SocksPort set through torrc viewer does not persist if ControlPort is being automatically set
Steps to reproduce: Start an instance of Vidalia having the default configuration. Click Settings > Advanced tab > Edit current torrc. Add a new line "SocksPort 1080". Highlight that line, choose "Apply selection only", make sure "Save settings ..." is checked, and "ok" out of Settings. Restart Vidalia. Note that Tor is started with command line containing "SocksPort auto".
The SocksPort setting appears to be retained if ControlPort is set to an explicit value instead of 'auto', though in this case no SocksPort option at all will be passed to tor. If you set ControlPort back to 'auto', then you'll see that the tor is started with a command line containing "ControlPort auto SocksPort auto" again (even though the user has requested no change to their previously manually set SocksPort--this is the defect).
It seems like there may be a more general issue of "ControlPort auto" being taken to also imply "SocksPort auto", which it shouldn't. If randomization of SocksPort is seen as important enough, it should be an option independent of that of ControlPort.
Trac:
Username: criticoder