Bug 17119 – Mozilla new helper application under a user account does not work (works under root)

• Product: Gentoo Linux
• Status: RESOLVED FIXED

[Description Jon Foster 2003-03-08 22:22:05 UTC]

Data for new helper application type:

Description of type: PDF
File extension: pdf
MIME type: application/pdf
Application to use: /opt/Acrobat5/acroread

Under a normal user account, when trying to create a new helper application type
using the data above, Mozilla hangs (100% CPU time) when you press the Choose
button instead of filling in the "Application to use" blank.

You can create a new helper application type using the above data, if you fill
in the blank with the path for the application, but when you go to a web site to
view a PDF, Mozilla exits without any error message.

Following the same steps under root, Mozilla behaves as expected.

NOTE: I'm not using the nppdf.so, because that causes Mozilla to crash also.


Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1. Under a normal user account (jfoster:users in my case)
2. Open Mozilla, Edit Preferences, Helper Applications, New Type
3. Enter the following:
Description of type: PDF
File extenstion: pdf
MIME type: application/pdf
Application to use: (leave blank)
4. Click the Choose button, button depresses but application hangs (process is
100% CPU time)
5. Kill application and try again, but this time enter "/opt/Acrobat5/acroread"
for "Application to use"
6. Mozilla accepts the new type
7. Go to a web site that has a PDF and try to open. (I was looking at PDF's at
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov)
8. Mozilla prompts to use acroread, when you click OK, Mozilla exits without any
error message.
9. Repeat same steps under root and Mozilla behaves as expected.

Actual Results:  
First attempt using the Choose button to pick the application, Mozilla hung
(100% CPU time).
Second attempt using explicit application path, Mozilla accepts the new type,
but then exits without any error message when you try to view a PDF.


Expected Results:  
In the case of the first attempt, the Choose button should have opened a file
browse dialog.
In the case of the second attempt, Mozilla should have opened Acroread with the
PDF that I chose to view from the web site.

These are the expected results using the root account.


Portage 2.0.47-r7 (default-x86-1.4, gcc-3.2.2, glibc-2.3.1-r2)
=================================================================
System uname: 2.4.20-gentoo-r1 i686 Pentium III (Katmai)
GENTOO_MIRRORS="http://gentoo.oregonstate.edu/
http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/gentoo"
CONFIG_PROTECT="/etc /var/qmail/control /usr/kde/2/share/config
/usr/kde/3/share/config /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb /usr/kde/3.1/share/config
/usr/share/config"
CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/gconf /etc/env.d"
PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
DISTDIR="/usr/portage/distfiles"
PKGDIR="/usr/portage/packages"
PORTAGE_TMPDIR="/var/tmp"
PORTDIR_OVERLAY=""
USE="x86 oss 3dnow apm avi crypt cups encode gif jpeg libg++ libwww mikmod mmx
mpeg ncurses nls pdflib png quicktime spell truetype xml2 xmms xv zlib gdbm
berkdb slang readline arts svga java sdl gpm tcpd pam ssl perl python esd imlib
oggvorbis motif opengl mozilla cdr X gtk qt kde -gnome -alsa"
COMPILER="gcc3"
CHOST="i686-pc-linux-gnu"
CFLAGS="-O3 -march=pentium3 -pipe"
CXXFLAGS="-O3 -march=pentium3 -pipe"
ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="x86"
MAKEOPTS="-j2"
AUTOCLEAN="yes"
SYNC="rsync://rsync.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"
FEATURES="sandbox ccache"

[Comment 1 Martin Schlemmer (RETIRED) 2003-03-09 05:11:01 UTC]

I only have mozilla-1.3_beta here, but it works fine when doing that and
using /usr/bin/ggv instead of acrobat.  I can download acrobat if you think
its an acrobat specific problem.

[Comment 2 Jon Foster 2003-03-09 07:11:32 UTC]

Somehow in the process of going back and forth between Mozilla in root and Mozilla in jfoster:users, I have fixed the bug.  I can now go to a web site with PDF's and view them correctly with Acroread (not the plugin, but externally with the app).

I did try what you mentioned, but I used kghostview instead of ggv, and that worked also for viewing PDF's with an external app.

[Comment 3 Martin Schlemmer (RETIRED) 2003-04-06 11:15:44 UTC]

Fluke.