1769462 - Installing add-on stalls (fails) at downloading and verifying add-on if no email accounts exist

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 942615

(Thunderbird :: General, defect)

Description

[Garret Wilson]

Steps to reproduce:

On a fresh, high-powered laptop with a clean install of Windows 10, I installed Thunderbird 91.9.0 (64-bit) from scratch and attempted to install the same add-ons as my other Windows 10 machine (which has 91.9.0 (32-bit) installed). I have not yet set up any mail accounts on this new machine.

I searched for Compact Headers and clicked on "+ Add to Thunderbird".

Actual results:

A flyover window appeared next to the plugins tool icon at the top, right-hand corner with a title of addons.thunderbird.net. There is a full green progress bar. There are two buttons "Add" (in blue) and "Cancel" (in gray).

Nothing further happens. The progress bar continues to be completely green.

I click on "Add" and the flyover window disappears. No add-on appears under Preferences > Add-ons and Themes.

Expected results:

I expected the add-on to be installed and appear under Preferences > Add-ons and Themes.

Comment 1

[Garret Wilson]

Well I found what was causing this, although I don't understand "why". Apparently Thunderbird doesn't allow you to install add-ins if you have no email accounts. After adding an email account the add-on installation procedure went as expected: the add-on would immediately download and Thunderbird presents the user with confirmation buttons. After that the add-on is immediately available.

I consider this a bug. Even if there is some technical reason that add-ons cannot be installed if there are no email accounts, the user should not be presented with the option – or if the option is still enabled, Thunderbird should at least be able to detect that the add-on cannot be installed and inform the user that an email account must first be added. Just stalling at a green progress bar is not the correct approach.