You might find something useful here; Go to the Mozilla Add-ons Web Page {web link} (There’s a lot of good stuff here) and search for what you want.

So let me get this straight: Is Firefox incapable of sorting everything alphabetically? If so, how could this possibly occur? Why is this difficult? And who in their right mind would ever want bookmarks thrown into a blender after creating them? Is the word "order" not in the designer's vocabulary these days? You highlight Bookmarks Menu and do either of 2 things: Right click it, Sort By Name Click Views on the top, Sort, Sort by Name. You would think that that would be it. Everything from now on in the Bookmarks Menu would be hereby sorted alphabetically. But you would be sorely mistaken. Little did you know you would have to continually do the same thing with EVERY SINGLE FOLDER YOU CREATE IN THE FUTURE because this task is just too much for Firefox.

How can designers make such a great piece of software then do this? How is this humanly possible? What other bizarre design decisions have they made?

Why can't their software work as well as this forum?

Did you look for an add-on that does 'sort' as you would like it done? As advised by Fred two weeks ago.

'Sort' for "Places" bookmarks works as intended by the developers [at the time it was created for Firefox 3.0 in 2007] - you just need to learn how it works. And if you don't like how it works, find and install an extension that does 'sort' how you think it should work.

Question about add-ons: When I search for them by keyword I wonder why the 1st one is at the top. Is it the most popular or most highly rated? Its not alphabetical (wouldn't that be ironic if it was....but in this case not very useful!) so how do they sort? Sometimes you can have hundreds of choices. How can you possibly know what is best for you?

Primarily an alpha sort based upon the chosen name of each extension, although the supplied 'keywords' do have an effect on the search results.

I just did a quick search for you. This extension looks like the closest to a "full sort" of bookmarks AND bookmark folders - but I haven't tried this extension myself. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/simplesort-bookmarks/ I prefer the default "sort" order done via the bookmarks sidebar for only part of my collection of bookmarks; the 'highest' group of bookmarks I keep in a manual "most used" order. And I keep the 'highest' group separated from the 'lower' group that does get an alpha sort with a "Separator" which limits what gets "alpha-sorted" based upon where the 'sort' is done.

Baffling that this simple matter is an issue. Alpha sorting of bookmarks and bookmark folders should be the default setting without an add on. I have been using Firefox for years, and periodically must search for a new add on that works with the current version of Firefox. Pathetic.

Perhaps the Firefox team just wants to focus on the core functions of the browser letting others do the rest. It does make sense. Of course you'd think alphabetical sorting would be built in but they must have their reasons. We're used to big companies coddling us. With companies like Mozilla who hopefully aren't ruled by the bottom dollar, this doesn't happen so Add-Ons are far more necessary to get things working the way we want. It also encourages a more hands on, customizing and connected attitude for the user which is also very healthy and productive. Our browsers connect us to the world: Their efficiency is crucial to our way of learning and production now.

What I'd like to know is how much technical expertise you need to make a simple Add-On or Extension for a modern browser? There are tons of things I'd like to implement that aren't available. Maybe crowdfunding would help finance these projects if they are deemed useful by the masses.

knotafool said

Baffling that this simple matter is an issue. Alpha sorting of bookmarks and bookmark folders should be the default setting without an add on. I have been using Firefox for years, and periodically must search for a new add on that works with the current version of Firefox. Pathetic.

You're complaining to other Firefox users here about a feature than has been like that for 9 years! And far as "sort" it hasn't changed much, if at all since Firefox 3.0 came out. I absolutely hated Places for a long time and avoided updating beyond Firefox 2.0 until Firefox 3.5 was released. By then I had "sucked it up like a big boy" and adapted to the "new default" way of doing things.

Yes, extensions get abandoned for a variety of reasons, and sometimes users need to find a replacement for those abandoned extensions. That's life in general - things changes and people have to adapt.

You think it should be the default. The people who created the Places system thought otherwise, and since they "do the heavy lifting" it is the way it is. But at least with Firefox extensions are available to change

Personally, I used to the way it works after 9 years and I don't use any extensions for bookmarks now-a-days. It allows me to alpha-sort the bookmarks that I use infrequently and do a "manual-sort" for those I use frequently. And by using a "Separator" I can separate areas that I don't want alpha-sorted and others that do an alpha-sort.

As far as learning add-on development here's the place to start: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons

But now is not the time to start with anything except for WebExtensions. Many changes coming to Firefox the rest of 2016 and into 2017. WebExtensions isn't actually in the current Firefox 47 release, but it is in development for 48, 49, and 50. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions

I have been using Firefox for 15 years? Hard to figure. I test drove the Lisa when one of my buddies at UC Santa Cruz got a gig as a consultant for Apple. Was that 1980 or 1981? I'm an old dude. I enjoyed the invention of the mouse and the emergence of the object oriented user interface. But for me function is way more important than form when it comes to tools like computers. I have had add-ons over the years that would sort the bookmarks. Then the software gets updated and the add-on ceases to function. I've got a ton of folders and sub folders. Too many interests and responsibilities I guess. I get frustrated when bugs and other software inadequacies are made known and not fixed. The graphic interface and ability to use the computer to buy things seems to take a priority over function. Maybe all the big changes coming to Firefox are in response to the needs and requests of the Users? Alpha sorting bookmarks has been requested for years. I wonder how changes are prioritized. Hopefully security is the top priority. I guess if I was a "True Believer" I wouldn't dare question the Developers. It doesn't do any good anyhow, so I'll stop whining/making suggestions. Cheers!

Readers of this thread may be interested in John99 said

It may be worth noting that although sort by name is a one time function if you cut and paste the sorted content to another location for example a new folder that then stays in that order.

it is easy to search so maybe it is considered unnecessary to sort the bookmarks library by alpha order.

As you like keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+L will move focus onto the address bar, and you may then do searches including control characters: an asterisk and a space, prior to the search will limit the search to bookmarks

• Keyboard shortcuts - Perform common Firefox tasks quickly
• Address bar autocomplete suggestions in Firefox_changing-results-on-the-fly

You may also add tags and again it is easy to search for bookmarks by specific tag or only tagged bookmarks

• Bookmark Tags - Categorize bookmarks to make them easy to find