40594 - DOM_L2: Does the mailnews rely on old incorrect DOM Level 1 behavior

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(SeaMonkey :: MailNews: Message Display, defect, P1)

Description

[Johnny Stenback (:jst)]

This bug is for tracking if and how mailnews breaks when the old incorrect
way of manipulating a DOM document containing XML namespace elements in mozilla
is replaced with the new correct DOM Level 2 way of dealing with elements in a
XML namespace aware application.

The old incorrect implementation allows for code like this to work:

  document.createElement("html:input");
  document.getElementsByTagName("html:checkbox");
  element.setAttribute("rdf:resource", "http://...");
  element.getAttribute("rdf:resource");
  if (element.tagName == "BODY") ... // element is a HTML element in XUL
  if (element.nodeName == "TD") ... // element is a HTML element in XUL

The correct new DOM Level 2 way of doing the above would be something like this:

  document.createElementNS("http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40", "html:input");
  document.getElementsByTagNameNS("http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40",
                                  "checkbox");
  element.setAttributeNS("http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#",
                         "rdf:resource", "http://...");
  element.getAttributeNS("http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#",
                         "resource");

Comment 1

[lchiang]

When are you going to switch over to this new way?

Comment 2

[Johnny Stenback (:jst)]

The temporary code that lets you turn on the new behavior by setting a pref is
now checked in, to enable the new behavior, add this to all.js

pref("temp.DOMLevel2update.enabled", true);

With this pref enabled you'll see output like this:

Possible DOM Error: CreateElement("html:input") called, use CreateElementNS()
in stead!

if the old incorrect behavior is expected. This temporary code does it's best to
issue warnings when possible, but it's not quaranteed to find all the problems
for you.

Comment 3

[Johnny Stenback (:jst)]

lchiang, this will be switched on by default as soon as mozilla is ready for it,
the sooner the better. IMO it shouldn't take many days to realize where the
problems are and getting them fixed, but I don't have a final date for this,
more info here when available.

lchiang, is it OK to have only one bug on this for all of mailnews, or should I
add separate bugs for some other mailnews components?

Comment 4

[scottputterman]

this is fine.  If I need more help then I'll file bugs.  cc'ing alecf because I 
think he expressed interest in this.

Comment 5

[lchiang]

one bug is fine, I guess, per putterman.  When turned on by default and we find
bugs, then we should file add'l bugs as needed.  We would probably want to run
for one or so days before the switch is set to default.  What do you think, Scott?

Comment 6

[Alec Flett]

I'll bet we're pretty safe in mail actually, if these are the extent of the rest 
of the changes...

Comment 7

[selmer (gone)]

Target nominated bugs to M16.  Please update as necessary.

Comment 8

[Michael La Guardia]

We're plussing this to say that it is OK to do the flip to the DOM Level2 behavior.

Comment 9

[scottputterman]

marking P1

Comment 10

[scottputterman]

reassigning to alecf who has already done this.  thanks, Alec.

Comment 11

[Alec Flett]

ok, fix is in... even found/fixed a XUL/DOM2 bug in the process

Comment 12

[lchiang]

I'm going to mark verified.  If this has been turned on, then we've been using 
the trunk builds for the last few days on all platforms without any serious side 
effects/regressions from this.

Comment 13

[Alec Flett]

jst says this is not turned on by default.
But I've been running with this on
I suggest someone sets the pref and runs with mail for a while to see if it's 
truly working. There are still warnings, but they all seem to come from the 
browser...

Comment 14

[lchiang]

ok, I will unverify this then. I'll set the pref on Monday and run for a day.

Comment 15

[lchiang]

.

Comment 16

[lchiang]

I'm marking verified.  This has been in the product for a while and no adverse 
effects.