[Solved] Firefox recent updates fail to render some pages correctly

[aus9]

Hi

20th April 2023
I am typing this on brave-browser....starting it by terminal it shows some issues but fonts and forum are showing correctly.
So I guess the issue is with firefox.

in FF launching by command I get

Code: [Select]

[ERROR glean_core] Error setting metrics feature config: Json(Error("EOF while parsing a value", line: 1, column: 0))
Looking at recent updates, at this website, I can spot libfastjson....but I do not have it installed and using Apps recently I would have remembered seeing this as updates were done yesterday.

from memory I updated
libevdev, libinput, dhcp, libnghttp2

If I go to TC forum, a number of blocks of fonts are not showing. I did not change any fonts lately. I did check that my preferred fonts were installed and also changed from one set to another, exit and restarted FF with similar results.

A little disturbing is yahoo mail is missing folder names on Left hand side like...spam and my storage names and right hand side has emails with "empty" subject names

so anyone got similar errors for firefox?

thanks for reading

[ctor]

Yes. I see the same issue with missing text when using juno e-mail.
Further, I get the same exact Json error message you do.
I don't see it on other sites that I visit with firefox though.

I use the firefox_getLatest script. The issue has occurred with the last two updates.

Would love to know a soution.

I am using Tiny Core 32-bit version 10.1. Haven't tried any other versions.

regards,
ctor

[Rich]

Hi aus9

... in FF launching by command I get

Code: [Select]

[ERROR glean_core] Error setting metrics feature config: Json(Error("EOF while parsing a value", line: 1, column: 0)) ...

The error message suggests it's encountering an End Of File marker at the beginning
of a file. That suggests to me that it is trying to read an empty file, though a file
name is not mentioned.

Or maybe a setting in  about:config  does not have a value set. Maybe a setting
called  metrics ?

[ctor]

There is a -m option to firefox_getLatest script. You can use it to revert to an older version of firefox.
Version 112.0.1 of firefox exhibits the issue. Version 107.0.1 does not. I haven't tested any other versions.

Code: [Select]

firefox_getLatest -m
I know it is an ugly fix -- you get the 'Update available' nagging pop-up. Hopefully, it is temporary.
As mentioned, I am using Tiny Core 32-bit 10.1 version.

regards,
ctor

[mocore]

... in FF launching by command I get

Code: [Select]

[ERROR glean_core] Error setting metrics feature config: Json(Error("EOF while parsing a value", line: 1, column: 0)) ...

a few links witch mention the above error message
https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/12lugf1/glean_core_and_vaapi_fail/
https://groups.google.com/g/linux.debian.bugs.dist/c/i1EfuKH5qD8
the latter mentions

temporarily forced 'browser.display.use_document_fonts' to '0' in
order to work around this issue

[CNK]

Code: [Select]

[ERROR glean_core] Error setting metrics feature config: Json(Error("EOF while parsing a value", line: 1, column: 0))

The error claims to come from "glean_core", which is part of the Glean "telemetry" system in Firefox, and collects "metrics". It sounds like the problem is part of Glean's initialisation, which shouldn't have anything to do with fonts. Try starting Firefox in a new profile and see whether either problem still happens.

I haven't noticed either issues myself, but I'm using the current Firefox ESR release. You don't say, but I'm assuming that you're using the current stable release (112.0.1).

[aus9]

WOW thankyou for all for all comments and suggestions.

my fault I forgot to mention I am on FF v 112.01

Hi mocore
firstly the reddit post main issue IMHO was glxtest which is related to Xorg and my Xorg is all good thanks to Juanito Xorg related updates
the debian bug post....describes the issue correctly

Hi Rich, due to debian info I found a simple solution but I did click into some files but did not see anything I could report at this stage

Hi CNK, found a solution so did not need to try new profile at this stage

[aus9]

my solution

Having seen the font issue....what I did was go into Settings -> (already at General setting) -> scroll down to fonts
click on Advanced button

If you had an issue like mine.....the box was checked for

Allow pages to choose their own fonts, instead of your selections above

assuming the fonts you select are loaded

Uncheck that box please.....Click OK and pages will render correctly

Bonus, no need to restart FF.

[aus9]

Hi Rich

Can you mark this post as solved please,
at your discretion can you change subject to something like

Firefox recent updates fail to render some pages correctly

[Rich]

Hi ctor

... I know it is an ugly fix -- you get the 'Update available' nagging pop-up. ...

You can disable the nag:
https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,24263.msg153548.html#msg153548

There is a similar fix to stop Thunderbird from nagging:
https://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php/topic,25147.msg165727.html#msg165727