704172 - Clear data for application doesn't clear bookmarks or history

Status: VERIFIED INVALID

(Firefox for Android Graveyard :: General, defect)

Description

[Lawrence Mandel [:lmandel] (use needinfo)]

When selecting clear data for the nightly application my bookmarks and history still persist. I know that there are considerations now that Firefox uses the system's managed bookmarks and history. However, clicking the clear data button provides the following warning that suggests that all of the application's data will be cleared:

"All of this application's data will be deleted permanently. This includes all files, settings, accounts, databases and so on."

Note that selecting the same option for the Internet (default browser) application clears the bookmarks and history from the system.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Select menu->Applications->Manage Applications->Nightly->Clear data
2. The warning message is shown. Click OK.
3. Return to Firefox. All of the bookmarks and history remain.

Expected results:
Bookmarks and history would be cleared/empty when clicking Clear data.

Actual results:
Bookmarks and history persist after clearing the application data. I need to clear the data from the Internet application in order to remove them.

Comment 1

[Aaron Train [:aaronmt]]

Dupe of bug 701855?

Comment 2

[Lawrence Mandel [:lmandel] (use needinfo)]

Bug 701855 doesn't read like a dup of this one - although perhaps technically it is. This bug talks about the system preferences. Bug 701855 is talking about Firefox preferences.

Comment 3

[Aaron Train [:aaronmt]]

bug 701856 might provide further direction

Comment 4

[Lawrence Mandel [:lmandel] (use needinfo)]

Again, in this bug I'm interested in the system preferences. From the Android home screen select menu->Applications->Manage Applications->Nightly->Clear data. I don't know that there is a way to change the text in this screen. If I click clear data I expect that like with the Internet application, my history and bookmarks will be cleared. This is not the case today.

Comment 5

[Brad Lassey [:blassey] (use needinfo?)]

bookmarks and history are stored in a system bookmarks and history store, clearing the application data will not touch it

Comment 6

[Lawrence Mandel [:lmandel] (use needinfo)]

Brad, is this a final decision? Requiring me to clear the data from the Internet app when I have set Firefox as my default web browser (and I don't use Internet) does not seem intuitive to me. Are we really going to document that users have to clear the data from the Internet application in order to clear bookmarks and history?

I know that there is some discussion about having an option for a separate data store that would be Firefox specific. I think in this case it does make sense for the Firefox clear data option to only clear the bookmarks and history set in Firefox leaving management of the system bookmarks and history to the Internet app.

Madhava - Any thoughts on this interaction from a UX perspective?

Comment 7

[Mark Finkle (:mfinkle) (use needinfo?)]

Some other data:
* You can clear this data from within Firefox using Preferences -> Clear history
* As long as history is stored in the system databases, it is not possible to clear it using Applications->Manage Applications->Nightly->Clear data
* Bug 704490 will add profile-based storage for history. Then you can clear it using Applications->Manage Applications->Nightly->Clear data

Until bug 704490 (and dependent bugs) land, this bug is invalid. When bug 704490 lands, this feature should appear with it.

Closing this bug until it's possible to store history with the application.

Comment 8

[Lawrence Mandel [:lmandel] (use needinfo)]

Thank you for the additional details.

(In reply to Mark Finkle (:mfinkle) from comment #7)
> Some other data:
> * You can clear this data from within Firefox using Preferences -> Clear
> history

Yes. I'm not really concerned about the capability being there to clear the history (I know it's there). My concern is that clearing the app data doesn't clear data that is generated by the app.

> * As long as history is stored in the system databases, it is not possible
> to clear it using Applications->Manage Applications->Nightly->Clear data

I didn't know this. I tested some other browsers (Opera Mini, Dolphin Browser HD, Miren Browser, Skyfire, Sleipnir) - the few that used the system store for history and bookmarks don't clear the values when clearing the app data. The rest don't use the system store but selecting to clear data for those apps does actually clear the data created by those apps.