Confirmed users
396
edits
Firefox/Projects/Network Error Pages: Difference between revisions
Firefox/Projects/Network Error Pages (view source)
Revision as of 05:16, 31 March 2011
, 31 March 2011→Summary: typo
(→Basic Structure: +image) |
m (→Summary: typo) |
||
| (20 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
When a requested web page cannot be loaded, Firefox should display an error page that not only describes the problem, but which also presents the user with tools to resolve the issue. It also makes sense to extend this functionality to webserver 404 (File not found) responses as well. | When a requested web page cannot be loaded, Firefox should display an error page that not only describes the problem, but which also presents the user with tools to resolve the issue. It also makes sense to extend this functionality to webserver 404 (File not found) responses as well. | ||
Implementation is being tracked in | Implementation is being tracked in {{bug|482874}} | ||
=Introduction= | =Introduction= | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
<big>[https://wiki.mozilla.org/images/f/fd/404_poster.png Chart of network error pages in different browsers]</big> | <big>[https://wiki.mozilla.org/images/f/fd/404_poster.png Chart of network error pages in different browsers]</big> | ||
=Experimental Builds= | |||
==== Try Server Build ==== | |||
https://build.mozilla.org/tryserver-builds/jdolske@mozilla.com-try-442e0af518fd/ | |||
I finally have a Try Server build with 404 redirection and a new 404 error page. Alas, this new 404 page looks pretty similar to the old network error page (no fancy LinkDoctor stuff or anything). It does have the new background image, which I still think is cool. | |||
Note that I've only tested the Mac build. | |||
It has a 512 byte 404-redirect threshold similar to Chrome and IE. I've been using http://www.almostinfinite.com/foobar (overrides) and http://www.seattlepi.com/foobar (shows the site 404 page) as test URLs. | |||
==== 404 Extension ==== | |||
A Firefox Extension which overrides 404 pages and supplies information from Google Link Doctor can be found [https://people.mozilla.org/~beltzner/temp/friendly-error-v1.xpi here]. Note that the 404-override mechanism is currently pretty crude, and it just has a test UI for displaying all the data returned by Link Doctor. I've only tested it on Firefox 3.5, but it should probably work on Firefox 3.0 as well. It's safe to install it on your default profile, but you may not want to leave it installed. | |||
=Status= | =Status= | ||
| Line 82: | Line 98: | ||
* One click access to the original server-supplied 404 error page might be desirable. | * One click access to the original server-supplied 404 error page might be desirable. | ||
= | =Design= | ||
==Quick-Iteration, No Linkdoctor version: Smallpox 0.1== | |||
For the first "designed" version of 404 pages, Google Linkdoctor won't be used and a page with additional information won't be available. The tools at our disposal are simply the Places data, which can rank results by how well they match the input. No matter what matches are found, the domain-level link will be offered. | |||
These designs will be used with the 404 extension [http://people.mozilla.org/~cbartley/network-error-pages-sprint/friendly-error-extension/friendly-error-v13.xpi here], and Firefox custom build [https://build.mozilla.org/tryserver-builds/cbartley@mozilla.com-sqlite_edit_distance/ here]. | |||
===Two good Places matches=== | |||
[[Image:twoplacesmatches.png|500px]] | |||
===One good Places match=== | |||
[[Image:oneplacesmatch.png|500px]] | |||
===No good Places matches=== | |||
[[Image:noplacesmatches.png|500px]] | |||
<big>[https://intranet.mozilla.org/File:404_error_bg_placeholder.png Background image placeholder]</big> | |||
==Future sketches== | |||
[[Image:Linkdoctor with colored background sketch.png|500px]] | |||
Some tools are fetched via places data, others with Google Linkdoctor, in descending order of the strength of the match. Troubleshooting and extra information is linked to, but not displayed. | |||
<gallery> | |||
Image:Small screen friendly blue.png|Designed for smaller screens, this error hugs the upper left corner | |||
Image:Bright_colors_with_icon.png|Brightly colored design | |||
</gallery> | |||
==Design Decisions== | ==Design Decisions== | ||
| Line 102: | Line 142: | ||
==Basic Structure== | ==Basic Structure== | ||
[[Image:Branded design and error template.png]] | [[Image:Branded design and error template.png|400px]] | ||
A rectangular network error warning with all text and content is centered vertically and horizontally above a subtle, branded background. This background may be randomly selected from a series of several images. | A rectangular network error warning with all text and content is centered vertically and horizontally above a subtle, branded background. This background may be randomly selected from a series of several images. | ||
| Line 132: | Line 172: | ||
Image:Linkdoctor places 404.png|A near match has been found (http://www.americas.com) along with the level above (http://news.bbc.co.uk), either via Places or Google | Image:Linkdoctor places 404.png|A near match has been found (http://www.americas.com) along with the level above (http://news.bbc.co.uk), either via Places or Google | ||
Image:Dns error 2.png| | Image:Dns error 2.png| | ||
Image:Linkdoctor_to_the_rescue.png|Now with Link Doctor! | |||
</small> | </small> | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=References= | =References= | ||
*Bugs: | *Bugs: | ||
** | **{{bug|479922}} - Network error pages should give me tools instead of asking me questions | ||
*Mozilla-Central: | *Mozilla-Central: | ||
** | **{{source|docshell/base/nsDocShell.cpp#3031|nsDocShell::DisplayLoadError}} -- dispatches various error pages | ||
** | **{{source|docshell/resources/content/netError.xhtml|netError.xhtml}} | ||
** | **{{source|browser/components/certerror/aboutCertError.js|aboutCertError.js}} ''(removed)'' | ||
*About pages: | *About pages: | ||
**''about:neterror'' | **''about:neterror'' | ||
| Line 152: | Line 192: | ||
**[http://127.0.0.1:81 triggers connectionFailure error page] | **[http://127.0.0.1:81 triggers connectionFailure error page] | ||
* [[Firefox3.1/Sprints/Network Error Pages/Error types|List of possible error to address]] (old) | * [[Firefox3.1/Sprints/Network Error Pages/Error types|List of possible error to address]] (old) | ||
* [ | * [[Firefox:1.5_Network_Error_Messages|Summary of error types (FF 1.5)]] | ||
* Johnathan Zittrain - [http://www.herdict.org/web/ HerdictWeb] talk in building K - had ideas about integrating it into Firefox's error pages. Instead of Firefox just telling you the site is unreachable, maybe it could tell you whether it has been gone for minutes or months, and whether it is broken for everyone or only for certain ISPs or countries. | * Johnathan Zittrain - [http://www.herdict.org/web/ HerdictWeb] talk in building K - had ideas about integrating it into Firefox's error pages. Instead of Firefox just telling you the site is unreachable, maybe it could tell you whether it has been gone for minutes or months, and whether it is broken for everyone or only for certain ISPs or countries. | ||
* [http://jboriss.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/improving-everyones-favorite-feature-404/ Boriss' 1st blog post] | * [http://jboriss.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/improving-everyones-favorite-feature-404/ Boriss' 1st blog post] | ||
* [[Firefox/Projects/Network_Error_Pages/Test_Plan|Test Plan]] | |||
* Images: | * Images: | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||