firefox doesn't open an url as argument

[Jérôme]

Since few days, Firefox doesn't open the url from Thunderbird or the XFCE desktop.

It just opens the home page.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: firefox 36.0+build2-0ubuntu0.14.04.4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-46.76-generic 3.13.11-ckt15
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-46-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: j 1882 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: j 1882 F.... pulseaudio
BuildID: 20150224134236
Channel: Unavailable
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Mon Mar 2 20:27:57 2015
ForcedLayersAccel: False
IncompatibleExtensions:
 Français Language Pack - <email address hidden>
 English (South Africa) Language Pack - <email address hidden>
 English (GB) Language Pack - <email address hidden>
 Default - {972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6fd}
IpRoute:
 default via 192.168.0.254 dev eth1 proto static
 192.168.0.0/24 dev eth1 proto kernel scope link src 192.168.0.10 metric 1
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 eth1 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
Plugins: Shockwave Flash - /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so
PrefSources:
 prefs.js
 [Profile]/<email address hidden>/defaults/preferences/FhcPreferences.js
Profiles: Profile0 (Default) - LastVersion=36.0/20150224134236 (In use)
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'rfkill'
RunningIncompatibleAddons: True
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/27/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0808
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M2N
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0808:bd03/27/2008:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM2N:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Sergio Gelato (sergio-gelato)]

We've seen this too (on Ubuntu T). It started happening immediately after the upgrade to Firefox 36. Other web browsers are unaffected; e.g., if I set my preferred web browser to Lynx and click on a URL in Thunderbird the link is being followed.

[Richard Elkins (texadactyl)]

I thought it was thunderbird failing to pass a URL to firefox. So, I tried to report a bug using `ubuntu_bug thunderbird`and this operation failed in the same way. It appears that firefox discards the URL passed to it from anybody since the "upgrade" to version 36. I would have thought that URL passing would have been a component of regression testing prior to any release.

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu ISO testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1427360

[Phil Pemberton (philpem)]

Bug #1425972 would seem to be related, and comment 4 on that bug includes a fix.