800321 - checking for updates in the About dialog does not handle Offline mode

Status: NEW

(Thunderbird :: General, defect)

Description

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

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #701733 +++

When Firefox (or Thunderbird) is in offline mode, going into the Help->About dialog still shows the "check for updates" button (or checks automatically). The network is not hit therefore no updates are found and the message says FF (or TB) is up to date (which may not be true).

I was hit by this in some test profiles where I wanted to be in permanent offline mode (but already forgot I have set it in the past), but still wanted nightly updates. The message misled me into thinking there really weren't any updates.

Expected results:
Choose any solution out of:
1. no button or automatic check. Instead a message the program is in offline mode in its place.
2. or allow to run check but return "the program is in offline mode" instead "program is up to date".

Comment 1

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

Attachment: check for offline in aboutDialog

Suggested patch to check if Thunderbird is offline, and if yes, offer a button to go online and check for updates.
Please decide if the "Update" in the string should be lowercase.
Try run: https://tbpl.mozilla.org/?tree=Thunderbird-Try&rev=6816a0a25434

Comment 2

[Mark Banner (:standard8)]

Comment on attachment 670388 [details] [diff] [review]
check for offline in aboutDialog

Sorry for the delay in this, Magnus or Mike would probably be able to handle this faster at the moment.

Comment 3

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Comment on attachment 670388 [details] [diff] [review]
check for offline in aboutDialog

Review of attachment 670388 [details] [diff] [review]:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I think we should just check if we're online when the user clicks the button, and ask to go online then. Or are there a good reason not to do it like that?

::: mail/locales/en-US/chrome/messenger/aboutDialog.dtd
@@ +29,5 @@
>  <!-- LOCALIZATION NOTE (update.noUpdatesFound): try to make the localized text short (see bug 596813 for screenshots). -->
>  <!ENTITY update.noUpdatesFound      "&brandShortName; is up to date">
> +<!-- LOCALIZATION NOTE (update.offline): try to make the localized text short (see bug 596813 for screenshots). -->
> +<!ENTITY update.offline       "&brandShortName; needs to be online to check for Updates.">
> +<!ENTITY update.goOnline      "Go online.">

Go Online

Comment 4

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

(In reply to Magnus Melin from comment #3)
> I think we should just check if we're online when the user clicks the
> button, and ask to go online then. Or are there a good reason not to do it
> like that?
So do you want a prompt like the one which is shown when Thunderbird launches and should ask if it should go online or offline? The about dialog itself automatically checks for updates when opened, requiring closing and reopening it after switching to online at the moment.

> ::: mail/locales/en-US/chrome/messenger/aboutDialog.dtd
> > +<!ENTITY update.goOnline      "Go online.">
> 
> Go Online
This is not in line with the other strings there, only subjects start with uppercase: http://mxr.mozilla.org/comm-central/source/mail/locales/en-US/chrome/messenger/aboutDialog.dtd

Comment 5

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

(In reply to Archaeopteryx [:aryx] from comment #4)
> (In reply to Magnus Melin from comment #3)
> > I think we should just check if we're online when the user clicks the
> > button, and ask to go online then. Or are there a good reason not to do it
> > like that?
> So do you want a prompt like the one which is shown when Thunderbird
> launches and should ask if it should go online or offline? The about dialog
> itself automatically checks for updates when opened, requiring closing and
> reopening it after switching to online at the moment.

Something similar yes. 
If you're offline and open it it shouldn't of course tell you you are "up to date". Maybe we should just show the Check for Updates button in that case too.

> > ::: mail/locales/en-US/chrome/messenger/aboutDialog.dtd
> > > +<!ENTITY update.goOnline      "Go online.">
> > 
> > Go Online
> This is not in line with the other strings there, only subjects start with
> uppercase:
> http://mxr.mozilla.org/comm-central/source/mail/locales/en-US/chrome/
> messenger/aboutDialog.dtd

Those other examples aren't button labels. Compare to "Check for Updates"

Comment 7

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

Looks like incarnations of this bug are scattered all over the place.
Maybe the one with the highest chances of success is currently my bug 1643309, which has "recently" (Feb-2021) reviewed patches, and might just be missing a test. Guess we'll cleanup after the deed is done.

Comment 8

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

Does this and related bug 1024088, bug 812686, bug 701733 still reproduce?

Comment 9

[Bogomil Shopov[:Bogomil]]

On it

Comment 10

[Bogomil Shopov[:Bogomil]]

For the current bug - under the 127.0a1 - the problem doesn't appear! I'll check the rest of the items!

Comment 11

[Bogomil Shopov[:Bogomil]]

When in Offline mode:

• There is a message that it's not possible to check for updates.

• bug 812686: I was not able to verify that if I start the download and click in the middle of the download the "Offline mode" it will stop and then resume. The update was really fast, but I clicked the "offline mode" after clicking the update button and it was showing the message "Downloading... -0 from xx MB" and then when I went back online it resumed. Not sure if we need to notify the consumer that they are in offline mode and they can't download the update now, instead of showing the status above.

• bug 1024088: For the part where it covers the use- case of the current one - fixed.

• bug 701733 : it's identical with the current one - fixed