Can Firefox Sync be limited to Syncing in only ONE direction?, ie, from WORK to HOME ONLY?
Comparing features of an older product, X-Marks, to its newer cousin, Firefox SYNC. I would prefer to use SYNC, which is newer than X-Marks and built into Firefox (removing the need to install X-Marks on a WORK computer). But If I understand the operation of SYNC correctly, it copies EVERYTHING to BOTH computers. I ONLY want to copy bookmarks on the WORK computer to my HOME computer, and NOT the other direction. If SYNC does NOT allow this level of control, would it be possible to use POCKET on the WORK computer to transfer pages I want bookmarked at HOME to the HOME computer, and to do the bookmarking at HOME, as the POCKET is emptied???
PS I DO have permission to use the work computer for family research during down time and breaks. I just don't need any personal bookmarks installed on the company machine. I DO, however, need a SAFE method to send the results of my research (links to Census pages) to my HOME machine. I also need the ability to send links to my HOME computer when doing research at public libraries. This is a laborious process, and I DO need to document every source used to prove my ancestry.
Chosen solution
John99, Because I do NOT own any portable devices, do NOT like webmail, and collect up to 50-60 new sources per day, I need to quickly transfer ORIGINAL pages AND their URLS to my HOME computer 1) for entry into my family tree AND 2) to document the SOURCES the data came from. Pocket fills that need better than ANY bookmark program. After creating an account, I login to Pocket wherever I am, save links to Pocket, then logout. Go home, login again, and there they are! In addition to the original URL, Pocket creates a reformatted copy on its server which isn't of any use to me. But since it offers an option to open the ORIGINAL URL from a NEW machine, I now have what I wanted - a way to QUICKLY transfer DATA AND URLS from one computer to another WITHOUT WEBMAIL or USB thumb drives. Once the ORIGINAL URLS are open on my HOME computer, they can be 1) bookmarked for safekeeping, 2) keyed into my family tree, and then 3) deleted from Pocket!
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Firefox sync matches everything on all systems. Add or remove something, and the same happens on all systems in the sync.
Short Answer no Firefox Sync will not do that. However it should be easy to transfer the information.
Are you able to use memory sticks on your Office and Library computers ? Some places may worry about security and malware and have policies to prevent that.
If you can use a memory stick then you can save whatever you want. Simple word processing software will create files with addresses or bookmarks that are clickable links. Another method to consider may be putting the links in an email if you are allowed to use email. With webmail you do not even need to send the emails, just draft them out and if you are allowed access to them on the Library and office again you have clickable links. Yet another method export the office bookmarks form Firefox as HTML copy or transfer that file by whatever means to the home computer. Either import the bookmarks in to Firefox, or maybe just open the file (Keyboard shortcut Ctrl+O ) in Firefox Firefox will display a tab with a scrollable list of clickable links.
FredMcD said
Firefox sync matches everything on all systems. Add or remove something, and the same happens on all systems in the sync.
So SYNC is definitely NOT gonna do what I need (a one way transfer).
I've already tried exporting links as HTML files. the problem is too many links end up in the files that I do not need. it's more work to find the ones I need than I have time for. I tend to locate 50-60 new links per day and all i need is to transfer the NEWEST links. Ditto for sending by email. More hassle than I have time for. I'm going to try using the pocket to transfer only the newest links to my home computer. Thanks.
This is a way to take everything with you;
Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition {web link} A fully functional package of Firefox optimized for use on a USB key drive. A specialized launcher will allow most favorite extensions to work as you switch computers.
FredMcD said
This is a way to take everything with you; Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition {web link} A fully functional package of Firefox optimized for use on a USB key drive. A specialized launcher will allow most favorite extensions to work as you switch computers.
Yes, that is one way it could be done. But not the easiest. Most machines I am using already have the latest Firefox (with Pocket) installed, and are much faster than loading a portable app from a USB key drive. If Pocket works as I think it does, and I setup a Pocket Account, I should be able to login to Pocket on machines I don't own, search my ancestry web sites, add the found results to the Pocket, logout of Pocket, go home, login again from my home computer, and bookmark the results saved to Pocket on my own machine. Clear the pages out of Pocket, and start over again. Quicker and more elegant than repeatedly importing thousands of bookmarks I already have, then trying to cull duplicates. No USB drive required, and doesn't leave clutter all over the systems I did my research on. As long as Pocket sends me the ORIGINAL URL (not the URL of a temporary copy) this will do what I need. However, IF Pocket doesn't send me the ORIGINAL URLS, then this idea won't work at all. So... can any current Pocket users confirm that it DOES or DOES NOT send original URLS?
You will have to choose what is best for you.
Not too sure about how Pocket works, originally it did save info on your own machine, now it is cloud based. If you open a new question thread about Pocket I am sure someone who uses and understands it will give you a full explanation.
I would have thought it is nearly as quick to paste a link in to an open document or webmail page as it is to save a bookmark. And that will be much quicker than bookmarking then editing a large exported HTML document. It also avoids possible security or privacy concerns if exporting work bookmarks outside a work environment.
Modified by John99
Chosen Solution
John99, Because I do NOT own any portable devices, do NOT like webmail, and collect up to 50-60 new sources per day, I need to quickly transfer ORIGINAL pages AND their URLS to my HOME computer 1) for entry into my family tree AND 2) to document the SOURCES the data came from. Pocket fills that need better than ANY bookmark program. After creating an account, I login to Pocket wherever I am, save links to Pocket, then logout. Go home, login again, and there they are! In addition to the original URL, Pocket creates a reformatted copy on its server which isn't of any use to me. But since it offers an option to open the ORIGINAL URL from a NEW machine, I now have what I wanted - a way to QUICKLY transfer DATA AND URLS from one computer to another WITHOUT WEBMAIL or USB thumb drives. Once the ORIGINAL URLS are open on my HOME computer, they can be 1) bookmarked for safekeeping, 2) keyed into my family tree, and then 3) deleted from Pocket!
Modified by Genealogist