[opensuse] Managing multiple Firefox profiles
A number of list members have posted about their usage of multiple Firefox profiles for a single user account. Due to a number of browser management issues, I am considering switching from the stock, single profile setup to using multiple browser profiles. However, I have several questions that have come up as I have been working this out. I was hoping to pick your brains and get some insights. The mechanics of setting up the separate profiles, and their basic usage seems rather straightforward. However, I am not sure how to manage certain aspects of a multiple-profile setup. BTW, this is for my desktop system, which I keep running essentially 24/7 and only intentionally logout or reboot when dictated by software updates. I also use SeaMonkey, sometimes exclusively, alongside Firefox. I would expect the profile considerations to apply generally equally to both browsers. 1. How does one copy plugin settings and assoc metadata (e.g., from NoScript) from one profile to another? Having to manually set up each plugin in each profile would be rather tedious and repetitive. Is there any way to expedite that? I imagine that a base profile could be set up then new profiles could be created as copies of that profile. However, what to do in the case of updates, etc., after the new profile is created, and they begin to diverge? 2. Does anyone know of a way to merge bookmarks from the various profiles in to a single, master bookmark list? It is OK for each profile to have its own bookmarks list, but it would be nice to have a way to copy/move bookmarks between profiles, and to have a master list somewhere. (BTW, too bad FF doesn't have a two-pane bookmark manager, somewhat like MC; would make a number of operations much easier IMO). Some of the reasons I am considering using multiple FF profiles, in addition to the common ones of sandboxing, sanitizing, or having custom configs for certain sites, etc., include: - There is less to save or clean up when memory runs out due to browser bloat and I have to restart a browser instance. Currently, my browser generally has windows on most or all of my severl virtual desktops. If I restart the browser, all of the browser windows end up on the current virtual desktop and I have to manually move them to the proper virtual desktops. I could have each profile confined to a single desktop to avoid this situation. - It is easier to isolate a CPU hog or othwerwise resource hogging browser tabs. Going through multiple tabs on potentially dozens of windows on several desktops is very time consuming. Would like to constrain that somewhat if possible. (BTW, FF has an "about:memory" page; what about an "about:cpu" or "about:threads" page? Though memory is frequently a concern, excessive CPU usage is also very frequently also a concern, esp that common heavy usage of client side javascript is so prevalent (and flash is still around)). I do know that running multiple brower instances (separate linux processes) uses more VM that having a single combined instance. However, I believe the considerations above could make it worthwhile. Any and all advice, info pointers, etc., would be most appreciated. Personal experiences and profile policy info also welcome. Thanks, --Phil -- Philip Amadeo Saeli openSUSE-13.1 psaeli@zorodyne.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
Philip Amadeo Saeli composed on 2015-08-29 23:52 (UTC-0500):> ...
1. How does one copy plugin settings and assoc metadata (e.g., from NoScript) from one profile to another? Having to manually set up each plugin in each profile would be rather tedious and repetitive. Is there any way to expedite that?...
Those settings that live in prefs.js can be manually copied into a user.js file that on startup will be automatically incorporated into prefs.js. Mozilla never writes user.js, only reads and incorporates. Extension xpis can be downloaded locally via non-Mozilla browser and installed from the xpi instead of directly via Internet. ...
I imagine that a base profile could be set up then new profiles could be created as copies of that profile....
True. Another way to initialize basic similarity is, again, via user.js. -- "The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation) Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/ -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
* Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> [2015-08-30 01:50]:
Philip Amadeo Saeli composed on 2015-08-29 23:52 (UTC-0500):> ...
1. How does one copy plugin settings and assoc metadata (e.g., from NoScript) from one profile to another? Having to manually set up each plugin in each profile would be rather tedious and repetitive. Is there any way to expedite that?...
Those settings that live in prefs.js can be manually copied into a user.js file that on startup will be automatically incorporated into prefs.js. Mozilla never writes user.js, only reads and incorporates.
Extension xpis can be downloaded locally via non-Mozilla browser and installed from the xpi instead of directly via Internet.
...
I imagine that a base profile could be set up then new profiles could be created as copies of that profile....
True. Another way to initialize basic similarity is, again, via user.js.
Thank you. That is very helpful. I did not know about the user.js file (since none exists ATM). --Phil -- Philip Amadeo Saeli psaeli@zorodyne.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
On 08/30/2015 12:52 AM, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
Does anyone know of a way to merge bookmarks from the various profiles in to a single, master bookmark list? It is OK for each profile to have its own bookmarks list, but it would be nice to have a way to copy/move bookmarks between profiles, and to have a master list somewhere.
Use Firefox sync. That way all your bookmarks will be automagically synced between browser profiles. I use it to sync across different computer and operating systems. It used to work with Seamonkey too, but Firefox moved to a new method and Seamonkey didn't. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
* James Knott <james.knott@rogers.com> [2015-08-30 06:49]:
On 08/30/2015 12:52 AM, Philip Amadeo Saeli wrote:
Does anyone know of a way to merge bookmarks from the various profiles in to a single, master bookmark list? It is OK for each profile to have its own bookmarks list, but it would be nice to have a way to copy/move bookmarks between profiles, and to have a master list somewhere.
Use Firefox sync. That way all your bookmarks will be automagically synced between browser profiles. I use it to sync across different computer and operating systems. It used to work with Seamonkey too, but Firefox moved to a new method and Seamonkey didn't.
I use both SeaMonkey as well as Firefox, and it would be nice to be able to sync between both. However, as convenient as such cloud-based services may be, I am not comfortable sharing everything I have bookmarked with whoever is running them. I'd much prefer something offline, self-hosted, or with a [more?] reasonable privacy policy. BTW, I notice that SeaMonkey has just updated to version 2.35, so maybe Firefox compatibility has increased? --Phil -- Philip Amadeo Saeli psaeli@zorodyne.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
I am late in answering but like tu put my thoughts: Am 30.08.2015 um 06:52 schrieb Philip Amadeo Saeli: ...
1. How does one copy plugin settings and assoc metadata (e.g., from NoScript) from one profile to another? ...
I imagine that a base profile could be set up then new profiles could be created as copies of that profile. However, what to do in the case of updates, etc., after the new profile is created, and they begin to diverge?
Yes, copying the first profile will bring all it's settings to the new one, and, of course, with time they will be different.
2. Does anyone know of a way to merge bookmarks from the various profiles in to a single, master bookmark list?
I use different profiles for different purposes and heavily "investigating" websites like facebook, google, etc. In this case it is not necessary that all the plugin settings and bookmarks stay the same over all the profiles, because I do not visit the same sites from different profiles... Having facebook, google and the like in separate profiles allows me a less restricted cookie and add-block management, because they cannot follow me thru the web. As somebody already said, you can try to use the ff sync. I myself do not use it anymore. Since they changed it, first I have to make an account (thus making my data personally identifiable, at least theoretically) and second, more important, one cannot choose the direction of synchronisation anymore. In my case this lead to the stupid situation, that my old profiles got synced to the new ones... thus bookmarks, settings... etc. were gone (overwritten with the default settings) and had to be restored from the backup. Give it a try, but make sure you save your original profile somewhere else before starting the sync. I really miss the old sync, especially to update my laptop, but it wouldn't work - it almost always overwrites my originals instead of updating the new one, and I haven’t found out, how to tell in which direction it should do it... -- Daniel Bauer photographer Basel Barcelona http://www.daniel-bauer.com room in Barcelona: https://www.airbnb.es/rooms/2416137 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
* Daniel Bauer <linux@daniel-bauer.com> [2015-09-02 03:39]:
I am late in answering but like tu put my thoughts:
Am 30.08.2015 um 06:52 schrieb Philip Amadeo Saeli: ... ...
2. Does anyone know of a way to merge bookmarks from the various profiles in to a single, master bookmark list?
I use different profiles for different purposes and heavily "investigating" websites like facebook, google, etc.
In this case it is not necessary that all the plugin settings and bookmarks stay the same over all the profiles, because I do not visit the same sites from different profiles...
Having facebook, google and the like in separate profiles allows me a less restricted cookie and add-block management, because they cannot follow me thru the web.
As somebody already said, you can try to use the ff sync. I myself do not use it anymore. Since they changed it, first I have to make an account (thus making my data personally identifiable, at least theoretically) and second, more important, one cannot choose the direction of synchronisation anymore.
In my case this lead to the stupid situation, that my old profiles got synced to the new ones... thus bookmarks, settings... etc. were gone (overwritten with the default settings) and had to be restored from the backup. Give it a try, but make sure you save your original profile somewhere else before starting the sync.
I really miss the old sync, especially to update my laptop, but it wouldn't work - it almost always overwrites my originals instead of updating the new one, and I haven’t found out, how to tell in which direction it should do it...
Thanks for that helpful info. I would also find such a two-way sync to be at odds with my desires. I rather like being more in control of things rather than being at the mercy of the whim of the day WRT how things should work. BTW, if anyone knows of any other tool, preferably offline (cmdline or GUI, either would be OK), or self-hosted, that would be most helpful. I did find something some time ago that appeared to be based on the old Firefox sync, but it is no longer compatible with the current Firefox, and didn't appear to be actively maintained. Thanks! --Phil -- Philip Amadeo Saeli psaeli@zorodyne.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org
participants (4)
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Daniel Bauer -
Felix Miata -
James Knott -
Philip Amadeo Saeli