322050 - plugins shipped as xpis should be able to install and run without restarting

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect)

Description

[charon]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; fr; rv:1.8) Gecko/20051111 Firefox/1.5
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; fr; rv:1.8) Gecko/20051111 Firefox/1.5

With install.js ,the method refreshplugins avoids to restart firefox after plugin install.
Since firefox 1.5 ,I can install a plugin with install.rdf(em:type to value 16) but the plugins are not reload.
Can you auto refresh the plugins in this case??

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.install this plugin example: https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&id=1276
2.
3.

Actual Results:  
The plugin load only after firefox restart

Expected Results:  
The plugin must load after install

Comment 1

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

(In reply to comment #0)
> Can you auto refresh the plugins in this case??
The Extension Manager doesn't perform the install / update until after the restart so installs and the more difficult case of updates (e.g. files in use on Windows, unloading reloading of chrome, etc.) would have to happen without a restart before the Extension Manager could support this or any work on this enhancement could be done.

Comment 2

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Confirming issue

Comment 3

[klonos]

It's been some time since this bug was filed. Trying to confirm if fixed or not in latest nightly builds, but I don't seem to understand the steps to repro it. This is where I downloaded from:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1276

Installed in Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2a1pre) Gecko/20090417 Minefield/3.6a1pre (.NET CLR 3.5.30729) ID:20090417044042

...and installation completed successfully.

This is an .xpi install, so it is supposed to only load after restart like all addons. Right? Am I missing something here?

Comment 4

[charon]

Hi, It's old ;)

I ask this question because the installation by install.rdf was new. Before with install.js the restart is not necessary.
I've seen on the firefox roadmap that the restart will not be necessary after Add on Install. This problem should be solved

Thanks,
Charon, Ma-Config.com

Comment 5

[klonos]

Hello charon and sorry for the late reply, but being Easter holidays and all...

Anyway, I am not sure what you find odd? That the installation was successful for me when I tried it? Did you have a failure message instead when you tried it? Are you still using firefox 1.5 under Windows NT? If not, what versions are you using? Do you still see the issue you described back in 2006?

Still trying to reproduce/confirm it. So, these are the steps I take in detail:

1. Created a new, clean profile.
2. Tools -> Add-ons
3. Downloaded the .xpi file (see note below) and drag-dropped it in the addons window.
4. Waited a couple of seconds for the installation countdown.
5. Clicked install.

... and the results I see, again in detail:

6. Installation completed successfully and can see the add-on listed as 'Win32 MCI MIDI Plugin' in the 'Installation' section/tab of the Add-ons window.
(The plugin is not yet shown in the 'Plugins' section/tab of the Add-ons window)
8. Restart firefox.
9. Tools -> Add-ons -> 'Plugins' section/tab
10. The plugin is listed there as 'npruntime scriptable plugin for multimedia files 1.0.0.1' and as a comment I see 'npruntime multimedia plugin for MIDI (Gecko Version: 1.8b1)'

Not sure what you expect to happen here (?). Do you mean that steps 8 and 9 should not be needed in order to see the plugin listed under the Plugins section/tab of the Add-ons window? I don't know if that is possible at all for any plugin. Do you know any other plugin that is immediately available right after installation?

note: Since we are trying to reproduce this bug in 3.x versions, I am uploading a modified .xpi that can install up to version 4 of firefox (the one in AMO is installable without nags only up to version 1.4). So now there is no need of addons that allow this, like the Nightly Tester Tools or MR Tech's Toolkit.

Comment 6

[klonos]

Attachment: modified .xpi installable in firefox up to version 4

only thing I changed from the original file I've downloaded from AMO is the max ver. from 1.4 to 4

Comment 7

[charon]

Hi, I use the nighly firefox (shiretoko:more faster). I'm not the developer of plugin MCI MIDI plugin. I've give this example because my own plugin was not yet developped with install.rdf at this moment.
I can't do the test with this plugin. It's doesn't work with firefox 3.5.
You can try the plugin ma-config. Go to my-config.com. Click on the blue button Start The detection. And click on automatic install. Firefox restart and it will install the plugin.(the restart is necessary)
The type of my extension XPI is not an plugin(16) but the type by default for the extension else the update url doesn't work. The only interest from propose an extension XPI for my users is the update url.( There is plugin finder but I don't know how it work and if I can subscribe?) 

Thanks

Comment 8

[charon]

Hi I've test your xpi(not seen the second post...) ,Firefox has not restart :). The  em:type has value 16. I should use this type but how can I update the plugin. How subscribe to plugin finder?

Comment 9

[klonos]

Hello again charon, excuse me for asking things twice and yet again asking for details and clarifications, but english seems not to be your natural language and it is hard for me to understand what you need to say most of the times. So please answer the following questions for me (a simple 'yes' or 'no' will do).

It seems to me that you have reported this bug back in 2006 while trying to develop your own plugin and at the time there was a change to the plugin system from using .js files to using .rdf files. Am I correct on this one? YES/NO?

Using the new method you had to restart firefox whereas with the old one there was no need to? YES/NO?

Using the new method was there a restart or a crash in firefox(?)

You say in the above reply: 'Firefox has not restart' and a happy face follows ':)'. Does this mean that your problem seems fixed now? YES/NO?

Again not sure what you mean, but it seems to me you are looking for answers to developing issues ('I should use this type but how can I update the
plugin.'). I think that this is not the right place to do that and certainly not by posting a bug for it.

I am not sure what this 'plugin finder' you need to subscribe to is(?) Is it a website? If yes, what is the URL and what trouble are you facing while trying to subscribe?

Anyways... since I am not a developer myself either and all I am trying to do is help mozilla community (by confirming old bugs to be valid or not with latest versions of firefox), I cannot answer all your questions.

To conclude, if this is not a bug issue with firefox anymore, you should mark it as resolved (so that mozilla people can concentrate on fixing other important bugs). If you need help with developing plugins send me a personal email and I'll try to find some answers for you, but please don't post questions here, as it is only for reporting bugs and information that'll help solve them.

Thank you.

Comment 10

[charon]

Yes sorry for my english...

first question: yes

second question:No not really. My xpi extension doesn't use the em::type 16(but 2 I believe) .I will put the good em::type if I can update the plugin by an another way.(I use currently em::updateURL but it's not work with em::type 16)

third question: For The Plugin Finder Service, look at this url:
http://webpages.charter.net/kcooper1234/plugin_finder_service.PNG

I put the bug in resolved ;)
I thank you for your help. I search some documentation for use the Plugin Finder Service. you or someone else can contact me on [e-mail]. I search everywhere and I've never found some documentation.

Comment 11

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

This bug isn't fixed. We should be able to install new plugins through xpi without restarting firefox.

Comment 12

[klonos]

a quick search showed:

bug 256509: Installing / uninstalling of extension without restarting

and

Bug 226791: fix dynamic theme switching feature

These two bugs cover the cases of extensions and themes installing without the need of restart. Even if you feel that plugins are a separate case than the extensions, I am sure that if you search a bit more you'll find some bug already filed for your request. If not, please change this one's title and description to something that clearly states its purpose like:

'Installing / uninstalling of plugins without restarting'

though I think it would be right away marked as dupe to:

Bug 341729: Trunk regression: must restart firefox to install plugins

Comment 13

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Yes, plugins are indeed a special case requiring additional work above that required for bug 256509 (which this bug is already dependant upon.

Comment 14

[charon]

Yes, sorry this bug is not fixed.
There is many case:
*If the extension XPI has the em::type 2 firefox ask for restart(an extension
with an plugin npapi works)
*If it has the em::type 16 firefox doesn't ask for restart but I test with my
modified extension . The plugin doesn't load.
Sorry for the error but this bug is old, I've forgotten.

Comment 15

[klonos]

now you have my vote for this as well.

Comment 16

[klonos]

... just for the people checking for duplicate bugs, this one is different to bug 341729: Trunk regression: must restart firefox to install plugins

This one deals with plugins shipped as .xpi and under Windows OS, while bug 341729 is for .so files under Linux platform.

Comment 17

[Andrew Swan [:aswan]]

NPAPI is now gone, this is irrelevant