538472 - Browser window size persistence when restoring tabs behaves badly with tiling window managers

Status: RESOLVED INCOMPLETE

(Firefox :: General, defect)

Description

[Francis Russell]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-GB; rv:1.9.1.6) Gecko/20091216 Iceweasel/3.5.6 (like Firefox/3.5.6; Debian-3.5.6-1)
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-GB; rv:1.9.1.6) Gecko/20091216 Iceweasel/3.5.6 (like Firefox/3.5.6; Debian-3.5.6-1)

When Firefox restores its tab state, either through re-opening the browser when the "restore my previous tabs" feature is enabled, or when disabling private browsing mode, Firefox attempts to restore the window to its original size.

Tiling window managers typically control window size, and will not allow the browser to resize itself in this manner. However, Firefox believes that it has resized its window successfully and so behaves incorrectly.

For the record, on Debian's Firefox (Iceweasel) this is reproducible on both restoring tabs using the "restore my previous tabs" feature, or by restoring tabs on private mode. I can reproduce this for the mozilla.org 3.5.7 Firefox binary download only when restoring tabs returning from private mode, but I believe this is the same bug.

This bug only seemed to appear in the 3.5 series Firefox. I don't believe I saw it before then.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
At least on the ratpoison or xmonad window managers.

1. Tile windows in such a manner that Firefox takes 1/4 of the screen area.
2. Switch to private browsing.
3. Tile windows such that Firefox is fullscreen.
4. End private browsing.
Actual Results:  
Firefox window remains fullscreen, but only the top-left 1/4 of the firefox window is actually functional.

Expected Results:  
Firefox should have recognised that its window is still fullscreen and behaved appropriately.

Comment 1

[Tyler Downer [He/Him]]

Reporter, are you still seeing this issue with Firefox 3.6.13 or later in safe mode? 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 can also try to reproduce in Firefox 4 Beta 8 or later, there are many improvements in the new version, http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/all-beta.html

Comment 2

[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.

Comment 3

[Francis Russell]

I've confirmed that the bug is still present using the 3.6.13 Linux build available from the Mozilla web page.