498225 - Hovering mouse (not clicking) will sometimes autoresize browser window

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Andreas Eibach]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2a1pre) Gecko/20090607 Minefield/3.6a1pre
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2a1pre) Gecko/20090607 Minefield/3.6a1pre

Hi,

this is a very annoying problem, but probably also caused by some script fault in sites I regularly visit.
However, FF (more exactly: Minefield) appears to fight some war against these sorts of scripts and even after leaving the page again, the problem is not gone.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always appear but depends on the site AND, above all, the complexity of scripts (mainly JavaScript) used on the site.

Behavior is like this:
After the issue has come into effect, you won't need your left mouse button any longer: you can move carefully to the lower right edge (ed: the one with the "dog-ear") and you can AUTORESIZE the window without even thinking of using the mouse button. Just HOVER over this area with the mouse button and you can trigger the window resizer, which, however, will make the window abruptly increase in size - with a smashing zap! the window is now about 100 pixels bigger in horizontal axis.

I'd like to know what causes this; nor do I think too many people have encountered this; it may even be a Win7-only issue.
NOTE: It does NOT happen with Explorer windows, although these feature the same "dog-ear" on the lower right edge.

It only appears here UNDER HEAVY LOAD; that is, encoding a CD to MP3 or something. Or when I watch a video occupying the one screen half, and I simultaneously checking something on a web site in the other half.

That is: when the multitude of scripts can't work perfectly synchronously due to the high load, this problem may occur.

Reproducible: Sometimes

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Surf around on various web sites commonly known to have a huge army of javascripts and/or flash videos and other multimedia stuff: candidates are gmx.net, adobe.com, cnn.com, youtube, dailymotion and others.
2. Hover (DO NOT click!) with the mouse pointer *gently* over the lower right edge of the window and move around the mouse cursor in DIAGONAL direction.

Actual Results:  
If the issue was triggered "successfully", the window will auto-resize without clicking anything, i. e. you have met the bug in person. Congratulations.

Expected Results:  
Absolutely no window resize operation may come into effect UNLESS the left mouse button was clicked.

Comment 1

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

Can you also reproduce this in safe-mode or else with a new profile?
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Basic+Troubleshooting#Make_a_new_profile

Comment 2

[Andreas Eibach]

Hi Ria,

this may be possible: unfortunately, due to the bug occurring occasionally, this would require me to have Minefield running in safe-mode for several days probably.
My intuition tells me that I will also be rid of my beloved ABP (Adblock Plus) and I can't seem to think of surfing the net for days with this add-on disabled. It almost feels the same for me as the manna in the Bible for the people ^^

Comment 3

[Sam Moore]

1. Are you on a laptop? The trackpad may be extremely sensitive. It may be that your trackpad is clicking without you knowing it. If you are on a laptop, try turning off the tap-to-click, in control panel.

2. Make a new profile and try it. Open command prompt, go to the trunk directory (in C:/Program Files/, where C is the System Disk, if you installed 3.6a1pre), and run firefox -p. Make a new profile and run in that a few days.

Comment 4

[Andreas Eibach]

ad 1: No, this happened on a desktop PC. But good you mentioned it, we really should have a field in the bug report form which tells about the type of computer used.

Comment 5

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

Reporter, are you still seeing this issue with Firefox 3.6.13 or later in safe mode or a fresh profile? If not, please close. These links can help you in your testing.
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Safe+Mode
http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles

You may also wish to try with the latest Firefox 4 beta, http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html.

Comment 6

[Andreas Eibach]

Hello Tyler,

well it actually happens VERY rarely here on my current 4.0b, that much is true, and if so, only at VERY heavy workload. It will no longer occur at that 2-day interval as in the 3.6 tree, that's for sure.
But from time to time, it will still happen.

However, there is a "fix" by clicking once into a free area of the Windows desktop. This will "free" the mouse.

Comment 7

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

No reply, INCOMPLETE. Please retest with Firefox 3.6.13 or later and a new profile (http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Managing+profiles). If you continue to see this issue with the newest firefox and a new profile, then please comment on this bug.