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Restore addons after downdate
Today my system updated my firefox from 52 to 60. I'm a heavy addon user and 3/4 of them were disabled as incompatible with the new version. A well configured browser of mine got entirely thrashed....happens. I quickly reverted the installation. Started firefox....it's thrashed still. Went to addons - they are disabled. But they don't have 'enable' buttons even though they are compatible with the firefox version that I run now.
Yes, I know, I should find replacements for them. Seriously, I expect it to take at least another year before replacements for the most critical parts are available but hey, it's good time to check. However I can't do it now because my browser is thrashed!
How do I get my extensions back?
Furthermore, I suggest that firefox asks the users for consent before destroying their profiles.
Valitud lahendus
Did you fix the extensions problem based on the earlier replies?
If not, do you have a backup of your profile from before the update? You might need it...
To get the Add-ons page lists working again, you could try renaming the extensions.json file in your currently active profile folder (while Firefox is not running) so Firefox rediscovers your extensions. In case you need steps for that:
Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder/Directory" button. This should launch a new window listing the files and folders in your profile.
Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit/Quit. On Windows, either:
- "3-bar" menu button > Exit
- (menu bar) File > Exit
Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename extensions.json to something like OLDextensions.json.
Start Firefox back up again and see whether it lets you enable your legacy extensions.
Regarding the tab and address bar issues in Firefox 57-60:
- multiple row of tabs => userChrome.css modification (but this can break dragging tabs along the bar)
- tab width (24 pixels including all losses is the maximum that works for me. And it must fit favicons) => userChrome.css modification to go below 50px wide
- make tab open on the right of the current one and close go back to the left => I'm sure there are extensions aimed at this, but I haven't tested any myself
- the way FF is now it takes me 5 seconds to find the back button => you can move the button to a more convenient place (Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars)
- more to find the address bar - because now I have the search bar where my address bar used to be and my habits are strong - I always end up going to wikipedia => you can use the Search panel of the Options page to (A) fix your default search engine (Change your default search settings in Firefox) and (B) remove the search bar if you don't use it
- When I open a new tab I have serious troubles getting back to this one => there are extensions to address that, for example, I posted this one to help another user: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/switch-to-previous-active-tab/
All Replies (14)
Hi, So with the below answers for add-ons for 60+ what would you care to do or need help with ?
I suggest that firefox asks the users for consent before destroying their profiles.
To submit suggestions for new or changed features, may I suggest: Feedback: https://qsurvey.mozilla.com/s3/FirefoxInput/
at least another year before replacements for the most critical parts are available
- http://techdows.com/2017/09/classic-theme-restorer-userchrome-css-modify-firefox-57-photon-ui.html
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/search/?platform=windows&q=Cookie+Manager Would have to find what you like
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/disable-ctrl-q/
- DOM Inspector is this not built into Firefox
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/element-hider/
- Greasefire no idea might be what below is :
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/tampermonkey/
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/greasemonkey/
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/keyword-search-webextension/
- No idea what Menu wizard does but userChrome possibly do same thing.
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/search/?platform=windows&q=+TrackerBlock suggest uBlock Origin
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/regexsearch/
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/tprb/
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/tab-mix-plus-webextension/
UserChrome 235 million ways to customize Firefox
Thanks for your answer. It shows that Firefox 57+ is much closer to prime time than I thought. At least if I spend a LOT of time to master userChrome modifications. In a way that's a waste of time, it requires actual learning of Chrome internals when previously installing an addon would suffice. But if it's the only way I can make new firefox comfortable for me - I can invest that time.
But there is still one blocker. My workload has 100-300 tabs open at the time (though rarely over 200) and it requires seriously good tabbing UI for it to be workable. With TabMixPlus it's not just workable - it's actually comfortable. Firefox is the only browser that can support my workload....well...was. Because the way I read it, TMP web extension is far from being ready.
And I still don't know how to enable it...
BTW I wonder if using a development version of FF wouldn't be the best for me. I could continue to use my addons while gradually moving to web extensions / userChrome modifications....
Hi, welcome yes a lot are prime time, some not due to security in protecting Firefox and you :
As for the userChrome, you need 10mins to figure out what and where then copy paste the code. Finding the code is not so easy but can find here :
or ask for help here as a Contributor here runs this site :
For Tabs I would suggest possibly the 1st, but there are more : https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/search/?platform=windows&q=tab+manager A Development one............. Well if are coding then can run Firefox Developer which is always in Beta plus can run a Regular release as it has a compatibility mode, it does share your bookmarks so is a must to back up always if something goes wrong with Developer.
There is a path way to keep older add-ons but it is now really narrow as 60 = no older Extensions : Firefox 52.9.0esr out on June 26 (same time as 60.1.0esr) will be the last major update for Firefox 52 ESR apart from any 52.9.x esr updates for security or allowed stability fixes.
Firefox 60.2.0esr will be out <strike>Aug 21</strike> Sept 5 and Firefox 52 ESR will be EOL then. So people will have to upgrade to 60.2.0esr to keep getting security updates if they have not manually upgraded to 60.x.o ESR already. Firefox 60 ESR will require Windows 7, 8, 10.
Muudetud
Agtol said
Today my system updated my firefox from 52 to 60.
The ESR version is slated for another ESR 52 security update to 52.9 next week on 06-26. The end of Firefox ESR 52 is slated until 2018-09-05, when ESR users would get updated to Firefox ESR 60.2 . https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Calendar
You shouldn't have gotten any sort of "update" today, almost a week early, and surely not going to a full Release version from an ESR build - period. My guess is that you had Firefox 52 Release installed and not the ESR 52 version.
I checked that tab addons...none allows having multiple row of tabs. None allows me to limit tab width (24 pixels including all losses is the maximum that works for me. And it must fit favicons). None allows me to make tab open on the right of the current one and close go back to the left.
I just tried searching if there are separate addons for that. Not for all of them because I got frustrated - the way FF is now it takes me 5 seconds to find the back button. Even more to find the address bar - because now I have the search bar where my address bar used to be and my habits are strong - I always end up going to wikipedia. And searches written in the address bar always goes to wikipedia instead of ddg - I need to go to ddg website and type the search there. When I open a new tab I have serious troubles getting back to this one.
Seriously, update may be the way forward, but not now. I need something working tomorrow and that's simply impossible to make Firefox 60 even somewhat working for me in that time.
Do I have to uninstall and re-install all addons to have them enabled?
I got an update to FF 60.0.2, not 60.2.
Multiple rows, saw one yesterday, I think. No idea of name. But think it maybe possible with userChrome.
Just did a open to the right :
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/open-tabs-next-to-current/
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/foxytab/
Customize , use spacers and drag every thing to where you want it, add more or take away :
Copy/Paste about:preferences#search to address bar then Enter. Click radio button of the 1st search from address bar and then the search bar is gone.
Also , something here maybe of use : https://www.accessfirefox.org/
If you used a current Firefox release with your Firefox 52 profile then your profile is corrupted because a lot of files have been upgraded.
You should at least clear/remove some files and folders (keep a backup).
- places.sqlite and favicons.sqlite to undo changes made to the bookmarks and history storage.
Firefox should rebuild the bookmarks from a backup in the bookmarkbackups folder - storage.sqlite and serviceworker.txt and the storage folder
- key4.db and cert9.db (SQLite versions of key3.db and cert8.db)
- pkcs11.txt that replaced secmode.db
- addonStartup.json.lz4
- handlers.json that replaced mimeTypes.rdf
Verify that passwords still work with key3.db. If that isn't the case then you need to switch the profile from SQL to DBM by setting an environment variable, possibly via a bash script to launch Firefox.
- export NSS_DEFAULT_DB_TYPE=sql
You can delete addons.json and extensions.json and extensions.ini and compatibility.ini in the Firefox profile folder with Firefox closed to reset the extensions registry and reinitialize the profile.
Valitud lahendus
Did you fix the extensions problem based on the earlier replies?
If not, do you have a backup of your profile from before the update? You might need it...
To get the Add-ons page lists working again, you could try renaming the extensions.json file in your currently active profile folder (while Firefox is not running) so Firefox rediscovers your extensions. In case you need steps for that:
Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either
- "3-bar" menu button > "?" Help > Troubleshooting Information
- (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
- type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter/Return
In the first table on the page, on the Profile Folder row, click the "Open Folder/Directory" button. This should launch a new window listing the files and folders in your profile.
Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit/Quit. On Windows, either:
- "3-bar" menu button > Exit
- (menu bar) File > Exit
Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename extensions.json to something like OLDextensions.json.
Start Firefox back up again and see whether it lets you enable your legacy extensions.
Regarding the tab and address bar issues in Firefox 57-60:
- multiple row of tabs => userChrome.css modification (but this can break dragging tabs along the bar)
- tab width (24 pixels including all losses is the maximum that works for me. And it must fit favicons) => userChrome.css modification to go below 50px wide
- make tab open on the right of the current one and close go back to the left => I'm sure there are extensions aimed at this, but I haven't tested any myself
- the way FF is now it takes me 5 seconds to find the back button => you can move the button to a more convenient place (Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars)
- more to find the address bar - because now I have the search bar where my address bar used to be and my habits are strong - I always end up going to wikipedia => you can use the Search panel of the Options page to (A) fix your default search engine (Change your default search settings in Firefox) and (B) remove the search bar if you don't use it
- When I open a new tab I have serious troubles getting back to this one => there are extensions to address that, for example, I posted this one to help another user: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/switch-to-previous-active-tab/
Thanks Pkshadow, you seem very determined to help me get on the 57+ bandwagon. You clearly care and I admire it.
But I just can't go there yet I need a machine up and running, can't spend time on hard update that may or may not end up with something that works for me. Certainly not after I spent almost a week already on OS reinstall (still unfinished).
I'll gladly look at your suggestions in the coming days. Need to figure out how to get 2 firefox versions side by side on my OS...because I'm not going to risk a switch in a way that would leave me for a while with unworkable system. And quick research has shown me that the TabMixPlus author says that nightly keeps working worse and worse with his extension.
cor-el - your solution has worked for me. I still had some UI breakage, some things (address bar among them) were deleted from my menu bar, but I could restore that easily.
jscher2000, thank you too. Your answer will be a further help in migration. BTW, the search problem was that in my FF I have wikipedia as the default in the search bar and ddg in the address bar.
I'm just going through the list, trying to replace my extensions with WebExtensions. Starting from the simpler ones. 1. Disable Ctrl+Q: Web Extension is available. Doesn't work in Linux, known bug for a year already. 2. Keyword search: Web Extension is available. But doesn't work as intended, it adds another keyword instead of changing the behaviour of the address bar. 3. Regex Find: No, the suggested addon is completely different. It finds a piece of HTML instead of a place on the website. No replacement, according to the Regex Find author Web Extensions just doesn't allow porting.
Actually I'm not cherry picking. I literally tried to replace the 3 simplest extensions and failed in each case. :(
Agtol said
1. Disable Ctrl+Q: Web Extension is available. Doesn't work in Linux, known bug for a year already.
This is not specific to Linux: Firefox 57+ doesn't have a mechanism for extensions to override built-in keyboard shortcuts on any platform. It's under discussion for a future release.
2. Keyword search: Web Extension is available. But doesn't work as intended, it adds another keyword instead of changing the behaviour of the address bar.
Extensions can change the default search engine, but they can't assign different search engines to different bars.
3. Regex Find: No, the suggested addon is completely different. It finds a piece of HTML instead of a place on the website. No replacement, according to the Regex Find author Web Extensions just doesn't allow porting.
This one? https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/regexsearch/ There is a checkbox to disable finding in HTML if you want to only find in text nodes. In a brief test, I found it necessary to reload the page between searches targeting similar text if I used Highlight.