Behavior of Intent.ACTION_VIEW with Browser.EXTRA_APPLICATION_ID changed
This is regards to another application issuing startActivity Intent.ACTION_VIEW on Firefox of a URI with Browser.EXTRA_APPLICATION_ID set.
Previously, it worked so (the syntax is not to be taken literally). startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/a.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> opened a tab with a.htm startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/b.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> used same tab for b.htm startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/b.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> used same tab for b.htm and refreshed.
Now, with the most recent release: startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/a.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> opened a tab with a.htm startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/b.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> opened a new tab for b.htm startActivity(ACTION_VIEW, uri="http://example.com/b.htm", app="MySpecialTab") -> does not refresh.
I went looking for some config but couldn't find anything. The fact that I can't get it to refresh is a bigger deal-breaker than the fact that it opens more tabs.
All Replies (8)
Hi
I am sorry but I do not understand your question. What are you trying to do in Firefox for Android, what is the page that you are trying to view?
I am using another application on Android to send an Intent to Firefox (on Android) to view a URI. It used to work fine, it does not work the same now. The specific URIs are irrelevant; they are reachable and they work.
I am speaking of the difference between different releases of Fenix (Firefox).
Modified by RenateUSB
What are you trying to send and from app are you trying to send it to Firefox for Android?
So, here you go. It's not a question of it not working. It's a question of the behavior changed in the latest version of Firefox.
Intent intent = new Intent();
intent.setPackage("org.mozilla.firefox");
intent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_VIEW);
intent.setData(Uri.parse(link));
intent.putExtra(Browser.EXTRA_APPLICATION_ID, tab);
startActivity(intent);
What is the address of the website that you are trying to open in Firefox for Android?
Seriously, this has nothing to do with website addresses or connectivity. I can hit the URLs just fine. I can manually refresh using the little "arrows in a circle" refresh button on Firefox. The issue is that previously android.content.Intent used to always cause a refresh and now it doesn't. See the above code.
Let me show you the problem an equivalent way. In ADB shell (not even rooted).
$ am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d https://httpstat.us/ -e com.android.browser.application_id MyTab
I can do this any number of times (on the older Firefox, 68.11.0) and it always goes to the same tab and it refreshes (the big X appears, the strip progresses, it refreshes the screen). On the newer Firefox, 96.1.1 it does not refresh on a new Intent. I am using URL which do not redirect as that complicates things. The example above does not redirect either.
So, somewhere between 68 and 96 something changed. I just thought somebody might know when and if there is a work around for this.
Ok, this is clearly something that worked fine in Fennec and Fenix broke it/never implemented it. Where can I download Fennec 68.11.0?
Found it: https://download.mozilla.org/?product=fennec-latest&os=android&lang=multi
I filed a bug: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/23329
Modified by RenateUSB
Okay, thank you. Please follow the issue that you have raised for progress on this matter.