijs CLOSED TREE

Comment 13

[Bogdan Tara[:bogdan_tara | bogdant]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/8f86457bb56d

Comment 14

[zekemedley]

Attachment: Backed out changeset c87b7ace41f7 (Bug 1651986) for Reftest failure at border-image-linear-gradient-slice-1.html. CLOSED TREE

Comment 15

[Marius Coman [:mcoman], Ecosystem QA]

I have verified that this issue is no longer reproducible using the latest Firefox Nightly 116.0a1 (Build ID: 20230630040643) installed on Windows 10 x64, macOS 13.4.1, and Ubuntu 22.04 x64. I can confirm that no warning is displayed in the browser console if an experimental feature is enabled/disabled from the "about:preferences#experimental" page.