Certain webpages only open in mobile version

TronaldDump

All of a sudden certain websites only open in mobile version in my Vivaldi for windows desktop browser - for example locanto.com.au
No hardware, software, extension changes whatsoever.
Running latest version of Win10, latest version of browser.
Other browsers like Brave, Edge open the page in desktop version.
Have cleared cache, cookies, other browsing data to no avail.
There is no settings option for 'desktop only' in my version of Vivaldi.
I am getting sick and tired of these constant issues with this browser. Maybe time to ditch it.

TbGbe · Win: Snapshot Vivaldi 7.4.3664.3

@TronaldDump Why are you blaming locanto's browser detection failure on Vivaldi?

TronaldDump

@TbGbe
Why are there only ever issues with this browser?
For months I could not log into any google account in Vivialdi because of some safety issue that was absent in other browsers.
All the time I have to copy and paste web addresses to other browsers, because websites, images, web forms are not displaying properly in Vivaldi, but without any problem in Brave or Edge.
For ages I was unable to make Vivaldi my default browser, no matter what I tried; only with one of the more recent updates, this finally changed.
Why is there no 'desktop only view' option in Vivaldi, even though a Vivaldi 'help' article refers to there being one and suggests to enable it to address this kind of issue?
Why is Locanto's alleged 'browser detection failure' only happening with Vivaldi, but not with other Chromium-based browsers, and why would that issue mysteriously appear over night from Friday to Saturday??

Vivaldi has a few features that I like, but I am beginning to wonder if it's worth to continuously live with these sort of issues that don't seem to affect other browsers.

nomadic

@TronaldDump said in Certain webpages only open in mobile version:

Why are there only ever issues with this browser?

Some websites like to arbitrarily make restrictions on which browsers with which their website works. They often lock out access because they don't feel like testing and supporting less mainstream browsers, even if the locked out browsers would work without issue. Vivaldi tries to disguise itself as Chrome to avoid these problems.

For months I could not log into any google account in Vivialdi because of some safety issue that was absent in other browsers.

Sounds like the option Vivaldi gave to disable Crypto Token or Google Services. It was enabled by default and had a warning above it listing that disabling it would break Google services. Many users mistakenly disabled it because of the mention of Google and a hope for more privacy.

Not sure if that setting was removed because of all the users that got confused about it or because Google finally changed their authentication API making the option irrelevant.

All the time I have to copy and paste web addresses to other browsers, because websites, images, web forms are not displaying properly in Vivaldi, but without any problem in Brave or Edge.

Some of these could be caused by the built in ad-blocker, some privacy settings you might have changed, or extensions. Hard to know without examples, but I rarely encounter any such problems.

Why is there no 'desktop only view' option in Vivaldi, even though a Vivaldi 'help' article refers to there being one and suggests to enable it to address this kind of issue?

That is a setting for Vivaldi on Android. The help page could do a better job at indicating a result is for a specific platform, but it does have a subheading under each search result showing the platform.

Why is Locanto's alleged 'browser detection failure' only happening with Vivaldi, but not with other Chromium-based browsers, and why would that issue mysteriously appear over night from Friday to Saturday??

The website changed something in their site to detect mobile platforms. It might be something along the lines of, "if it isn't a major browser, then it is probably a mobile device, so redirect the request to the mobile version."

In regard to the timing, the site can update their code at any time they want. And all developers know that right before a weekend or before a long vacation is the best time to push changes to the main production version

In short, the problem is with the site. Try contacting their support.

mib2berlin

@nomadic
Haha, this is Firefox:

Cheers, mib

TbGbe · Win: Snapshot Vivaldi 7.4.3664.3

Since you replied to me.

@TronaldDump said in Certain webpages only open in mobile version:

Why are there only ever issues with this browser?

Because "web sites/devs" insist on checking only for "top X" browsers rather than allowing any browser access.

The only check "really" needed is whether the browser says it wants mobile display (if not provide desktop).

For months I could not log into any google account in Vivialdi because of some safety issue that was absent in other browsers.

I've never encountered this problem.

All the time I have to copy and paste web addresses to other browsers, because websites, images, web forms are not displaying properly in Vivaldi, but without any problem in Brave or Edge.

I've never encountered this problem.

For ages I was unable to make Vivaldi my default browser, no matter what I tried; only with one of the more recent updates, this finally changed.

I've never encountered this problem.

Why is there no 'desktop only view' option in Vivaldi, even though a Vivaldi 'help' article refers to there being one and suggests to enable it to address this kind of issue?

Because Vivaldi browser for PC is a desktop browser, only the panels need mobile/desktop switch.

Vivaldi for Android is a mobile browser and supports switching to desktop - though why anyone wants desktop view on a mobile??

Why is Locanto's alleged 'browser detection failure' only happening with Vivaldi, but not with other Chromium-based browsers

Because "web sites/devs" insist on checking only for "top X" browsers rather than allowing any browser access.

Catweazle

in Firefox also only in mobile format, only the Netsurf Browser open it in Desktop format. Netsurf is certainly not a Top X browser (WebView2 engine)

alt text

Zalex108

Weird,
It opens as Desktop on Mobile

--

Jokes aside,
Seem that do not detect the View as Desktop setting either.

https://youtu.be/iLTpE8ybR6U

Vivaldi Backup | Reset + Extra Steps

Pathduck

Really bad browser detection code

But after some investigation, looks like it might actually be a bug/regression in Vivaldi 5.7.

The site uses this inline JS:

window.mobile_agent = window.mobile_agent || window.navigator.standalone === true || (typeof(matchMedia) === 'function' && matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches);

if ((window.mobile_agent && !window.is_ipad && !window.disable_mobile) || is_cordova_tmp) {
    window.location.replace('https://m.locanto.com.au/')
};

In all other browsers on my system, including Firefox, the value of window.mobile.agent will be FALSE after matchMedia() is called:

> (typeof(matchMedia) === 'function' && matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches);
false

Howevever, in Vivaldi 5.7/5.8 it will be TRUE:

> (typeof(matchMedia) === 'function' && matchMedia('(display-mode: standalone)').matches);
true

The media query display-mode: standalone is meant for web apps (PWAs).
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window/matchMedia

Standalone:
"The application will look and feel like a standalone application. This can include the application having a different window, its own icon in the application launcher, etc. In this mode, the user agent will exclude UI elements for controlling navigation, but can include other UI elements such as a status bar."
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/@media/display-mode

It should return TRUE on browser but does not:

> matchMedia('(display-mode: browser)').matches;
false

WORKAROUND for now:
Open the site in fullscreen

Reported as: VB-95909

DoctorG

@Pathduck Dupe of VB-95891 "window.matchMedia display-mode is using wrong value" – Confirmed.