irc:// links no longer work after update

I confirm this issue on firefox 3.0~b5+nobinonly-0ubuntu3.

Steps to reproduce:
1) Run firefox
2) Follow an irc hyperlink (eg. irc://irc.freenode.net/#ubuntu )

What happens:
The "Launch Application" dialog appears with no options available.

What should happen:
Either xchat should launch and connect to the channel, or the "Launch Application" dialog should appear with xchat as an option.

Hewus wrote:
> I confirm this issue on firefox 3.0~b5+nobinonly-0ubuntu3.
>
> Steps to reproduce:
> 1) Run firefox
> 2) Follow an irc hyperlink (eg. irc://irc.freenode.net/#ubuntu )
>
> What happens:
> The "Launch Application" dialog appears with no options available.
>
> What should happen:
> Either xchat should launch and connect to the channel, or the "Launch Application" dialog should appear with xchat as an option.
>
> ** Changed in: firefox (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Confirmed
>
> ** Also affects: firefox-3.0 (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: New
>
> ** Also affects: xchat-gnome (Ubuntu)
> Importance: Undecided
> Status: New
>
> ** Changed in: firefox-3.0 (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Confirmed
>
>
I get the dialog and it asks me to open using another program or cancel
i hit cancel but what happens if you hit use another app. sdoes it list
apps to choose from? Launching Xchat automaticlly isnt a great option
becaseu automating connection to internet other than through
route/modem/ is dangerous so at best bring up dialog stating what app
would you like to launch.

--
Sincerely Yours,
    John Vivirito

https://launchpad.net/~gnomefreak
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JohnVivirito
Linux User# 414246

Bringing up the Launch Application dialog with xchat(-gnome) as an option is the expected behaviour, but it does not currently have this option. The bug description suggests this is a regression that occurred somewhere between Edgy and Gutsy. Launching xchat automatically would only occur only if you previously selected the checkbox "Remember my choice for irc links", so this behaviour is not dangerous at all.

On Wed, May 07, 2008 at 06:07:05AM -0000, Hewus wrote:
> Bringing up the Launch Application dialog with xchat(-gnome) as an
> option is the expected behaviour, but it does not currently have this
> option. The bug description suggests this is a regression that occurred
> somewhere between Edgy and Gutsy. Launching xchat automatically would
> only occur only if you previously selected the checkbox "Remember my
> choice for irc links", so this behaviour is not dangerous at all.
>

so it still happens for firefox 3?

do you remember what application was set as irc protocol handler in
edgy?

in any case firefox 2 only gets critical fixes ... so wontfixing it
...

 affects ubuntu/firefox
 status wontfix

 - Alexander

I have removed my old ~/.mozilla directory, and now xchat has appeared in the launch dialog! I suspect it was a problem with the transfer of profiles from firefox 2 to firefox 3.

To answer your questions:
- Yes, it happens with firefox 3 while using a profile originally created with firefox 2
- I did not use an irc:// link in Edgy so cannot confirm this is a regression. I can only confirm that the xchat option was missing in Hardy in my upgraded profile. However, with a new profile it has the "xchat" option listed (albeit with no icon).

We were wondering if this is still an issue for you. Can you try with the latest firefox version? Thanks in advance.

It's been fine for me since I started a new firefox profile, as I mentioned in my previous comment. Closing this bug since nobody else seems to have the same issue.