803594 - Add-ons are not updated automatically.

Status: RESOLVED INACTIVE

(Toolkit :: Add-ons Manager, defect)

Description

[Johan C]

I had to manually check for any updates to Adblock Plus today, the latest version (2.1.2) was release on the 19th of July and I was stuck on an even older version. My install was at least four versions old (the version I had installed was not restartless).

I then used the "Check for Updates" menuitem in the Add-ons Manager and several other add-on suddenly had updates available. Many of these updates were released well over a month ago.

* "Update Add-ons Automatically" is checked.
* "extensions.update.interval" is set to '86400'.

This was also the case on another computer of mine, both running Windows 7 64-bit and Aurora 18a2 (used daily).

Comment 1

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

In the roll-down widget near top-right of the add-ons manager, what are the bottom two items? If they say:

Update Add-ons Automatically
Reset All Add-ons to Update Manually

then your current default is "manually". In that case, clicking "Update Add-ons Automatically" should switch "Automatically" and "Manually" in the menu. Thereafter, clicking "Reset All Add-ons to Update Automatically" would force-reset all add-ons to the automatic update mechanism.

Comment 2

[Johan C]

(In reply to Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec] from comment #1)
> In the roll-down widget near top-right of the add-ons manager, what are the
> bottom two items? If they say:
> 
> Update Add-ons Automatically
> Reset All Add-ons to Update Manually
> 
> then your current default is "manually". In that case, clicking "Update
> Add-ons Automatically" should switch "Automatically" and "Manually" in the
> menu. Thereafter, clicking "Reset All Add-ons to Update Automatically" would
> force-reset all add-ons to the automatic update mechanism.

Yes, those are the bottom two menuitems, but as I mentioned in my initial post, "Update Add-ons Automatically" is checked.

I did however forget to mention that I have one add-on set to manual (on both computers).

It does not make sense for automatic updates for all add-on to be set to "off" because one add-on is set to "off".

Comment 3

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

In reply to comment #6:
There are two ways to set the default to either Automatic or Manual for add-ons update checking:
- A set of checkboxes under "Edit → Preferences → Advanced → Software Installation → Add-ons":

[x] Allow websites to install add-ons and updates
  [x] Automatically check for updates (*) daily ( ) weekly
    [x] Automatically download and install the updates

These are rather straightforward, except that they must all three be ticked if you want automatic installation (unticking one of the first two disables anything below it).


- A menuitem (the second-last one) in the add-ons manager itself. This one is a little tricky: it shows what _would_ happen if you clicked it now, IOW the opposite of the current state. If the (second-last) menuitem says "Update Add-ons Automatically" it means that the current status is Manual for any add-ons for which you haven't set an exception, and clicking the menuitem would change the default to updating automatically. If it says "Update Add-ons Manually", then the current default is Automatic (except for add-ons where you have set an exception) and clicking the menuitem would change your default to Automatic. The menuitem below it, "Reset All Add-ons to…" etc., _removes_ all your exceptions and sets all add-ons to the current default behaviour (which is, remember, the opposite of what the second-last menuitem displays, because it displays what it would _do_, not what _is_ now).

Comment 4

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

yeah, and I forgot to double-check before sending. If it says "Update Add-ons Manually" the current default is Automatic (except…) and clicking the menuitem would change your default to _Manual_.

Comment 5

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

In reply to comment #3:
P.S. I think the first way of doing it is specific to SeaMonkey.

Comment 6

[Johan C]

Attachment: Screenshot #1

(In reply to Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec] from comment #3)
> In reply to comment #6:

> - A menuitem (the second-last one) in the add-ons manager itself. This one
> is a little tricky: it shows what _would_ happen if you clicked it now, IOW
> the opposite of the current state. If the (second-last) menuitem says
> "Update Add-ons Automatically" it means that the current status is Manual
> for any add-ons for which you haven't set an exception, and clicking the
> menuitem would change the default to updating automatically. If it says
> "Update Add-ons Manually", then the current default is Automatic (except for
> add-ons where you have set an exception) and clicking the menuitem would
> change your default to Automatic. The menuitem below it, "Reset All Add-ons
> to…" etc., _removes_ all your exceptions and sets all add-ons to the current
> default behaviour (which is, remember, the opposite of what the second-last
> menuitem displays, because it displays what it would _do_, not what _is_
> now).

While this may be the case on your platform, it is not on Windows. :)

Clicking the menuitem, i.e unchecking it, simply results (visually) in the menuitem losing the checked attribute. The label is not changed to "Update Add-ons Manually".

Because the menuitem is checked, add-ons should update automatically and they clearly do not.

See screenshot #1.

Comment 7

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

In reply to comment #6:
You're right, I was mistaken.

Comment 8

[Blair McBride [:Unfocused] (UNAVAILABLE)]

Johan: Could you open about:config in a tab, and enter "extensions.update." in the filter inputbox (without quotes), and upload a screenshot of what's displayed there?

Comment 9

[Johan C]

Attachment: Screenshot #2

(In reply to Blair McBride (:Unfocused) from comment #8)
> Johan: Could you open about:config in a tab, and enter "extensions.update."
> in the filter inputbox (without quotes), and upload a screenshot of what's
> displayed there?

Here you go, see "screenshot #2".

Full value for "extensions.update.background.url":
https://versioncheck-bg.addons.mozilla.org/update/VersionCheck.php?reqVersion=%REQ_VERSION%&id=%ITEM_ID%&version=%ITEM_VERSION%&maxAppVersion=%ITEM_MAXAPPVERSION%&status=%ITEM_STATUS%&appID=%APP_ID%&appVersion=%APP_VERSION%&appOS=%APP_OS%&appABI=%APP_ABI%&locale=%APP_LOCALE%&currentAppVersion=%CURRENT_APP_VERSION%&updateType=%UPDATE_TYPE%&compatMode=%COMPATIBILITY_MODE%

Full value for "extensions.update.url":
https://versioncheck.addons.mozilla.org/update/VersionCheck.php?reqVersion=%REQ_VERSION%&id=%ITEM_ID%&version=%ITEM_VERSION%&maxAppVersion=%ITEM_MAXAPPVERSION%&status=%ITEM_STATUS%&appID=%APP_ID%&appVersion=%APP_VERSION%&appOS=%APP_OS%&appABI=%APP_ABI%&locale=%APP_LOCALE%&currentAppVersion=%CURRENT_APP_VERSION%&updateType=%UPDATE_TYPE%&compatMode=%COMPATIBILITY_MODE%

Cheers

Comment 10

[BMO Automation]

Per policy at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Bug_Triage/Projects/Bug_Handling/Bug_Husbandry#Inactive_Bugs. If this bug is not an enhancement request or a bug not present in a supported release of Firefox, then it may be reopened.