[Pkg-mozext-maintainers] Bug#571596: Iceweasel do not start after removal of xul-ext-torbutton

[Mike Hommey]

On Fri, Oct 08, 2010 at 11:32:04AM +0200, Jérémy Bobbio wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 08, 2010 at 10:23:19AM +0200, Mike Hommey wrote:
> > So, I was able to reproduce the issue, and the blame is shared between both
> > iceweasel and torbutton. The problem here is that torbutton overrides
> > one of the core components of iceweasel (exthandler), and as such
> > iceweasel uses torbutton's. After torbutton removal, iceweasel fails to
> > initialize the exthandler component because it disappeared, and thus
> > can't start.
> > 
> > I think this is a core problem in iceweasel/gecko (which also applies to
> > other gecko-based applications), and I think the best we can do in a
> > timely manner, without waiting for an absolute right fix is to use
> > dpkg triggers.
> > 
> > The way it would work is that dangerous extensions such as torbutton
> > would send a trigger to iceweasel and other packages it would break
> > (icedove, iceape...), which name we'd agree upon (how about
> > xulrunner-autoreg?) and iceweasel and other packages would do the right
> > thing.
> 
> I might not be knowledgeable enough to have a clear idea of what such
> trigger will do.  Would you be kind enough to give more details on what
> you think?
> 
> Are you aware of any other extensions that would benefit from such
> trigger?
> 
> I just had a quick look at every packages containing an install.rdf
> file, and I have not spotted anything looking like core components
> overidden by other extensions. I have also done quick tests for
> foxyproxy, iceweasel-downthemall, iceweasel-vimperator,
> mozilla-imagezoom, mozilla-livehttpheaders, xul-ext-greasemonkey and
> xul-ext-webdeveloper. None exhibits the same behaviour as torbutton.

Maybe for only one extension using triggers would be bloated. Let's
already wait a bit if I can come up with a patch fixing the real issue.
If that patch is small enough we can probably get it in for the release.

Otherwise, the postrm or prerm script in torbutton could touch
/usr/lib/iceweasel/autoreg and /usr/lib/iceape/autoreg if they exist
(and only if they do)

Cheers,

Mike