384783 - Preferences Set in user.js are Ignored

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Thunderbird :: Preferences, defect)

Description

[David E. Ross]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070509 SeaMonkey/1.1.2 Mnenhy/0.7.5.0
Build Identifier: version 2.0.0.4 (20070604)

When I set a preference in user.js in my Tbird profile, that preference is ignored.  It is not in effect the next time I launch Tbird.  

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.  On the menu bar, select [Tools > Options].  
2.  On the Options window, select [Advanced > General > Config Editor]
3.  In the about:config window, locate the preference mailnews.reply_header_type.  
4.  Make sure mailnews.reply_header_type is in its default state (1).  Close the about:config window.  
5.  Select the OK button on the Options window.  
6.  Terminate Tbird (all instances).  
7.  Locate your profile.  
8.  In user.js (creating the file if necessary), enter the preference: 
      user_pref("mailnews.reply_header_type", 2);
    Save the file.  
9.  Launch Tbird.  
10. Repeat steps 1 through 3.   
Actual Results:  
Preference mailnews.reply_header_type retains its default state (1).  

Expected Results:  
Preference mailnews.reply_header_type should have a user-set state (2).  

If I have to set a preference by actually modifying a preference variable, I prefer using user.js in place of the about:config window for permanent changes to preference variables so that I can annotate what I have done and why.  Of course, if I can set a preference without doing either (e.g., elsewhere on the Options window), I will do that to ensure all housekeeping is done and all related variables are also set.  

The Steps to Reproduce can be extended by actually replying to a message, which will not include the date and time of the original message will not appear in the reply line.  

Bug #289205 might describe a symptom of this bug.

Comment 1

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Worked fine for me (on linux)

Comment 2

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

> Preference mailnews.reply_header_type retains its default state (1).  
WORKSFORME too, with Tb 2.0.0.0 release build(Win XP-SP2).
Did you type correctly when editing user.js?
Do you use extension(add-on)?

Comment 3

[Joe Sabash [:JoeS1]]

WFM in Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5pre) Gecko/20070615 Thunderbird/2.0.0.5pre ID:2007061503
One thing you might check is that your user.js file is being recognized.
Wordwrap characters invalidate the file (it's bit me also)
If the user.js file was recognized, then that pref would have been written into the  prefs.js file. If you don't see it there, re-do the user.js file.

Comment 4

[David E. Ross]

The mailnews.reply_header_type was only one of several user.js preferences not getting set in prefs.js.  

I took another look at the file.  The problem was NOT related to word- or line-wrap.  The problem was caused by a missing semicolon at the end of some of the user_pref statements.  I inserted the semicolons.  It now works.  

Marking the bug report INVALID.