408794 - If there is no network connectivity, compatibility check of addons fails with misleading message

Status: RESOLVED INACTIVE

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, enhancement)

Description

[Alain Knaff]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.8.1.10) Gecko/20071128 Fedora/2.0.0.10-2.fc7 Firefox/2.0.0.10
Build Identifier: 2.0.0.6 (20070728)

When attempting to install an add-on (extension) in Thunderbird while there is no http connectivity, the compatibility check hangs for a while, and then fails, claiming that the extension is only compatible with versions between 1.4 and 1.6.
(Such a situation may occur when behind a corporate firewall: the mail server, being internal, is still accessible, but no Web).

The problem was observed while installing the QuickMenuMC extension.

Configuring a http proxy using the config editor fixes the problem. However, this  may not be obvious to the casual user, because:
1. The message does not say anything about network. The only reason why *I* thought about investigating that route was that it took a while before popping up the error message (network timeout)
2. It may not be obvious to the casual user that Thunderbird needs HTTP at all (so far, the splash screen and the extension compatibility checks are the only places where it needs http)
3. Unlike with firefox, Proxy configuration cannot be found in the "normal" configuration menu, but only in the Config Editor.

Proposed solution: make the error message clearer, and say something like "due to network timeout, compatibility of extension could not be verified"

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Download QuickMenuMC extension
2. Disconnect network cable
3. Attempt to install previously downloaded QuickMenuMC extension in Thunderbird
Actual Results:  
A message (wrongly) claiming that the extension is only compatible with versions between 1.4 and 1.6

Expected Results:  
A message explaining that compatibility could not be checked due to network unavailability

Comment 1

[Jeremy Baron]

Where can I get the extension you refer to?

Comment 2

[Alain Knaff]

At https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/1624

Comment 3

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Valid enhancement request

Comment 4

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+2]]

Dave, how does it look like with the new EM?

Comment 5

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

Basically the same issue remains

Comment 6

[BMO Automation]

Per policy at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Bug_Triage/Projects/Bug_Handling/Bug_Husbandry#Inactive_Bugs. If this bug is not an enhancement request or a bug not present in a supported release of Firefox, then it may be reopened.