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Tab background color changes when saving or downloading (Ubuntu) - bug ?

  • 2 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by sambody

sambody
sambody
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I'm using Firefox 20.0 on Linux Ubuntu. When I'm opening and using Firefox, the active tab background is light gray, and the other tabs are black (with white/gray text). But as soon as I have downloaded a file (saving an image for example, or a pdf), the tabs change color: the non active tabs turn gray instead of black, and the tab text is almost unreadable (gray on gray).

I have disabled ALL extensions (including the Ubuntu/Unity extensions) and restarted Firefox, and get the same result. See screenshot with before/after downloading: http://imagesup.net/?di=113687926169

On the other hand, when I start Firefox in safe mode, all is well, the tabs don't change color when downloading or saving a file.

What to do? Could this be a bug ?

I'm using Firefox 20.0 on Linux Ubuntu. When I'm opening and using Firefox, the active tab background is light gray, and the other tabs are black (with white/gray text). But as soon as I have downloaded a file (saving an image for example, or a pdf), the tabs change color: the non active tabs turn gray instead of black, and the tab text is almost unreadable (gray on gray). I have disabled ALL extensions (including the Ubuntu/Unity extensions) and restarted Firefox, and get the same result. See screenshot with before/after downloading: http://imagesup.net/?di=113687926169 On the other hand, when I start Firefox in safe mode, all is well, the tabs don't change color when downloading or saving a file. What to do? Could this be a bug ?

Chosen solution

Hey, I'm on Ubuntu, too.

It seems like you don't use Ubuntu's default theme, or at least, you have some modifications there, right? Try disabling your customizations to see if it works, I never saw / heard of this problem anywhere.

Also update your Firefox, there are changes that your problem is fixed after updating.

Another suggestion would be hacking about:config, for example, it might be the Download Manager's arrow flashing ( just guessing ), so you might want to disable that and see if something changes.

search 'browser.download.manager' in about:config and play with those configs to see if anything changes.

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All Replies (2)

Mahdi Dibaiee
Mahdi Dibaiee
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Chosen Solution

Hey, I'm on Ubuntu, too.

It seems like you don't use Ubuntu's default theme, or at least, you have some modifications there, right? Try disabling your customizations to see if it works, I never saw / heard of this problem anywhere.

Also update your Firefox, there are changes that your problem is fixed after updating.

Another suggestion would be hacking about:config, for example, it might be the Download Manager's arrow flashing ( just guessing ), so you might want to disable that and see if something changes.

search 'browser.download.manager' in about:config and play with those configs to see if anything changes.

sambody
sambody Question owner
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I've been trying out some of your suggestions.

I noticed that it had to do with the Ambiance theme that I used - changing it to a different theme (using Ubuntu Tweak) solved the problem - but I like the Ambiance dark background better.

The solution was this: in auto:config, set browser.download.useToolkitUI to true ( which gives the classic download window). The tab color change disappeared - problem solved, still using the Ambiance theme.

Thanks for your hints.

Modified by sambody