222501 - [exthandler] unhelpful error message if helper app not found

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Core Graveyard :: File Handling, defect)

Description

[[e-mail]]

so... i got this unhelpful error message when trying to view a pdf:

/tmp/foo.pdf could not be opened, because an unknown error occurred.
Sorry about that. Try saving to disk first and then opening the file.

turns out /etc/mailcap says 'xpdf' is the helper app for application/pdf, and i
don't have xpdf installed. so |application| at
http://lxr.mozilla.org/seamonkey/source/uriloader/exthandler/unix/nsOSHelperAppService.cpp#103
is null.

could we get a more helpful error message, perhaps? :)

(i have an HelperAppService:4 log, which biesi can attach here)

Comment 1

[Christian :Biesinger (don't email me, ping me on IRC)]

Attachment: dwitte's log

Comment 2

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

So first off, I guess we should return NS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND here.  Looking at
the caller, that should be sufficient to get the "%S could not be opened,
because the associated helper application does not exist. Change the association
in your preferences." error instead.

Comment 3

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Attachment: Patch for just the error message

Per discussion with biesi, we would like to allow save when this error happens,
or maybe even something more sneaky (like re-posing the helper app dialog).

Comment 4

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Taking.

Comment 5

[Christian :Biesinger (don't email me, ping me on IRC)]

Comment on attachment 133443 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch for just the error message

this looks fine to me and we should do it in any case

Comment 6

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Comment on attachment 133443 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch for just the error message

well, I'd like to check this in then before even doing the main work...

Comment 7

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Comment on attachment 133443 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch for just the error message

This patch is in.

Comment 8

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

I'm going to call this fixed.  If someone wants to file a separate bug for the pie-in-the-sky bit in comment 3, go for it.