245316 - Malformed install.rdf prevents Firefox from running

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect, P2)

Description

[PikeUK]

The attached xpi file has an install.rdf with an <em:package> that points to a
non-existent location (in this case the jar is empty, though when I originally
saw this it was due to a typo). After attempting to install the xpi, every start
of Firefox will result in a "Finishing Extension Installation" dialog that never
disappears. Deleting the extensions sub-folder in the profile is the easiest way
of clearing the problem.

This could be considered to be an extension bug rather than a Firefox bug, but I
think that FF should handle the situation more gracefully so that the problem
can't be used as any sort of "attack" (though maybe with the white-list that has
been discussed in various places this won't be problem). I have no idea if
-no-extensions will bypass this problem as that feature seems broken at the
moment, I'll file a bug on that in a minute.

Comment 1

[PikeUK]

Attachment: Installing this breaks Firefox (delete extensions sub-folder in profile to recover)

Comment 2

[PikeUK]

I always forget how powerful extensions are, using this bug as an "attack" would
be pretty stupid, since a properly installed extension could do a lot more harm.
Anyway it would still be nice if broken install.rdf files were handled better.

Comment 3

[Paul Roub]

Attachment: ieview XPI causing installer hang

Another XPI which causes the same problem.  Trying to upgrade IEView to live
within the 0.9 setup, but I'm running into this wall.  Obviously, something's
wrong with my XPI layout or the install.rdf, but there's no feedback as to
what.

Comment 4

[PikeUK]

(In reply to comment #3)
> Another XPI which causes the same problem.  Trying to upgrade IEView to live
> within the 0.9 setup, but I'm running into this wall.  Obviously, something's
> wrong with my XPI layout or the install.rdf, but there's no feedback as to
> what.

You need to put the jar file into a chrome sub-folder.

Comment 5

[Paul Roub]

Thanks - solves the install problem for this extension.  Nonetheless, the
behavior when running into bonehead install mistakes like mine is sub-optimal.

Comment 6

[Jens Bannmann]

I ran into the same issue and filed bug 246369. IMHO, Firefox should gracefully
skip invalid extension install manifests.

Comment 7

[Bernard L. Mac Arthur]

I have tried to delete the subfolders, but it still hangs.  I then deleted the 
two extension sub-folders, but it still hangs.  I then reinstalled over the 
initial installation, and it still hangs.  Any suggestions?

Comment 8

[Unknown W. Brackets]

Please try removing and/or completely renaming any of the following directories
you might have:

%APPDATA%\Firefox (ie. C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Firefox)
%APPDATA%\Mozilla

And try again, with a completely clean profile.  Often the culprits are the
chrome directory and the extensions directory - but the XUL and localstore data
files can get corrupted too, in my experience.

-[Unknown]

Comment 9

[Adam Lock]

Caught me out when upgrading my Diggler extension

Comment 10

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

Attachment: patch

if chrome registration fails:
- show a warning to the user
- the warning has a "View Details" button extension authors can use to get full
details from the error console
- the extension is uninstalled so it does not leave cruft in the EM or cause
incompatibility headaches.

Comment 11

[Ben Goodger (use ben at mozilla dot org for email)]

br & trunk fixed. 

Comment 12

[PikeUK]

*** Bug 248128 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 13

[Ryan Polk (Quark)]

setting fixed-aviary1.0 for bugfixes checked into branch, for searching purposes.
sorry for bugspam.