951138 - [mozprofile] Cleaning the profile completely empties all permissions but only selectively clears preferences

Status: NEW

(Testing :: Mozbase, defect)

Description

[Andrei Eftimie]

When cleaning the profile [1] we:
1) clean the preferences, which selectively clears only the preferences initially set 
2) drop the whole permissions.sqlite db

This brings un in a state where we cannot install Addon's anymore since:
a) the pref `xpinstall.whitelist.add` is user set to '' (which has the default value of 'addons.mozilla.org')
b) We have no entries in the table `moz_hosts` in permissions.sqlite 


The `xpinstall` pref is set while trying to install the addon, at that time the domain also gets entered in permissions.sqlite

We either need to selectively clean permissions.sqlite or also clear additional preferences as part of the pref clean-up (that also includes the xpinstall prefs.

[1] https://github.com/mozilla/mozbase/blob/master/mozprofile/mozprofile/profile.py#L113-L129

Comment 1

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+1]]

We might not be able to fix that. Our problem lies in the case when we use a pre-defined profile. In such a case we should NEVER reset all preferences. So each test has to ensure to reset any of the modified preferences on its own. This can be complex but well, that's how it should work anyway. 

Another option would be to work on a clone of a profile, which would give us all opportunities. But I don't think that this is a good idea. Andrew, any thoughts?

Comment 2

[Andrew Halberstadt [:ahal]]

What's wrong with using a clone? There's even a mozprofile.Profile.clone() classmethod.