990056 - Plugins leveraging java to load "external" applications fail to load on Firefox 29.

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Core Graveyard :: Plug-ins, defect)

Description

[kptkill]

Attachment: vpn2.jpg

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:29.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/29.0 (Beta/Release)
Build ID: 20140327113732

Steps to reproduce:

Plugins leveraging java to load "external" applications fail to load on Firefox 29.  Examples include Cisco AnyConnect (SSL VPN Client) and Cisco WebEx (screen sharing, conferencing) 
WebEX:
1.) Attempt to login (use any fake information) to http://www.webex.com/test-meeting.html
2.)The application will begin to launch on its own
3.) A [Connecting...] dialog will appear
4.) A [You are no longer connected to the meeting, Automatically reconnecting...] Dialog will appear
====
Cisco AnyConnect:
1.) install client software as instructed
2.) Allow any Java warnings:
3.) Wait for Java Detection...
4.) Application times out.


Actual results:

5.) Application (eventually) times out
=====
Note, using another browser, or clicking on "Still having trouble? Run a temporary application to join this meeting immediately." (A stand alone executable) will connect immediately. 


Expected results:

Expected results in each case is that the plugin finishes loading in each case.

Comment 1

[Benjamin Smedberg]

Is this a new problem in Firefox 29 or was this also a problem in previous versions?

I'm a little confused about the summary of this bug because it mentions Java but it also mentions webex, which is a plugin independent of Java. Are you saying that webex URL here launches the Java plugin? Or does it launch the webex plugin which then uses Java internally to do something?

Comment 2

[kptkill]

You are correct, they are both appearing to be using different plugins. I believe at one time WebEx used java as well, but may have moved to ActiveTouch general plugin container.  In any case, the problem remains the same... "applications" launched via plugins seem broken.

Comment 3

[Benjamin Smedberg]

Hrm, I'm not sure what to do next about this bug, then. Since we don't have access to the code of the plugins, we don't know what functions they are calling which might be failing. I'm asking somebody at Cisco WebEx to see if they have seen this problem or can help diagnose.

Comment 4

[kptkill]

I'll note that the webex plugin DOES work correctly with iceweasel (and IE, and Chrome).  I'll concede that webex isn't a hugely popular plugin, but I would think that Cisco Anyconnect is a pretty big one and should be examined.  "Just use IE" is the typical vendor support response, and I'd hate to see the same response come from the Firefox team.  I understand that the developers here are largely volunteers, and I appreciate the time you've taken to investigate.

Comment 5

[abradish]

At WebEx we have been unable to reproduce this issue and it looks like there is something else going on.  The screenshots you posted occur after the Firefox plugin is used so it looks like it is not a Firefox issue.  I would suggest submitting a support case through your WebEx site and through AnyConnect support.

Comment 6

[Benjamin Smedberg]

I'm going to mark this INVALID and leave followup with the plugin vendors in question.