Could there be a timeout in the Firefox code which terminates the download?

Hi

Are you doing with a fast and strong WiFi connection?

I have just downloaded and played the larger file with ease.

@Seburo: The WiFi hotspot I use when I see the issue is backed by an ADSL connection about 6 MB/s wide. Not sure how much may be lost due to WiFi errors (interference) at the moment when I see the problem. Speedtest on the Android device reports 5.3-5.5 Mbps down and 0.6 up (3 times in a row the same results).

I also saw the problem when the Android device was connected to a WiFi hotspot on another device which was connected to the Internet via 4G.

More detail: 1. The '(3)' file name suffix suggests the previous 3 attempts failed that is I could download the file on the fourth try. 2. I downloaded the file in Russia. Doing the same from other countries could be different.

Hi

That is not a really fast speed - are you able to download smaller files from other sites with any problems?

That is not a really fast speed - are you able to download smaller files from other sites with any problems?

Seburo, thanks for your help. Firefox is my default browser and I download files with no issues, mostly via the 'Save image' option. I also have just downloaded a 23 MB mp3 file from the site specified in the scenario via the 'Download link' option. I see two issues here:

1. Firefox is (or should be) designed to download any file via any connection regardless of its bandwidth. I think developers should look at this and I plan to post to bugzilla.mozilla.org

2. While a file is downloaded Firefox is the user agent in the complex interaction of the site, the equipment which transmits the data the from the site to the user device and the software on the user device. I think Firefox should put the file to the Downloads list at the moment the user taps the download menu option. I see no records of the failed downloads in the list if I download the file via the 'Download link' option. If this design issue is fixed the user could see the status of the failed download, eg 'site terminated the connection' or 'timeout'. I noted I download from Russia because each ISP here hosts state-owned security equipment which could interfere with large files though the Samsung Internet browser which ships with the Android device downloads these large mp3 files just fine and reports the download process details to the user (like a good ftp client!).

NB: As I did some testing I noted above I noticed the following two files in the Download folder: - 2021-09-25-observation-1210-3532210.mp3 (size 36.08 MB) - 2021-09-25-observation-1210-3532210(1).mp3 (53.45 MB) These should be 63 MB. I did not see the file in the same app (My Files, which is like Explorer in Windows and ships with the Android device). Looks like the files were created on 2021-09-25 but the app did not show them at the time (maybe some Android fdisk fixes such files in the background and they appear later?)

Are you able to open those files that you have downloaded?

Are you able to open those files that you have downloaded?

I can play the truncated file 2021-09-25-observation-1210-3532210.mp3 (size 36.08 MB instead of 63) but when I skip to a point near the end of the file the player (Samsung Music app) terminates. Looks like the file size in mp3 structures is 63 and the player does not expect that the actual file is smaller.

Not sure why you pay so much attention to opening downloaded files. I did make several attempts to download a large mp3 file recently and after a successful one always played the file to the end with no issues.

That is not a really fast speed

The bandwidth on the user side in my case is 6 Mbps max not counting possible WiFi interference from other devices nearby. The speed on the side of the site which provides the file depends on the current site load and probably many other things including the region the user is in.

Today I downloaded a 68 MB file from the site with no issues on the first attempt. However after I initiated the download I saw no progress bar or % completed for about a minute after which there was a notification the download had completed. It is not good UI design.

Hi

The download notification is handled by Android itself, not by Firefox for Android.

Seburo said

The download notification is handled by Android itself, not by Firefox for Android.

Samsung Internet browser for Android interacts with Android so that the download notification in the top panel appears with no delay after a download is initiated by the user. And it reports the % complete, number of MBs downloaded in real time (in the pulldown panel with notifications). The user is even able to pause, resume and cancel the download there. If paused the download icon in the top panel changes to down arrow with a pause.

Sadly, with Firefox for Android I see the notification when the download completes and see nothing if it fails.

Thank you for your feedback. This is something that our developers are looking into and you can follow progress and add comments at https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/10703

https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/10703

Sadly, the resolution there seems to be: Amejia481 added the S4 label on 1 Feb And S4 is minor significance.

I read the document but see no specification of what the intended behavior is when a download fails (as in my case). I guess I should see the download error code in the Downloads list. 10703 does not cover that. Is there a separate document which describes requirements for the Download feature?

10703 is about informing the user of the download status while in my case the most critical aspect is with large files which are not downloaded completely.

Hi

You can see the download status if you swipe down from the top of a screen while a download is happening. The same notification area will notify you of a failed download.

You can see the download status if you swipe down from the top of a screen while a download is happening. The same notification area will notify you of a failed download.

This is not accurate as of 2021-11-07 (Firefox 93.2.0 Android 9). Today my large download failed again leaving the uncompleted file in the downloads folder. No notification of either failed or in-progress download (the notification only appears when a download succeeds). I assume the quoted text describes the _intended_ behavior which is not implemented yet.

PS: Here are my 5 attemps to download the file today in file sizes left on the device: 25MB (failed, no notification), 37, 37, 36, 64MB (success, notification shown).

Hi

I am very unsure what your issue is now. You started asking about being able to download files, then asked about notifications, and now seem to be asking about both..?

So you have downloaded a file, that has downloaded, but also has not downloaded(?). What is the file that is the result of this in the downloads folder on your android device?

Without knowing what files you are trying to download and where you are trying to download them from, it is very difficult to replicate what you are seeing. Are you downloading files with a strong WiFi connection each time?

Seburo, thank you for your help, but it looks like you are not taking into consideration the facts above.

Seburo said

I am very unsure what your issue is now. You started asking about being able to download files, then asked about notifications, and now seem to be asking about both..?

Here is my initial problem report text: Cannot solve the following issue: trying to download a large file over (slow?) WiFi displays no signs of a download in progress (except for WiFi activity indicator in the top panel) and nothing happens (no files in the download folder, no records in the Firefox downloads list). If I retry it sometimes works. If I start another browser (Samsung Internet) the download works fine.

Seburo said

So you have downloaded a file, that has downloaded, but also has not downloaded(?). What is the file that is the result of this in the downloads folder on your android device?

When I download large files as described in the problem description and comments above: 1. I see no indicator in the top panel

2. Sometimes the download succeeds on the first attempt. In this case the top panel notification from "Download Manager" appears saying 'Download complete' (after the download is finished which takes about one munite). If at this point I start the My Files app I see the downloaded file in a folder when I tap the "Downloads" shortcut (located in the 'Categories' panel of the My Files app).

3. If the download I requested fails I see nothing (no notification). If at this point I start the My Files app I do _not_ see the file I intended to download in the folder when I tap the "Downloads" shortcut. However if I browse the folder tree in the My Files app (go to Internal storage > Download), I see the intended file but the file is truncated. Here I assume the download was terminated for some reason I do not know. In my comment of '11/7/21, 2:35 AM' I refer to 5 attempts to download the same file of which 4 first attempts failed and the last one succeeded.

When I initially reported the problem I assumed the problem is in the Firefox app (since another browser works fine). The problem may as well be with the site which provides the file or the WiFi router I use for internet access. So now I think the most important aspect of the issue is Firefox does not report to the user what is happening while a download is in progress. Is it https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/10703 but the final resolution there 2021-02-01 was 'S4' (minor significance, cosmetic issues, low or no impact to users) which I guess means bug 10703 is not going to be fixed soon.

Without knowing what files you are trying to download and where you are trying to download them from, it is very difficult to replicate what you are seeing. Are you downloading files with a strong WiFi connection each time?

Please see the initial problem description for a complete scenario to reproduce (replicate) the problem. Please note that it may not be easy to reproduce as described because we have no control of the site and network which transmit the file being downloaded. I think one should test this with a slow connection and slow server (worst case). Firefox gives the user no idea what is happening with the requested download all the time the file is being downloaded and in the case the download is terminated. I think it is a major UI (UX) issue. Look at the competing browsers - the UX is great with Samsung Internet (browser) in this case.

If you swipe down from the top of the screen while downloading a file, you will see the notification and progress bar. I attach a screenshot of what this look like. If I long press on the download tab above the video, the file downloads.

The download may be failing due to your connection speed which could be impacted by the file playing in the background or other apps open on your device.

I hope that this helps.

If you swipe down from the top of the screen while downloading a file, you will see the notification and progress bar. I attach a screenshot of what this look like. If I long press on the download tab above the video, the file downloads.

Seburo, thanks! But I am not sure how you do that: 1. I have just updated Firefox to the latest version from the Play Store. The version is Daylight 94.1.2. I see no notification if I swipe down from the top of the screen while downloading a file (via the 'Download link' option). 2. If I long press on the download tab above the video (as you describe) a popup windows appears with the file name and a menu and one of the menu options is 'Download link'.

I see 'Firefox Nightly' on your screenshot. I install 'Firefox Daylight' from the Play Store. Maybe the download notification is not yet in the Play Store builds? Or some Firefox settings are different on my device?