356047 - New pages should be opened in a new window setting is not observed when upgrading but opens in new tab instead.

Status: VERIFIED WORKSFORME

(Firefox :: Tabbed Browser, defect)

Description

[thisis_not_anapple]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061003 Firefox/2.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061003 Firefox/2.0

When installing this build (and previous builds such as 2.0 RC1) over an earlier installation (such as 1.5.0.7), under the Tools->Options->Tabs->"New pages should be opened in:" setting displays that "a new window" is selected as the current setting. However, the browser behaves as if "a new tab" is selected for this setting. As an example, if you open the add-ons window, right click an extension and select visit homepage, it will open in a new tab of the existing window rather than a new window.

However, if you make any changes to this setting in the Options dialog, it will start working correctly as indicated. So, for example, if you want the behaviour to be "a new window" you must first select "a new tab" then select "a new window" and then it will work as expected. Note that you don't have to click OK between the setting changes. It is sufficient to  click "a new tab" then immediately click "a new window" again then click OK in order for the "a new window" setting to take effect. The discrepancy seems to only occur on installing over another version of firefox.

Note: I also tried installing the 20061008 build of bon echo over this build then installed this build back over bon echo and noticed the same issue: "a new window" is selected in the Options dialog but it behaves as if "a new tab" is selected. The workaround described above still works but this indicates the problem isn't specific to upgrading from 1.5.0.7. 

I've observed this behaviour on 2 different systems. 

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Install this build over another existing build.
2.Check that "a new window" is selected in Tools->Options->Tabs->"New pages should be opened in:"
3.Click on a link that should open in a new window or open the add-ons window, right click and extension and select visit homepage.

Actual Results:  
The link opens in an existing window as a new tab.

Expected Results:  
The link should have opened in a new window.

Comment 1

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

That is because both browsers have a different default setting for browser.link.open_newwindow and that is by design.
Default settings are not written to prefs.js so BonEcho will also use its own default.

Comment 2

[thisis_not_anapple]

I still feel this is a bug because when viewing the tab options, it displays "a new window" even though it behaves as if "a new tab" is selected. It's OK that it defaults to "a new tab" and that it isn't written to prefs.js, but if the browser is using a default setting, the options dialog should reflect the default setting being used. The fact that the options dialog is clearly displaying a setting that is not being used creates confusion. 

Comment 3

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

I tested this, started Firefox 1.5.0.7 in a new profile, and this browser opened a link in a new window (by default). Then I started a 2.0 build in the same profile, and the same link was opened in a new tab by default. I looked into the Options window and "New pages should be opened in a new tab" was selected.
So I can't reproduce your problem, probably because there's some profile corruption going on.
If you're still having these problems with a new profile, discuss this on the forums: http://forums.mozillazine.org
If they're able to find a specific reproducible issue with Firefox, feel free
to file a new bug.

Comment 4

[Tracy Walker [:tracy]]

I believe this is a dupe of bug 356047

also see bug 356830 for the request to clarify the pref.