Firefox can't open its own .json HISTORY files (from Firefox pulldown menu) which I saved for specifically for that purpose.
Firefox can't open its own .json HISTORY files (from Firefox pulldown menu) which I saved for specifically for that purpose. How ridiculous to maintain a so called method of 'saving' files of which the creator's suite (Mozilla/Firefox) can not open within their own site. Saving in HTML like one of the bookmarks options for saving, could at least be recovered. BUT .json----NO WAY, NO HOW, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO...
A quite deceptive, unreliable, and consequently,fully security disruptive & unobtainable falsehood of "helping aids". Everyone online complains of the same problem fiasco!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INCIDENTALLY, I WOULD HAVE UPLOADED A FILE FOR YOU BUT OF THE SUPPORTED TYPES, JSON WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. TOOOOOOO BAD, WHAT A CROCK
All Replies (3)
JSON files from Firefox aren't intended to be "read" from within Firefox or opened by Firefox for viewing. The JSON files in Firefox are used for storage of some types of data and for bookmarks backup. No "history" file in JSON format.
Browsing history is stored in the places.sqlite file, along with downloads history and bookmarks.
As far as the bookmarksbackup.json files, those are intended to be restored into Firefox. And if Firefox says it can't restore a JSON bookmarks backup file something is corrupt; either the JSON bookmarksbackup file or the intended restore target - places.sqlite.
Yes, an exported bookmarks.html file is a lot more flexible as to how it can be used; import into just about any wen browser ever made and it can be viewed in any web browser as an HTML file, but that format has size limitations and also has speed issues with rendering when the HTML gets large. Worked fine 10 years ago when Firefox used HTML as primary storage for bookmarks data, but the SQLite format is better in almost every situation beyond being user editable and able to be viewed like a web page.
If you could explain what you are trying to do with "history" maybe we'll have a solution for you.
Hello,
My purpose is simplistic. I will NEVER bookmark EVERY web site I visit. Nonetheless, I may remember coming across a site a four or so months ago and desire to revisit it. Thus, HISTORY will have its designed purpose as a tracking locator. Does no one else ever want for this??? (or am I the only one). So I would have gone simply to HISTORY, Import & Backup tab, and choose backup. Here the only choice is json. It is sent to my USB flash drive (certainly, NO corruption issue).
And after that------- when wanting to revisit I discover no more web site history do I have saved that is recognizable by any means{not even the designers, Mozilla}… All for naught
Why have something totally worthless and deceptive available as a means of locating sites?
Note that there are two kinds of JSON backups. The automatically created backups are compressed and have a .jsonlz4 file extension. Manually created JSON backups are plain text files and have a .json file extension. HTML backups are also plain text files and need to be imported and merge bookmarks. Restoring a JSON backup always replaces all the bookmarks.
If there is a problem with restoring a backup then either there is a problem with the file or the places.sqlite database file is corrupted.
You can check for problems with the places.sqlite database (bookmarks and history) in the Firefox profile folder.
- use "Verify Integrity" on the "Help -> Troubleshooting Information" (about:support) page
See also: