Open Bug 775427 Opened 12 years ago Updated 2 years ago

If Firefox 14 isn't running, opening an associated file (e.g. HTML) locally launches it twice in separate windows.

Categories

(Firefox :: Shell Integration, defect)

Product:
Firefox
Component:
Shell Integration
Version:
14 Branch
Platform:
x86
Windows XP
Type:
defect

Tracking

()

Status:
UNCONFIRMED

People

(Reporter: xircal, Unassigned)

References

Details

Attachments

(1 file)

Example of MHT file triggering the problem and screenshot of the result
206.37 KB, image/jpeg
Details 
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:14.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/14.0.1
Build ID: 20120713134347

Steps to reproduce:

Opened a locally saved webpage. Opening an exported "bookmarks.html" file behaves the same way. 


Actual results:

If Firefox isn't running, opening an HTML file locally launches it in two separate windows. This can be a locally created HTML file such as an exported bookmarks file in that format, or a page downloaded from a site somewhere.


Expected results:

Only one window should have opened.
Component: Untriaged → File Handling
Summary: If Firefox 14.0.1 isn't running, opening an HTML file locally launches the file twice in separate windows. → If Firefox 14.0.1 isn't running, opening an HTML file locally launches it twice in separate windows.
I'm not able to reproduce thsi behavior.

Please, try with a new profile without add-ons.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Managing-profiles
(In reply to Loic from comment #1)
> I'm not able to reproduce thsi behavior.
> 
> Please, try with a new profile without add-ons.
> https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Managing-profiles

I created a new profile without copying anything at all from the old one, but the problem persists. 

Are you sure Firefox wasn't already running when you opened an HTML file locally?
Depends on: 775899
(In reply to xircal from comment #2) 
> Are you sure Firefox wasn't already running when you opened an HTML file
> locally?

Yes, I closed FF14, I double-clicked on .html file stored on my HDD, FF14 started and loaded the local file.

But I'm on Win 7, maybe it's OS-dependent.
(In reply to Loic from comment #3)
> (In reply to xircal from comment #2) 
> > Are you sure Firefox wasn't already running when you opened an HTML file
> > locally?
> 
> Yes, I closed FF14, I double-clicked on .html file stored on my HDD, FF14
> started and loaded the local file.
> 
> But I'm on Win 7, maybe it's OS-dependent.

Could be. I notice the other user who posted bug 775899 the day after I logged this one has the same OS as myself.
(In reply to xircal from comment #4)
> (In reply to Loic from comment #3)
> > (In reply to xircal from comment #2) 
> > > Are you sure Firefox wasn't already running when you opened an HTML file
> > > locally?
> > 
> > Yes, I closed FF14, I double-clicked on .html file stored on my HDD, FF14
> > started and loaded the local file.
> > 
> > But I'm on Win 7, maybe it's OS-dependent.
> 
> Could be. I notice the other user who posted bug 775899 the day after I
> logged this one has the same OS as myself.

That would be me.  Sorry for the dup.  My pre-filing search didn't turn up your report.  Gotta be the same bug, so my report should be merged into yours.
I tried on Win XP 32 bits, Firefox opens only one instance.
I tried by clicking directly on the file in Windows Explorer and with command Run > firefox.exe "file:..."

Are you running FF in a specific environment? Portable version?
I just created a fresh Windows user account with admin privilages--limited user coudln't change file associations.  Same behavior across the board as with my regular account.  Looks like someone changed some shell glue code and didn't test this file open scenario (or at least on XP).
The bug name should be changed to more accurately describe the problem, as it occurs with any associated file type, not just HTML (or JPG).
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:14.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/14.0.1
can not reproduce
Summary: If Firefox 14.0.1 isn't running, opening an HTML file locally launches it twice in separate windows. → If Firefox 14 isn't running, opening an associated file (e.g. HTML) locally launches it twice in separate windows.
I forgot to disable all entensions and plugins when testing the fresh profile.  I just did so, and the results are the same, bug still present.

Worth noting, there is no A/V software etc running on this machine, and in fact I've disabled/removed many unnecessary default Microsoft services/processes and 3rd party driver helpers, etc.  The process list is clean/default, but for GPU_Z, Core Temp, and Net Meter.   I run my machines very lean, always have.
(In reply to Loic from comment #7)
> I tried on Win XP 32 bits, Firefox opens only one instance.
> I tried by clicking directly on the file in Windows Explorer and with
> command Run > firefox.exe "file:..."
> 
> Are you running FF in a specific environment? Portable version?

No, to both questions. 

However, I have some good news and some bad news. Good for you guys, but bad for me. 

I have another PC running Win XP Pro which hadn't been updated to 14.0.1 yet and I decided to perform that task a couple of hours ago. I first of all tested it with 13.0.1 and after exporting a bookmarks.html, I noted that it only opened a single browser window. Half expecting the same scenario as is the case on this machine, I subsequently updated to 14.0.1. But try as I might, I couldn't get it to perform its circus trick of opening the bookmarks.html file twice in separate windows. 

Both machines are running practically the same software, but have different hardware configurations. Whether that has a bearing on the issue or not is hard to say, but in my particular case at least, the bad news for me is that it doesn't appear to be a Firefox issue.
I just installed AVG and ran a full scan.  16 "threats" were found and removed from my TB cache folder.  I run a spamtrap and the mail is saved to a subscribed IMAP folder, which is why TB cache these.  I.e. no malware was/is active on the system.  So we should be able to assume this is a bug, and not malware related.

Are there any custom settings that might be causing a problem with a change in FF 14?  Or are all custom settings per user?  If the latter it's obviously not related to custom settings as I already tested a fresh user.  If the former, what should I upload from about:config that may be related?

Has anyone other than myself and xircal been able to reproduce this up to this point?
(In reply to Stan Hoeppner from comment #13)
> So we should be able to assume this is a bug, and not malware related.
We can assume whatever we like, but what's not reproducible, can't be fixed.

> Has anyone other than myself and xircal been able to reproduce this up to this point?
You could search on  http://support.mozilla.org/
(In reply to j.j. (inactive in 2012) from comment #14)
> (In reply to Stan Hoeppner from comment #13)
> > So we should be able to assume this is a bug, and not malware related.
> We can assume whatever we like, but what's not reproducible, can't be fixed.

If you work under the assumption that reproduction of the behavior must precede any other steps, then yes, that makes sense.  However, looking at change logs for subsystems that would cause such behavior might turn up a clue as to what change introduced the bug.  Examination of such changed code may give a developer information he could use to reprdouce the bug behavior.

In lieu of all that, since the developers, to this point, are unable to reproduce the bug, what can myself or xircal do to assist in such reproduction?  What other information can we provide from our systems that would be helpful?  

Also, this is such a stupid and highly visible bug, openening two windows every time, that I'd think the dev who caused it would want to fix it ASAP out of embarrassment.  I'm thinking we don't have the right eyes on this yet.
(In reply to Stan Hoeppner from comment #15)

Here's a workaround for you. Right click the local file, go to "Open With" and choose "Firefox". You'll find that only one browser window will open.
(In reply to xircal from comment #16)
> (In reply to Stan Hoeppner from comment #15)
> 
> Here's a workaround for you. Right click the local file, go to "Open With"
> and choose "Firefox". You'll find that only one browser window will open.

I'd already tested this, and every other method I could think of, before filing my report (which was dup'd to this one).  I get two windows no matter what, unless FF is already running, in which case I get a single new tab displaying the file.
(In reply to Stan Hoeppner from comment #15)
> What other information can we provide from our systems that
> would be helpful?  

If you want to find something, it's helpful if you know what you are searching for.
You can ask others to reproduce it.
 
> Also, this is such a stupid and highly visible bug, openening two windows
> every time, that I'd think the dev who caused it would want to fix it ASAP
> out of embarrassment.  

There are three unproven assumptions in this sentence.
 
> I'm thinking we don't have the right eyes on this yet.

Might be true, but thats who things are. There are 100-200 bugs on file each day.
I have the same problem.  Firefox opens a mht file twice, two windows, on a double click or using "open with", unless it is already open, then opens the file in a new tab. I am using WinXP, Firefox 14.0.1
Hello. I have this same problem, as well. Once I save a .mht file using UnMHTML and I double click on it, two separate windows of Firefox are opened, each with a copy of the file on it. And, as others have reported before, it only happens if FF is closed at the time; if it is already running the file just opens in a new tab. This is a rather weird outcome.

I'm on Win XP SP3, using Firefox 21. I see reports from old versions of FF, which means that the solution to this issue has been largely forgotten.

Some help to finally resolve this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
Could you attach a simple .mht file showing this issue, please.
Flags: needinfo?(logal3)
Is it reproducible with any associated files? Or only with .mht?
The ZIP contains an example of MHT file that triggers the problem and a screenshot of the result. In the image, the icon of the MHT file on the desktop is located at the left. When I double-click on it, the two windows shown at the right of the image appear. 

By the way, I have not been able to figure out why Windows displays on the file an IE icon. The MHT type is already associated to Firefox.
Flags: needinfo?(logal3)
Hello,

Trying to find the cause of the problem, the developer of UnMHT was able to reproduce the bug and came to think that the problem is DDE related, and that a possible solution is to remove the following key that exists in my registry: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\firefox.exe\shell\open\ddeexec

You can see the rationale here: http://www.unmht.org/forum/en/3803.html (steps to reproduce the bug are there as well)

However, since editing the registry may have unintended consequences, we would like to have your input as to whether I can proceed with that safely.

Thank you for your help.

Alex

PD: Masatoshi, yes the problem appears only with .mht files, in my case.
Component: File Handling → Shell Integration
Well, the solution came in the form of eliminating that registry key. The problem was finally solved. Although I could not find much help here, I drop this note for anybody having this same problem. You can get an idea of the cause and the likely solution in http://www.unmht.org/forum/en/3803.html

Best regards,

Alex
Severity: normal → S3
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