2047962 - `browser.startup.homepage` with `data:text/plain,browser.startup.homepage=…")` incompatible since 152.0

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Core :: AutoConfig (Mission Control Desktop), defect)

Description

[Paul Menzel]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:140.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/140.0

Steps to reproduce:

We deployed our own preferences with

defaultPref("browser.startup.homepage","data:text/plain,browser.startup.homepage=https://something.molgen.mpg.de/");

Actual results:

Upgrading from 151.0.4 to 152.0, the page is not loaded, and the string is shown in the window:

data:text/plain,browser.startup.homepage=https://something.molgen.mpg.de/

Expected results:

Firefox should be able to deal with old configurations.

Changing the line to

defaultPref("browser.startup.homepage","https://something.molgen.mpg.de/");

made it work again.

Comment 1

[Paul Menzel]

The goal is that users can still change this preference. No idea, why this is the reason for the strange string.

Comment 2

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The Bugbug bot thinks this bug should belong to the 'Core::Widget: Gtk' component, and is moving the bug to that component. Please correct in case you think the bot is wrong.

Comment 3

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

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

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 4

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

I'll make sure to document in the next readme. I'm surprised that anyone is still using this mechanism to set the homepage.

The browser.startup.homepage pref was moved away from be a "complex preference" which is why you needed that syntax.

You can just use the URL now.

I would recommend switching from autoconfig to enterprise policies though.

Comment 5

[Paul Menzel]

Is there a way to migrate the old settings automatically for better user experience?

Comment 6

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2047962 - Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. r?#desktop-core

Comment 7

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Is there a way to migrate the old settings automatically for better user experience?

Yes. Patch is up.

Comment 8

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

Set release status flags based on info from the regressing bug 1490339

Comment 9

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/0caed5e4a506
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/82f41dfb9128
Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. r=firefox-desktop-core-reviewers ,Gijs

Comment 10

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/a7fafb63030d
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/e1bfcaf48a77
Revert "Bug 2047962 - Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. r=firefox-desktop-core-reviewers ,Gijs" for causing bc tests failures at ext_browserAction_disabled.js

Comment 11

[Silaghi Andreea]

I ll reland this because it was not the real culprit.

Comment 12

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/58e1a9fe3262
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/434aadf470e8
Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. r=firefox-desktop-core-reviewers ,Gijs

Comment 13

[Serban Stanca [:SerbanS]]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/434aadf470e8

Comment 14

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco]]

The patch landed in nightly and beta is affected.
:mkaply, is this bug important enough to require an uplift?

• If yes, please nominate the patch for beta approval.
  • See https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Requesting_an_Uplift for documentation on how to request an uplift.
• If no, please set status-firefox153 to wontfix.

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 15

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2047962 - Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. ,Gijs

Original Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D309831

Comment 16

[Phabricator Automation]

firefox-beta Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined/Reason for urgency: Direct customer impact.
• Code covered by automated testing?: yes
• Fix verified in Nightly?: yes
• Needs manual QE testing?: no
• Steps to reproduce for manual QE testing:
• Risk associated with taking this patch: low
• Explanation of risk level: Affects one specific path in autoconfig.
• String changes made/needed?: None
• Is Android affected?: no

Comment 17

[Pulsebot]

https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/bbf5dc543db8
https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/29779bb8d22c

Comment 18

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

Did you want to nominate this for Release uplift also for the final planned dot release of the cycle?

Comment 19

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Thanks, probably a nice thing to do for them.

Comment 20

[Phabricator Automation]

firefox-release Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined/Reason for urgency: Impacts enterprise customers
• Code covered by automated testing?: yes
• Fix verified in Nightly?: yes
• Needs manual QE testing?: no
• Steps to reproduce for manual QE testing:
• Risk associated with taking this patch: low
• Explanation of risk level: Only affects one specific autoconfig path.
• String changes made/needed?: None
• Is Android affected?: no

Comment 21

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

Attachment: Bug 2047962 - Unwrap legacy data:text/plain, pref values in autoconfig. ,Gijs

Original Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D309831

Comment 22

[Pulsebot]

https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/de5cebd71f81
https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-release/rev/008c5a346509

Comment 23

[Ryan VanderMeulen [:RyanVM]]

Added to the 152.0.6 relnotes.