Where has about.config gone?
I just typed about.config into the address bar, and it said it couldn't be found. Where has it gone?
I am visually impaired and can't use another browser such as IE or Chrome because the former is not secure, and the latter isn't accessible to people with low vision.
When setting up colours in Firefox I can't use the browser based preferences, because my colours wouldn't accessible until I've changed them. Catch 22 situation. I therefore have no choice but to go to the browser.preferences.inContent option in about.config, so that I can get the old 'pop-up style' preferences to make my colour changes. That old 'pop-up' preferences window uses my Windows colour scheme, so I can see that without a problem.
I therefore need about.config to allow me to use Firefox.
All Replies (20)
about:config with a Colon : which is on the right of the L key (use with Shift) and not a period .
for aother about: urls that works on the version you have see about:about
Modified by James
My apologies. I realise what I was doing wrong. It's a ':' and not a '.' between the about and config. Problem solved I think.
Okay, scrap my last post. I DO have a problem.
When I went into browser.preferences.inContent, it is showing as 'False', which, as I understand it, IS the correct setting to get the old 'pop-up' window for preferences.
I need the old pop up style window, or I can't make the necessary changes to my colours.
What's going on?
In addition to needing the above solved, I should explain how this all came about.
I just tried to close my Firefox, and rather than just closing, it advised me I was about to close my 18 tabs I had open. I always have my tabs set to restore from the previous session and don't normally get that warning. I've just checked the option (I'm able to use my browser at the moment because my colours are correct at the moment...I will still need the pop up style preferences in the future, so that question remains) on the 'General' page, and it is set to restore my tabs from the previous setting, but I don't want to take that chance if it is warning me that I'm closing 18 tabs, as I absolutely don't want to lose those tabs.
So, in addition to my earlier question about the 'pop up' preferences, I want to ensure that Firefox won't lost my tabs when I close it.
The browser.preferences.inContent is no longer supported in Firefox 42 and later (bug 1140495), so it is not possible to open a standalone window by setting this pref to false. You can reset the pref via the right-click context menu to the default value to have it removed on the next start of Firefox.
You can look at the Classic Theme Restorer extension to open Options/Preferences in a standalone window.
- General UI (1): Open options page (about:preferences) in a window (v2)
If that isn't working or the choice is missing then you might be using a theme that isn't supported. You can check that by switching to the default theme.
Classic Theme Restorer (Customize Australis) {web link} Restore squared tabs, appmenu, add-ons bar, small button view and more on Australis UI (Windows/MacOSX/Linux + Fx 29+).
This will restore many of the things the last upgrades took away.
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2827985 Classic Theme Restorer - Discussion Thread (v2)
cor-el said
1. 'The browser.preferences.inContent is no longer supported in Firefox 42 and later (bug 1140495), so it is not possible to open a standalone window by setting this pref to false.' This I understand...I don't agree with it, because it seemed like a reasonable workaround, but, if someone decided it had to go, then there's little I can do about it. In the absence of a reasonable explanation as to why it had to go, on the face of it, I don't see why it had to be changed. 2. 'You can reset the pref via the right-click context menu to the default value to have it removed on the next start of Firefox.' This doesn't make sense to me. What 'pref'? Are you saying that the 'incontent' true/false line in about:config can be removed? If the option isn't supported anymore, why is it even there, and why am I the one that needs to remove it? Isn't that the point of an update? 3. 'You can look at the Classic Theme Restorer extension to open Options/Preferences in a standalone window.This is gobbledigook to me! What does it mean? Please try to explain in English? What is 'Classic Theme restorer'? Is it an add on? What type of add on is it? Why should I have to get an add on for something that should be available in the standard Firefox? ...and here's the crunch question, if it is an add on, and part of the reason I need the stand alone options window, how can I change the colours in order to view add ons, which is also now in a tab form? Catch 22! You see, if you guys meddle with stuff like removing the 'incontent' line in about:config, you cause major issues. It worked in previous versions, so why meddle with it? If it ain't broke, don't fix it...right? 4. 'If that isn't working or the choice is missing then you might be using a theme that isn't supported.' You can check that by switching to the default theme. I use the default theme. Godforbid if I started using a non standard theme, then things might stop working!
- General UI (1): Open options page (about:preferences) in a window (v2)'
I have given answers embedded within your quoted reply above. I have also added questions.
Whoever it is among the powers that be, that decide to remove various options, or to change 'Options' from standalone windows to tabs, you need to realise what you're playing with. People like me, especially visually impaired people, rely on online banking, online shopping, checking online utility bills, reading the online news, and all because we can't do this in paper form like sighted people can. If you make changes like these, you literally pull the rug out from under my feet...you immediately prevent me from conducting my life. It's that important. I can no longer bank, do my grocery shopping, ensure my bills are paid, or just keep up with the news. I hope you can see the importance of making the changes that you've made, whoever you are that's making these changes.
If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected at http://input.mozilla.org/, where a team of people read it and gather data about the most common issues.
User set prefs that appear bold on the about:config page stay there until reset such a pref because those are stored in the prefs.js file in the Firefox profile folder. This also happens with prefs that are added by an extension and if you uninstall the extension then prefs will stay there to be reused when you would reinstall the extension.
Prefs that allow to revert changes made in Firefox like the incontent pref are usually only available for a short time to allow testing new code and finish the new implementation and will allow to disable such changes quickly in case of problems (bugs). Once the new code works as expected then support for the older version of such a feature is removed because the older code is no longer maintained. It is also possible that the new code uses a different storage format or file in the Firefox profile folder that causes the old code not to work properly.
FredMcD said
Classic Theme Restorer (Customize Australis) {web link} Restore squared tabs, appmenu, add-ons bar, small button view and more on Australis UI (Windows/MacOSX/Linux + Fx 29+). This will restore many of the things the last upgrades took away. http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2827985 Classic Theme Restorer - Discussion Thread (v2)
I appreciate your post, as I know you're all trying to help, but here's the thing...assuming this Classic Theme restorer is an add on, and probably a third party one at that, how long will it be before it's 'no longer supported'? People coming up with add ons to provide workarounds is an extremely fragile basis to provide accessibility. Apple build in accessibility from the ground up. With Windows it's always been a patch up. A little bit of common sense is needed, as I will now demonstrate:
Before I can do anything on my computer, when I first get it, I have to get my colour scheme right...in my case, High Contrast Black. I need assistance to do this. (This assistance isn't needed with IOS or OSX as accessibility options can be switched on out of the box). Once that is done, I then have to continue to set up my computer. I can't have assistance all day long, so then I'm on my own now. I first have to use IE (because at least IE recognises the Windows colour schemes) in order to download Firefox...a bit ironic I grant you, but there's no other way to do it. I then install Firefox...and lo and behold, Firefox does not recognise the Windows colour scheme, at least not for HTML content, ie anthing contained on tabs. This means that tab based options, such as 'add ons' and the 'Options' pages are not accessible to me until the colour options within Firefox are set. I used to be able to go to the address bar, type in about:config and go to the browser.preferences.incontent true/false selection, to activate the standalone options window, but now it seems, as has been pointed out to me, I can't.
I can't go to add ons to install this Classic Theme restorer, because I can't change the colour options in Firefox, and I can't change the colour options in Firefox because I can't use tabs yet, and I can't change the tabs to the standalone window options, because I can't install Classic Theme restorer, because I can't use add ons, and round and round we go...Catch 22.
I hope you can see now, what problems taking away that stand alone window options has caused. In short, Classic theme restorer is not an option until I get the stand alone window options back.
Shall I starve and go broke, be taken to court for non payment of bills, while you guys figure this out? I can no longer bank, do my food shopping, or pay my bills!
FredMcD said
If you want to leave feedback for Firefox developers, you can go to the Firefox Help menu and select Submit Feedback... or use this link. Your feedback gets collected at http://input.mozilla.org/, where a team of people read it and gather data about the most common issues.
How does leaving feedback help, when I need to bank, shop, and pay bills today? You've completely missed my point. See my description I've just posted.
cor-el said
User set prefs that appear bold on the about:config page stay there until reset such a pref because those are stored in the prefs.js file in the Firefox profile folder. This also happens with prefs that are added by an extension and if you uninstall the extension then prefs will stay there to be reused when you would reinstall the extension. Prefs that allow to revert changes made in Firefox like the incontent pref are usually only available for a short time to allow testing new code and finish the new implementation and will allow to disable such changes quickly in case of problems (bugs). Once the new code works as expected then support for the older version of such a feature is removed because the older code is no longer maintained. It is also possible that the new code uses a different storage format or file in the Firefox profile folder that causes the old code not to work properly.
You too have missed my point. Don't make the changes in the first place...or at least replace with like for like. As I've already demonstrated tab based options and add ons pages, are not a like for like replacement for a stand alone window options for all the reasons I've stated.
You can look at the NoSquint extension to set font size (text/page zoom) and text color on web pages.
cor-el said
You can look at the NoSquint extension to set font size (text/page zoom) and text color on web pages.
I have my own magnification software, so don't need a zoom option. When you have magnifcation you don't need to alter text size, as text size is no longer an issue. It's no good being able to change text colour unless you can change the background colour.
All that aside, how do I install an add on, without using the tab based add on page? Yet again I state, I can't use tabs until I've changed Firefox's colour options, as it is there that you can set the background and text colours. Give me a way of using add ons, without using tabs. Give me a way of using the 'Options' page, without using tabs. It's as simple as that.
Logan9Fingers said
cor-el saidYou can look at the NoSquint extension to set font size (text/page zoom) and text color on web pages.I have my own magnification software, so don't need a zoom option. When you have magnifcation you don't need to alter text size, as text size is no longer an issue. It's no good being able to change text colour unless you can change the background colour.
All that aside, how do I install an add on, without using the tab based add on page? Yet again I state, I can't use tabs until I've changed Firefox's colour options, as it is there that you can set the background and text colours. Give me a way of using add ons, without using tabs. Give me a way of using the 'Options' page, without using tabs. It's as simple as that.
It's the background colour that renders Firefox unusable to me. If the background colour doesn't correspond to the Windows Colour scheme, High Contrast Black, then I'm stuffed. This can only be changed in the colour settings in Firefox's Options, which I can't get to, because they're now on tab based HTML page. I sincerely hope you can see my problem, and that 'leaving feedback' doesn't help me right now.
It is with the background colors and text colors where NoSquint comes in. You can disable website colors in Firefox (either always or when a High Contrast theme is detected), but that disables background images and that may make it difficult to find elements (buttons) that consist solely of an image. An inverted High Contrast theme may even cause more problems in case the website assumes a white background color and doesn't specify a background color. A dedicated extension like NoSquint will likely perform better in this aspect.
cor-el said
It is with the background colors and text colors where NoSquint comes in. You can disable website colors in Firefox (either always or when a High Contrast theme is detected), but that disables background images and that may make it difficult to find elements (buttons) that consist solely of an image. An inverted High Contrast theme may even cause more problems in case the website assumes a white background color and doesn't specify a background color. A dedicated extension like NoSquint will likely perform better in this aspect.
This is an interesting conversation, and I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you're going to in order to help me. For the first time someone has given an explanation as to why some buttons do not appear under High Contrast Black. I really would like to understand these 'image' buttons, so I can better fight website developers, to have them stopped. Unlike sighted people, I don't have a choice over using an 'inverted' high contrast scheme. Many sight conditions have a particular problem with glare, hence the crucial role inverting to a black background plays. High Contrast Black is therefore a popular theme among low vision users, and many of those users will have no idea why they can't see buttons that are invisible under this scheme. The reason NoSquint extension is not the answer, is that I don't spend all my time in an internet browser. I need that colour inversion to find my way around my computer. NoSquint will not help with my computer. I have tried using High Contrast White, and using Zoomtext (screen magnifier) to invert, but that has the problem of inverting everything, including pictures and other images. At least with High Contrast Black, the inversion is limited to just Window backgrounds, and not everything else.
The other problem with NoSquint, as I've said many times during this thread, is that, presumably, it can only be added via the Add On tab...right? So, right there, I can't install it, because until the colours are right, I can't enter the HTML environment.
Let's look at this from another angle. Is it possible to apply an extension from a file, without even going into Firefox's Add On tab?
Secondly, once I have Firefox set up in the way I like it, is it possible to save those settings, specifically the advanced colour options, such as the text and background colours for unvisited and visited links,, among other settings, as a file, so that, if were to do a fresh install of Firefox, I could simply put that file into the Firefox directory on my hard drive, and avoid having to go into the 'Options' tab? Then, the first time I open Firefox, all my colours would be in place?
While we're at this, aside from using the setting 'use tabs and windows from previous sessions', is there a way of saving your current array of opened tabs,, including those you have chosen to pin, so that if I accidentally close my main Firefox window, not realising I had another Firefox window open, I don't lose all the tabs I had opened in my main Firefox window that I closed first?
These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox
FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backups of files that you choose.
OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences
FredMcD said
These add-ons can be a great help by backing up and restoring Firefox FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) {web link} FEBE allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions, history, passwords, and more. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your saved files individually into installable .xpi files. It will also make backups of files that you choose. OPIE {web link} Import/Export extension preferences
Thank you for your help...but I don't see the relevance to my query. I am asking about the advanced colour settings in Options. Can they be exported and imported, without using the Firefox tabs? What is an .xpi file? When you talk about saving files I choose, what files are you talking about? You talk about 'extensions' as if I'm supposed to know what they actually are...I could take a guess that they are a way of controlling specific preferences in Firefox, that might not be included in the Options area, but as far as I can see these are applied within the Add On area, which can only be accessed via the HTML based tabs, so, if I can't use tabs, I can't use extensions...right?
I have asked direct questions in layman's English. Why don't you guys answer in the same way?
What is an .xpi file This is a zip file that contains the add-on program.
Can they be exported and imported, without using the Firefox tabs Febe will do all that for you.
You talk about 'extensions' as if I'm supposed to know what they actually are Sorry about that.
Extensions are Add-ons you install into Firefox. Plugins are from programs that Firefox finds already on your system.
When you talk about saving files I choose, what files are you talking about? Everything is stored in files in the Firefox folders. You can select to save everything in your profile, or a selected number.