213923 - Mozilla should reset NSPR logging environment before launching other processes/helper apps

Status: NEW

(Toolkit :: Startup and Profile System, defect, P5)

Description

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

The problem I ran into is that Mozilla launched a helper, which turned around
and launched Mozilla (the helper was htmlview).  X-remote naturally kicked in
and the new file was opened in the existing mozilla.

The problem is that my original Mozilla was running with NSPR logging on.  And
those env vars are naturally inherited by htmlview, the mozilla script, and the
new mozilla instance that the mozilla script opesn.  And hence this new
instance, before actually exiting, clobbers the NSPR logfile.

Imo, we should clear the NSPR logging env vars in the startup script if we plan
to launch with -remote.

What do you think, Chris?

Comment 1

[Christopher Blizzard (:blizzard)]

I think that any time we launch helper apps, we should be careful about what we
pass on in the environment.

However, this seems like a real edge case to me.  Most users aren't running NSPR
logging.  I'd hate to special case this.

Comment 2

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

> I think that any time we launch helper apps, we should be careful about what we
> pass on in the environment.

Then nsIProcess needs to provide facilities to control what we pass on.

I'm not saying this is something a lot of people will run into, no.  And if you
wontfix it, I'll just go away.  But when it happens, it makes life pretty
hellish (equivalent to a bug in your code that crashes the debugger when you try
to debug it; should debuggers work around such?)

Comment 3

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

The bug assignee didn't login in Bugzilla in the last 7 months.
:mossop, could you have a look please?
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Comment 4

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

In the process of migrating remaining bugs to the new severity system, the severity for this bug cannot be automatically determined. Please retriage this bug using the new severity system.

Comment 5

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

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

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