[Bug] Toolbar dial and other NTP extensions will show Brave NTP on restart

[Joovsr]

Hello. I don't like the default new tab layout in this browser. Therefore, I use a third-party extension - "toolbar dial". It replaces the default new tab layout.
The bug is that if you create a new empty tab and then restart the browser, the old native start screen is displayed in the new tab! When creating further new tabs already the extension works fine.
In google chrome, everything works as it should - at startup, the previous tabs open and if there are confusing ones among them, then the "toolbar dial" works as it should.
I think the problem is with all extensions that replace the default new tab screen.
Thank you.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/toolbar-dial/nejdcfinmjpapnkjffcejgcidjmbipcp?hl=en

[rebron]

We'll want to verify that isn't a problem with another extension too like https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/momentum/laookkfknpbbblfpciffpaejjkokdgca

[MadhaviSeelam]

@rebron reproduced this issue in 1.52.122 with both the extensions.

Brave | 1.52.122 Chromium: 114.0.5735.110 (Official Build) (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 1c828682b85bbc70230a48f5e345489ec447373e-refs/branch-heads/5735_90@{#13}
OS | Windows 11 Version 22H2 (Build 22621.1702)

2023-06-09_14h40_00.mp4

2023-06-09_14h38_14.mp4

[MadhaviSeelam]

@rebron

brave://settings

another way to reproduce the issue

2023-06-09_14h56_36.mp4

[simonhong]

Confirmed that newtab url overriding is done via ExtensionWebUI::RegisterOrActivateChromeURLOverrides() before tab restoring during the startup. but restored new tab doesn't use overridden url. Checking..

This only happens when NTP is restored during the startup.
At startup, tab is restored via chrome::AddRestoredTab().
Actual WebContents for restored tab is created by CreateRestoredTab().
In CreateRestoredTab(), NavigationEntry is created for brave://newtab.
In ContentSerializedNavigationBuilder::ToNavigationEntry(),
it creates NavigationEntry and re-calculated to extension's ntp url for brave://newtab in NavigationControllerImpl::CreateNavigationEntry().
However, that entry's url is reverted to brave://newtab again after entry is created in ContentSerializedNavigationBuilder::ToNavigationEntry().

In ToNavigationEntry(), restored navigation's encoded_page_state_ is empty.
Curious this empty page state is normal condition or not.
As it's empty, entry's page state created with navigation->virtual_url_(chrome://newtab) and set.
After that, entry->GetURL() is chrome://newtab) not extension's overridden url.

  if (navigation->encoded_page_state_.empty()) {
    // Ensure that the deserialized/restored content::NavigationEntry (and
    // the content::FrameNavigationEntry underneath) has a valid PageState.
    entry->SetPageState(
        // blink::PageState::CreateFromURL(navigation->virtual_url_),
        blink::PageState::CreateFromURL(entry->GetURL()),

If state is created with entry->GetURL() like above instead of virtual_url_,
extension's newtab is loaded properly during the startup and can't repro this issue.

Regarding to empty state from restored navigation,
newtab has always empty state but www.brave.com has valid page state when it's restored in startup.

Found the cause - This regression comes from brave/brave-core#14603.
As we sanitize chrome urls, its encoded page state is empty.
Because of this, new page state is created when chrome url is restored.
and page state is created with virtual_url, overwritten url(extension url) for newtab is not used.

When NavigationEntry is created, url is re-written for newtab but it's ignored if encoded page state isn't existed.
This is the root cause of this issue.

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.57.8 Chromium: 115.0.5790.75 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 77bffd419b7e89d7e666c9695e7fa0d1d0367a99
OS | Windows 11 Version 22H2 (Build 22621.1992)

Case 1: Install Tooldial extension - PASSED

1. Install 1.57.8
2. launch Brave
3. install following extension in chrome.google.com/webstore
   • https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/toolbar-dial/nejdcfinmjpapnkjffcejgcidjmbipcp?hl=en
4. open a new tab
5. verified ToolbarDial NTP page is shown
6. clicked Keep it
7. click a new tab
8. verified Brave NTP page is not shown as expected
9. close Brave and relaunch
10. opened brave://settings

Confirmed Brave NTP is not shown.
Confirmed when clicked to open new tabs, Toolbar dial tabs are opened
Confirmed Toolbar is controlling this setting.. message shown in brave://settings

step 3	step 5	step 8	step 9	step 10

Case 2: Install Momentum extension - PASSED

1. new profile
2. launch Brave
3. install following extension in chrome.google.com/webstore
   • https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/momentum/laookkfknpbbblfpciffpaejjkokdgca
4. verified Momentum NTP page is shown in a new tab
5. clicked Keep it
6. click a new tab
7. verified Brave NTP page is not shown as expected
8. close Brave and relaunch
9. opened brave://settings

Confirmed Brave NTP is not shown.
Confirmed when clicked to open new tabs, Momentum tabs are opened
Confirmed Momentum is controlling this setting.. message shown in brave://settings

step 3-4	step 8-9	step 10