1783694 - Disable auto-update for Thunderbird

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Testing :: mozregression, defect)

Description

[Kevin Locke]

Attachment: Patch to disable Thunderbird app updates using policy.json

When mozregression (git main 08ef1c6) launches a version of Thunderbird which is not the most recent, the "A new Daily update is available" update prompt is shown, unlike Firefox where the prompt is disabled. Steps to reproduce:

1. Run mozregression --app thunderbird --launch 2022-08-06
2. Begin working through the new account wizard.
3. Observe the "A new Daily update is available" prompt appear after a minute or so.

Although mozregression sets app.update.auto:false and app.update.enabled:false, these have no effect on recent versions of Thunderbird due to their removal in Bug 1420514 (ported to TB in Bug 1479289). Additionally, the replacement mechanism of setting policies.DisableAppUpdate:true in distribution/policies.json is only implemented for Firefox, not Thunderbird.

The attached patch calls _disableUpdateByPolicy() from ThunderbirdLauncher._install(), as done by FirefoxLauncher._install. I've tested the patch by launching Thunderbird using a patched mozregression and confirming that Help->About Daily shows "Updates disabled by your system administrator" and no update prompts are observed.

Comment 1

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

(In reply to Kevin Locke from comment #0)

Additionally, the replacement mechanism of setting policies.DisableAppUpdate:true in distribution/policies.json is only implemented for Firefox, not Thunderbird.

Not sure what you're referring to, but disabling by policy is enabled in Thunderbird as well. The policies.json should be like

{
 "policies": {
   "DisableAppUpdate": true
 }
}

Comment 2

[Kevin Locke]

(In reply to Magnus Melin [:mkmelin] from comment #1)

(In reply to Kevin Locke from comment #0)

Additionally, the replacement mechanism of setting policies.DisableAppUpdate:true in distribution/policies.json is only implemented for Firefox, not Thunderbird.

Not sure what you're referring to, but disabling by policy is enabled in Thunderbird as well. The policies.json should be like

My apologies for being unclear. I was referring to support for creating distribution/policies.json when mozregression invokes Thunderbird. Are you sure mozregression currently creates policies.json as in your example when invoking Thunderbird?

Comment 3

[Zeid Zabaneh [:zeid]]

@Kevin Locke -- can you please submit a pull request via GitHub? This will ensure tests and CI are triggered.

:mkmelin -- although ThunderbirdLauncher extends MozRunnerLauncher, thus inheriting _disableUpdateByPolicy, it does not actually call it anywhere.

Comment 4

[GitHub Bugzilla PR Linker]

Attachment: Link to GitHub pull-request: https://github.com/mozilla/mozregression/pull/1084