[Bug 1226952] Re: Option -ProfileManager does not work without (bogus) -u

[era]

** Description changed:

  You need a secret extra option if you want to run the Firefox profile
  manager.
  
  Steps to repro:
  
  bash$ firefox -ProfileManager &
  
  Expected outcome:
  
- Profile manager dialog box
+ New Firefox instance displaying the Profile Manager dialog box
  
  Actual outcome:
  
- New Firefox browser window in your current default profile
+ New Firefox browser window in your current default profile, existing
+ Firefox instance if one was running
  
  Workaround:
  
  bash$ firefox -u bugger -ProfileManager &
  
  The -u option is not visible e.g. in firefox --help output, but somehow
  it actually exists, and allows you to work around this problem (can't
  remember where I discovered it, Google no doubt?).
  
+ The -u option requires an argument (apparently, a profile name) but you
+ can put anything there, it doesn't seem to matter.
+ 
  I'm sorry if this is a duplicate, this problem has existed since
  basically forever but I was unable to find a report in Launchpad.
+ 
+ Historical proof:
+ 
+ * From 2009: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1323430
+ * From 2011: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2359133
+ * SuSE 2009: http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/network-internet/403948-firefox-profilemanager-doesnt-work.html
+ * Win 2011: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/807487
+ * Alternative workaround, haven't tried: http://www.usmessageboard.com/computers/85692-firefox-profile-manager-in-ubuntu.html (hopelessly meandering thread, don't open)
+ 
+ Possibly relevant upstream bugs:
+ 
+ * https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=317903
+ * https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=297470 (duplicate of less focused 264181)
+ * https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=264181
+ * https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=297618 (duplicate of unobvious bug)
+ 
+ If the intention is that -ProfileManager is not available, it should not
+ be displayed in --help (but that would be a pity).  If it is supported,
+ it should work (duh).
+ 
  
  bash$ lsb_release -rd
  Description:    Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS
  Release:        12.04
  
  bash$ apt-cache policy firefox
  firefox:
-   Installed: 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1
-   Candidate: 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1
-   Version table:
-  *** 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 0
-         500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security/main amd64 Packages
-         500 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
-         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
-      23.0+build2-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 0
-         500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
-      11.0+build1-0ubuntu4 0
-         500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages
+   Installed: 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1
+   Candidate: 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1
+   Version table:
+  *** 24.0+build1-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 0
+         500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-security/main amd64 Packages
+         500 http://mirrors.nic.funet.fi/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
+         100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
+      23.0+build2-0ubuntu0.12.04.1 0
+         500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise-updates/main amd64 Packages
+      11.0+build1-0ubuntu4 0
+         500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages

** Bug watch added: Mozilla Bugzilla #505353
   https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=505353

** Also affects: firefox via
   https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=505353
   Importance: Unknown
       Status: Unknown

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Title:
  Option -ProfileManager does not work without (bogus) -u

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