52329 - Mail compose window disappears when sending mail

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(MailNews Core :: Composition, defect, P1)

Description

[Simon Fraser [no longer active]]

The mail compose window is currently hidden while mail is being sent (and 
progress is shown in the main 3-pane window). This is disturbing for the 
following reasons:
1. Most people will equate window disappearance with mail being sent.
2. There is no obvious way to cancel the send (if, say, you have an unresponsive
   server).
3. If the send/copy fails, the window pops back up -- confusing.
4. The behaviour differs from 4.x.

I think we need to keep the window up, disable the send button while the send is 
in progress, and ensure that there is a Stop button that cancels the send.

See also bug 52328.

Comment 1

[Jean-Francois Ducarroz]

this was a marketing/UI requirement at the origin. Does it still stand? I don't
know! Jennifer, any input on the matter?

Comment 2

[jglick]

I agree with this bug. I understand that the goal was to make it appear 
that mail is really fast, but I think we are not giving users the clues/feedback 
they need to make them feel that the message was really sent. I have seen this 
in all the recent usability tests in which users send an email message. Users 
click "Send" and the window just disappears. Many users have commented, "so was 
it sent? I'm not sure". I think the window should remain open, showing progress 
in the status bar, until the message is really sent.  Cc'ing kmurray PM. 

Related is bug 28348, which discusses the progress dialog which was used in 4.x.

Comment 3

[kmurray1115]

What we gained in percieved performance we lost in user feedback. We need to try
and maintain the performance benefit, and add better user feedback. I'll defer
to Jen on how we accomplish that. 

Comment 4

[jglick]

When we start our issues meetings on Mail Compose, I think this is a topic we 
need to come to agreement on.

Comment 5

[jglick]

Add mail3 keyword so considered for 6.5

Comment 6

[Fabian Guisset]

*** Bug 61094 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 7

[scottputterman]

marking nsbeta1+ and moving to mozilla0.8  We need to discuss this before
implementing, but we should do something about feedback and fixing this bug
might be involved.

Comment 8

[Matthew T (active 1999-2002)]

This would largely be fixed by bug 28348.

Comment 9

[scottputterman]

moving to mozilla0.9  this is part of the progress work and we need the progress
back end first.

Comment 10

[Jean-Francois Ducarroz]

Fixed and checked in

Comment 11

[Sheela Ravindran]

verified that the compose window stays up till the message gets sent. 
win98-2001-04-16-06
mac-2001-04-16-04
linux-2001-04-15-21

I have not tested for bug 67617 when I do so will update the bug.