673289 - Fennec addons can also run on desktop platforms

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(addons.mozilla.org Graveyard :: Developer Pages, defect)

Description

[[:fabrice] Fabrice Desré]

Attachment: error message when trying to set "All platforms" for desktop platforms

When uploading a new version of a fennec add-on, it's not possible to specify that the add-on is compatible with all desktop platforms and all mobile platforms (see screenshot).

As a consequence, it's not possible to install the add-on from AMO on eg. a linux desktop build.

Comment 1

[Kris Maglione [:kmag]]

It also appears impossible to even download the XPI unless you're on one of the supported platforms (http://666kb.com/i/bvenegg6oadf2qmrb.png), which makes it entirely inaccessible to desktop users. This is a bit strange since it's available to users who aren't even on supported applications...

Comment 2

[Matt Brubeck (:mbrubeck)]

I can confirm that this prevents me from installing my own mobile add-ons on platforms other than Maemo and Android.  Also, each version is now copied into two files, one Android-only and one Maemo-only.  Why was this changed from the previous UI, which allowed a single file with no platform restrictions?

Comment 3

[Jeff Balogh (:jbalogh)]

(In reply to comment #2)
> I can confirm that this prevents me from installing my own mobile add-ons on
> platforms other than Maemo and Android.  

Are you prevented or just discouraged? I still see the download button on your addons.

> Why was this changed from the previous UI, which allowed a single 
> file with no platform restrictions?

QA thought it was a great idea (bug 649497).

Comment 4

[krupa raj[:krupa]]

(In reply to comment #0)
> Created attachment 547556 [details]
> error message when trying to set "All platforms" for desktop platforms
> 
> When uploading a new version of a fennec add-on, it's not possible to
> specify that the add-on is compatible with all desktop platforms and all
> mobile platforms (see screenshot).
> 
> As a consequence, it's not possible to install the add-on from AMO on eg. a
> linux desktop build.

Have you specified Firefox/Thunderbird as a supported application in the install.rdf? If yes, then desktop platforms should be made available during upload.

Comment 5

[Matt Brubeck (:mbrubeck)]

(In reply to comment #3)
> Are you prevented or just discouraged? I still see the download button on
> your addons.

There's no option to install or download enabled for Phony 2.0.2, for example, when you visit AMO with desktop Fennec:
https://addons.mozilla.org/mobile/addon/phony/versions/

(In reply to comment #4)
> Have you specified Firefox/Thunderbird as a supported application in the
> install.rdf? If yes, then desktop platforms should be made available during
> upload.

This add-on is not compatible with desktop Firefox.  It is for mobile Firefox (Fennec) only.  But it *is* compatible with Fennec running on Windows, Mac, Linux, MeeGo, etc.  For some reason AMO has changed to interpret "all mobile platforms" as "Android and Maemo only" instead of "Fennec only; no platform restriction."

Comment 6

[Jeff Balogh (:jbalogh)]

(In reply to comment #5)
> (In reply to comment #3)
> > Are you prevented or just discouraged? I still see the download button on
> > your addons.
> 
> There's no option to install or download enabled for Phony 2.0.2, for
> example, when you visit AMO with desktop Fennec:
> https://addons.mozilla.org/mobile/addon/phony/versions/

That sounds like a separate bug.

Comment 7

[Jeff Balogh (:jbalogh)]

After much discussion on IRC, the mobile team would like to see bug 649497 reverted so that there are no platform restrictions for Fennec.

Comment 8

[Matt Brubeck (:mbrubeck)]

(In reply to comment #7)
> After much discussion on IRC, the mobile team would like to see bug 649497
> reverted so that there are no platform restrictions for Fennec.

Personally I think the UI change would be okay, if the back-end were changed so that "All Mobile Platforms" really means all platforms and not just Android and Maemo.

Comment 9

[Justin Scott [:fligtar]]

Changing the technical restrictions for installing add-ons from desktop fennec is fine, but we shouldn't complicate the UI choices for developers. They should stay the same.

I think working on any fennec == working on all desktop fennecs, for the purposes of this.

Comment 11

[Wil Clouser [:clouserw]]

Thanks for filing this.  Due to resource constraints we are closing bugs which we won't realistically be able to fix.  If you have a patch that applies to this bug please reopen.

For more info see http://micropipes.com/blog/2014/09/24/the-great-add-on-bug-triage/