[Affected versions]:

• Fx 67.0 RC
• Fx 68.0b4
• Fx69.0a1

[Affected platforms]:

• Windows 10 x64

[Steps to reproduce]:

1. Install Firefox and create a shortcut on the desktop.
2. In the OS 'default app settings' set the installed Firefox as your main browser.
3. Right click the shortcut and in the Target field add '-p beta --no-remote' and click ok.
4. Launch Firefox from the the shortcut and make sure the browser is set as default in the Preferences section.
5. From another app (skype/slack/thunderbird) click on an a link.

[Expected result]:

• The link should be opened in a new tab in the current browser session.

[Actual result]:

• A prompt is received informing the user that Firefox is no longer responding.

[Regression range]:

• This is not a new issue. It occurs in Fx67.0b3 (when the feature was first introduced in beta).

[Additional notes]:

• After clicking 'close' another Firefox window is opened containing the clicked link.
• If the external link is clicked again, the link is opened in the existing session in a new tab
• Check the attachment for more details.

I tried following the str but when I tried to launch from the shortcut in step 4 I was shown the profile manager since the beta profile does not yet exist. What should I do at this point?

Sorry, must've overlooked the fact that I already had the profile created. Just create the 'beta' profile or whatever name you want it to have. Just remember it to have it in the shortcut after the -p parameter.
My guess is that the profile name has little relevance to the bug, the bigger problem being that '--no-remote' causes the entire problem.

Can you tell me what profile is the default profile at the point that this bug occurs?

The default profile is the 'beta' profile that was created and used to launch Firefox with in step 3.

I think this is working as expected then.

You have Firefox open using the beta profile and with --no-remote specified, which means it won't listen for remote commands from other Firefox processes.
Then you launch another Firefox which will try to use the default profile which is beta and already open in the first Firefox. Since it can't remote to that Firefox it attempts to use the profile and fails to get a lock since it is already in use.

I understand now. Do you think, by any chance, the user experience is worth improving with a more descriptive error message, under these specific conditions?

The priority flag is not set for this bug.
:mossop, could you have a look please?

For more information, please visit auto_nag documentation.

(In reply to Cristian Baica [:cbaica], Release Desktop QA from comment #6)

I understand now. Do you think, by any chance, the user experience is worth improving with a more descriptive error message, under these specific conditions?

Perhaps, but there isn't that much that we can do easily. The UI is also unchanged for many years now.