784690 - Commadline argument 'console' doesn't work anymore

Status: NEW

(Toolkit :: Startup and Profile System, defect)

Description

[Jan Honza Odvarko [:Honza] (always need-info? me)]

It was possible to open OS console by using -console argument on the command line when launching Firefox.

Docs here:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Command_line_arguments

It hasn't work for awhile now.

Was it caused by bug 552864 Throw away wrapper shell script on unix and lazily load libxul ?

Honza

Comment 1

[Dave Townsend [:mossop]]

I would guess at bug 673383

Comment 2

[Alexandre Poirot [:ochameau]]

If you launch firefox from command line, output will now directly go to the command line. So that -console argument become useless?
It can appear to be clunky if you launch firefox without using `cmd`,
as firefox will immediatly quit and output will be merged in your command line.
You can get a better behavior by using cmd like this:
> cmd /C "c:\Program Files (x86)\Nightly\firefox.exe"

I'm open to improvement but wouldn't it be only matter of documentation or do you think something need to be tweaked? For example, we can accept -console no matter where are you launching firefox from.

Comment 3

[Jan Honza Odvarko [:Honza] (always need-info? me)]

(In reply to Alexandre Poirot (:ochameau) from comment #2)
> If you launch firefox from command line, output will now directly go to the
> command line. So that -console argument become useless?
In this case yes.

But I am launching Firebug through a shortcut created on quick launch bar in Windows.

> It can appear to be clunky if you launch firefox without using `cmd`,
> as firefox will immediatly quit and output will be merged in your command
> line.
> You can get a better behavior by using cmd like this:
> > cmd /C "c:\Program Files (x86)\Nightly\firefox.exe"
Yep, if I modify my shortcut and use "cmd /C at the beginning it works well for me.  

> I'm open to improvement but wouldn't it be only matter of documentation or
> do you think something need to be tweaked? For example, we can accept
> -console no matter where are you launching firefox from.
Yes, so, the bug can be probably changed do "improved docs please"

For example, this page:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Command_line_arguments

still says "-console" that exists and "Starts the application with a debugging console.", which is not true.

Thanks!
Honza

Comment 4

[Alexandre Poirot [:ochameau]]

(In reply to Jan Honza Odvarko from comment #3)
> (In reply to Alexandre Poirot (:ochameau) from comment #2)
> > If you launch firefox from command line, output will now directly go to the
> > command line. So that -console argument become useless?
> In this case yes.
> 
> But I am launching Firebug through a shortcut created on quick launch bar in
> Windows.

Oh really? And the console window doesn't appear?
That's a bug, the console should appear when launched from a link.

When I create a link from desktop, with modified `target` field like this:
  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Firefox Beta\firefox.exe" -P test -console

I get the console window.

Comment 5

[Jan Honza Odvarko [:Honza] (always need-info? me)]

(In reply to Alexandre Poirot (:ochameau) from comment #4)
> (In reply to Jan Honza Odvarko from comment #3)
> > But I am launching Firebug through a shortcut created on quick launch bar in
> > Windows.
Btw. of course, I meant Firefox (not Firebug)

> Oh really? And the console window doesn't appear?
> That's a bug, the console should appear when launched from a link.
Yep, doesn't appear for me.

> When I create a link from desktop, with modified `target` field like this:
>   "C:\Program Files (x86)\Firefox Beta\firefox.exe" -P test -console
> 
> I get the console window.

Hm.. so, that's weird. I am using the following command in the target field and the console
window doesn't open.

"C:\mozilla-dev\firefox\Firefox Nightly Dev\firefox.exe" -P test0751 -no-remote -console

Tested with:
Windows Vista, Firefox 17.0a1 (2012-08-23)

Honza

Comment 6

[Alexandre Poirot [:ochameau]]

Attachment: Screenshot

That's really weird, on Win7 and XP I got this.
Can it be only failing on Vista?!

Comment 7

[Jan Honza Odvarko [:Honza] (always need-info? me)]

(In reply to Alexandre Poirot (:ochameau) from comment #6)
> Created attachment 655023 [details]
> Screenshot
> 
> That's really weird, on Win7 and XP I got this.
> Can it be only failing on Vista?!
yep, it's possible, I just tested on another machine and
it works for me on Windows XP too.

Honza

Comment 8

[Sebastian Hengst [:aryx] (needinfo me if it's about an intermittent or backout)]

I am on XP and starting with Gecko 15 (tested with Firefox 15.0.1), -console doesn't launch a new window (works in Firefox 14.0.1). So the issue dependents on something unknown.