1884394 - Frequent inability to use 'back'

Status: REOPENED

(GeckoView :: General, defect)

Description

[Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me)]

Steps to reproduce

1. Browse to a site from an intent (typically from the google news feed, with firefox nightly set as the default browser, and the "open in browser" setting in the google app set (which isn't the default), so that it opens in the browser directly.
2. Normally 'back' takes you back to google news (sometimes sites interject a navigation into history so 'back' initially takes you to lists of their other articles/ads, and back from there goes to the google news app.
3. Sometimes (typically at least once or more a day), back does nothing. The page is responsive. holding back pops up the history list, which always has the same site listed twice. selecting either one doesn't fix it. You have to kill the tab.
4. Selecting the same article again from google news does not have the same issue; back works normally. For this reason I don't think it's the site trying to block back by immediately re-navigating.

Expected behavior

Back works

Actual behavior

Stuck on page

Device information

• Firefox version: Nightly (for the last couple of years at least)
• Android device model: Samsung S21 and S24
• Android OS version: 14, One UI 6.1 (S24)

Any additional information?

Comment 1

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The severity field is not set for this bug.
:tthibaud, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 2

[Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me)]

I continue to hit this many times a day...

Note that 'reload' (which works) clears the error, and then Back will go to the right place (which is in the cases I've hit to exit the browser)

Comment 3

[Denis Palmeiro [:denispal]]

This doesn't seem like an actual performance issue, but it does impact perceived performance.

The Performance Impact Calculator has determined this bug's performance impact to be medium. If you'd like to request re-triage, you can reset the Performance Impact flag to "?" or needinfo the triage sheriff.

Platforms: Android
Page load impact: Some

Comment 4

[Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me)]

Probably doesn't help, but I took a profile

https://profiler.firefox.com/public/7wc0b8qan6zgx0k0dsrpb68rv67fd94gdtg7per

Comment 5

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Remove Bug 1898059 link, they are similar but unrelated. This issue is a problem with Android OS Back button, not back gesture. Thanks

Comment 6

[Peter Van der Beken [:peterv]]

(In reply to Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me) from comment #0)

2. Normally 'back' takes you back to google news

Just to make sure we're clear on the steps here, this is swiping back or going back using the back button?

Comment 7

[Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me)]

back button, always -- either OS back button, or the UI back button

Comment 8

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Investigation shows that the prompt feature here is a possible cause of this issue. When there is an active prompt, even after the prompt is dismissed, it is not cleared from the active prompt.

I'll put up a fix for it and see if this solves the issue.

Comment 9

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Attachment: Bug 1884394 - When dismissed active prompt clear active prompt request.

Comment 10

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/cd43a83f7f00
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/eb742dd6060a
When dismissed active prompt clear active prompt request. r=android-reviewers,petru

Comment 11

[Iulian Moraru]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/eb742dd6060a

Comment 12

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Have a new profile that I'm investigating for this issue.

Comment 13

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Attachment: Bug 1884394 - Clear selection in Gecko Engine View should also set current selection to null.

Comment 14

[Randell Jesup [:jesup] (needinfo me)]

Profile for this issue: https://profiler.firefox.com/public/sssjzxf7nbkbfgjpqtbhpwt1vbpkdjjr2m1q9b0

Comment 15

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Looking at the profile, I've narrow it down to SessionFeature.kt. In some cases, the onBackPressed call clears selection (here) when there is no text selected on the page. Also some cases it will continue to clear selection but the next call to engineView.canClearSelection() will still be true.

Comment 16

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

Moving to GeckoView, since the expected behavior of engineView.clearSelection() should result in the next call of engineView.canClearSelection() to return false.

Also engineView.canClearSelection() should not be true if there is no text selected.

Comment 17

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

The easy way to reproduce I found is to use this site:
https://www.leravi.org/michael-schumacher-an-emotional-message-from-the-clinic-it-was-beautiful-we-will-remember-him-forever-14943/

Long press a few times without selecting any text. (If accidentally selecting text just press back). Then after 5-10 times, press back to close the page but it will take a few back to leave.

Comment 18

[Roger Yang [:royang]]

The issue seems site related and also needs user to tap on the page a few times.