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How can I control the number of bookmarks shown when I click on the bookmarks button?

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I have "too many" bookmarks. I can move bookmarks into folders, so that related bookmarks can all be stored together - GREAT! BUT - when I am done moving bookmarks to those folders, what I want to have happen is that when I push the bookmarks button, I want all bookmarks moved to folders to STOP appearing in the bookmarks list unless I specifically ask for the contents of that folder. Even ancient Internet Explorer allowed the user to place Favorites in folders, so that when you asked for Favorites, you didn't see EVERY favorite listed - just the Favorites that were not in folders, and then folder icons which would allow you to see all of the Favorites belonging in that folder.

I have "too many" bookmarks. I can move bookmarks into folders, so that related bookmarks can all be stored together - GREAT! BUT - when I am done moving bookmarks to those folders, what I want to have happen is that when I push the bookmarks button, I want all bookmarks moved to folders to STOP appearing in the bookmarks list unless I specifically ask for the contents of that folder. Even ancient Internet Explorer allowed the user to place Favorites in folders, so that when you asked for Favorites, you didn't see EVERY favorite listed - just the Favorites that were not in folders, and then folder icons which would allow you to see all of the Favorites belonging in that folder.

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Hi pt99, maybe there's a better button for you.

The optional bookmarks menu button () should show a more familiar view than the Library button/menu that shows a chronological list of recent bookmarks. To add that button, either:

(A) Use the Customize panel (Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars) to drag the icon to the desired spot on the toolbar

(B) Use the method from Bookmarks in Firefox - section entitled: How do I add the Bookmarks Menu button to the toolbar?

  • Click the "Library" button:
  • Click "Bookmarks"
  • Click "Bookmarking Tools"
  • Click "Add Bookmarks Menu to Toolbar"
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OK - I see that the use of the bookmarks button doesn't show ALL bookmarks; but it still creates a confusing presentation of bookmarks. Internet Explorer, for all of its faults, does the job better. You click on the Favorites button, and a list of favorites comes up - but it's not every favorite. You can arrange folders in that list - folders to which you have moved, not copied, favorites that are all in a similar category. It seems as if Firefox says that either you can see ALL bookmarks, or you can see SOME bookmarks, but you have to drill down to find more of them wherever they are buried. And I want bookmarks to be source-agnostic - that is, was the bookmark created in Firefox, or was it imported from another browser? I don't care.

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Which bookmarks button does what for you?

The optional Bookmarks Menu toolbar button that I mentioned in my earlier reply mirrors the classic Bookmarks menu on the optional top menu bar. This is a strict hierarchy based on folders. The Bookmarks Sidebar (Ctrl+b) is similar.

The Library toolbar button has a Bookmarks sub-menu which shows Recently Added bookmarks in reverse date order. This is generated by a search across all folders and does not indicate the original organization.

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This afternoon I started with the Library's show all bookmarks, which, of course, produces a long list that is too busy. Then I used the bookmark button, which brings up a hierarchy of selections that permit me to drill down to different submenus, which appear to be 'random', to find bookmarks. This is too much work. What I want is that I push a bookmark button, a menu comes up with either my favorite bookmarks right there, or by clicking on a folder button, I see bookmarks that I placed in that folder. This navigating to find a bookmark that might be 'recent' or might be 'imported' or might be 'Mozilla' is for the birds. I am also used to being able to organize the order of bookmarks in a folder merely by re-positioning a bookmark anywhere in the folder that I want to, not necessarily because it was 'recent' or because the folder was alpha-sorted. I think that Firefox needs an upgrade in bookmark friendliness.

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pt99 said

This afternoon I started with the Library's show all bookmarks, which, of course, produces a long list that is too busy. Then I used the bookmark button, which brings up a hierarchy of selections that permit me to drill down to different submenus, which appear to be 'random', to find bookmarks.

Firefox comes with a handful of bookmarks and folders, and everything else should be things you added and folders you created. If you see randomness, that's hard to explain. Did you import data from a different browser?

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Perhaps it would be helpful if I mention this:

When you use Show All Bookmarks to call up the Library window, you'll notice Firefox has 3 distinct categories of bookmarks in the left column:

  • Toolbar => these appear on the optional Bookmarks Toolbar
  • Menu => these appear on the Bookmarks Menu
  • Other => these appear in a fly-out list on the Bookmarks Menu

The long list is Other. You can move those to folders on the Menu so they are easier to access from the Bookmarks Menu button.

To control where new bookmarks are saved in the future, make sure the editor drop-down appears when you create a new bookmark. While you are on a bookmarked page, and the star in the address bar is blue, click the star and make sure there's a checkmark for the "Show editor when saving" box.

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You can create folders on the Bookmarks Toolbar to have them available for quick and easy access.
You can drag a tab to a folder on this toolbar and release the tab in the position where you want it to appear.

You can click the highlighted star or open its properties via the right-click context menu if you want to edit the title.