Comments on: Fixing leaks http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/ Jesse Ruderman on Firefox, security, and more Sat, 17 May 2008 19:40:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Jesse Ruderman http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4112 Jesse Ruderman Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:11:54 +0000 http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4112 Hmm, <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/performance/leak-tutorial.html" rel="nofollow">How to find leaks of XPCOM objects</a> doesn't mention fix-macosx-stack.pl and fix-linux-stack.pl. Those are kinda important. Hmm, How to find leaks of XPCOM objects doesn’t mention fix-macosx-stack.pl and fix-linux-stack.pl. Those are kinda important.

]]> By: Jesse Ruderman http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4111 Jesse Ruderman Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:05:47 +0000 http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4111 Using trace-refcnt summaries just to see whether you're leaking is really easy. Just set XPCOM_MEM_LEAK_LOG to 2 and run a debug build of Firefox. It's a great way for non-developers to find medium-sized leak bugs. Using trace-refcnt logging to figure out <i>why</i> you're leaking is a little tricker, but if I can figure it out, I'm sure you can, too ;) <a href="http://www.mozilla.org/performance/leak-tutorial.html" rel="nofollow">How to find leaks of XPCOM objects</a> is mostly about trace-refcnt and covers all the tricks Boris told me about in the bug. I've been trying to fix up the main <a href="http://wiki.mozilla.org/Performance:Leak_Tools" rel="nofollow">leak tool overview</a> wiki page, but since I only barely know what I'm talking about, this is difficult ;) Using trace-refcnt summaries just to see whether you’re leaking is really easy. Just set XPCOM_MEM_LEAK_LOG to 2 and run a debug build of Firefox. It’s a great way for non-developers to find medium-sized leak bugs.

Using trace-refcnt logging to figure out why you’re leaking is a little tricker, but if I can figure it out, I’m sure you can, too ;) How to find leaks of XPCOM objects is mostly about trace-refcnt and covers all the tricks Boris told me about in the bug.

I’ve been trying to fix up the main leak tool overview wiki page, but since I only barely know what I’m talking about, this is difficult ;)

]]> By: VanillaMozilla http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4110 VanillaMozilla Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:39:59 +0000 http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4110 Unfortunately, based on my experience, bugs that no one else can reproduce seem to be fairly common. This can happen even with a new profile, and unlike this case, usually the cause is never found. There are also problems with user support and standard bug reporting procedures, at least as far as the public is told. The public is discouraged from reporting bugs when used with themes and extensions. The addon is almost always blamed unless someone tracks the problem down from inside the code. It still seems like each new release breaks something. I don't know what to suggest. I just think it's worth pointing out. This stuff is so complicated and poorly understood that I sometimes wonder why it works at all. Unfortunately, based on my experience, bugs that no one else can reproduce seem to be fairly common. This can happen even with a new profile, and unlike this case, usually the cause is never found.

There are also problems with user support and standard bug reporting procedures, at least as far as the public is told. The public is discouraged from reporting bugs when used with themes and extensions. The addon is almost always blamed unless someone tracks the problem down from inside the code.

It still seems like each new release breaks something. I don’t know what to suggest. I just think it’s worth pointing out. This stuff is so complicated and poorly understood that I sometimes wonder why it works at all.

]]> By: Håkan W http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4109 Håkan W Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:03:56 +0000 http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4109 It would be awesome if you'd document the stuff you learned from Boris and Jonas somewhere. Is using tracerefcnt hard? Are there any good docs out there on this? It would be awesome if you’d document the stuff you learned from Boris and Jonas somewhere. Is using tracerefcnt hard? Are there any good docs out there on this?

]]> By: pd http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4108 pd Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:19:35 +0000 http://www.squarefree.com/2007/12/27/fixing-leaks/#comment-4108 Jesse you're a complete legend. Thanks for this excellent work. Unfortunately it's largely invisible to the user however that does not mean it is less meaningful than a UI tweak. It is more so. Personally I really enjoy reading posts that point out the normally invisible fixes that will make such a difference. Thanks again Jesse you’re a complete legend.

Thanks for this excellent work. Unfortunately it’s largely invisible to the user however that does not mean it is less meaningful than a UI tweak. It is more so. Personally I really enjoy reading posts that point out the normally invisible fixes that will make such a difference.

Thanks again

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