Since many of my readers use Firefox I thought it would be a good idea to post these up here. Hidden functionality works differently on Firefox. It doesn’t use the normal preference files. It uses a separate file stored within the application itself.
In a new Firefox tab type in the address bar about:config. Click past the warning message. To insert a new variable and access the hidden settings you have to type the string in the search bar at the top of the page. From there you can right click on the setting and select modify or double click the setting.You have to restart your browser to access the new settings or open a new window.
1) browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll
Every time you click on the address bar it normally selects the address. Changing this setting from true to false will stop this.
2) browser.tabs.closeButtons
This will change where the close button is positioned. 0 = Currently opened tab. 1 = All tabs (default). 2 = Remove close buttons. 3 = Far right of the tab bar.
3) browser.search.openintab
This will force any new search using the search box in the top left to open in a new window. Very useful.
4) browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
This will change the amount of result that appear in you search bar. I recommend a large number although it does produce the scrolll bar. Default is 12.
5) browser.fixup.alternate.suffix
If you are from a country that doesn’t have many “.com” domains you can change the automatic suffix to your own country code. For example you could change it from .com to .jp if you are from Japan. This might be taken into consideration though if you use a none English browser.
6) browser.tabs.loadFolderAndReplace
If you open a whole folder or of bookmarks it will replace every setting. If you change this to false it will only replace the one you are in and the bookmarks after it.
7) accessibility.typeaheadfind.casesensitive
Changing this to 1 will make the search case sensitive. Not really hidden since you can change this from the search bar.
8) browser.tabs.tabMinWidth
This will change the minimum width of a tab. The small value you go the smaller the tab, the larger the value the larger the tab. Useful if you have hundreds of tabs open and you want to see more on screen.
9) browser.chrome.toolbar_tips
If you change this to false it will disable the yellow box that is present when you hover over a bookmark in the bookmarks bar.
10) layout.spellcheckDefault
This should be enabled by default. If you change the value to 2 it will spell check every search box not just large text boxes.
11) general.smoothScroll
Enabling this option to true will show make the page smooth scroll. For some reason you have to enable it here an not in the preference pane.
12) View an easter egg.
If you type about:robots into the address about you get a page dedicated to robots. I for one welcome out new robot overlords.
You can also view text from the book of mozilla if you type about:mozilla. The text reads as follows.
Mammon slept. And the beast reborn spread over the earth and its numbers grew legion. And they proclaimed the times and sacrificed crops unto the fire, with the cunning of foxes. And they built a new world in their own image as promised by the sacred words, and spoke of the beast with their children. Mammon awoke, and lo! it was naught but a follower.
From The Book of Mozilla, 11:9
(10th Edition)
There are hundreds of little tips and tricks you can do in Firefox. If you have anymore please leave a comment below.
Showing posts with label Hidden Firefox Settings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hidden Firefox Settings. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Hidden Firefox Settings
With the Firefox Download Day almost over, there is likely to be a whole load of new Firefox users as of today.
Even if you are a regular Firefox user, you still may not know about the advanced configuration options. To get these options, type about:config into the Firefox address bar. Once you hit return, you get a warning because modifying these preferences can (in rare circumstances) cause strange behaviour.
large firefox
Clicking "I'll be careful, I promise!" brings up a huge list of preferences, most of which aren't accessible from the normal Preferences dialog. As the list is so long, the best way to find things in it is to start typing the name of the preference into the "Filter" box at the top. Once you have found the one you want, double-clicking it allows you to change it. Here's a list of my top 12 hidden Firefox preferences. All of them work in Firefox 3, but only some work in Firefox 2.
1. browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll
The default behaviour, true, means that when you click the address bar, it automaticall selects all. Changing this to false stops this, and just inserts the cursor where you clicked.
2. browser.tabs.closeButtons
By default, Firefox displays a close button on every tab. Setting this preference to 0 will only display a close button on the currently open tab. Setting it to 3 will move the close button to the far right end of the tab bar, and setting it to 2 will get rid of all close buttons.
3. browser.search.openintab
Double-clicking this will set it to true. This makes searches from the box in the top right open in a new tab rather than the current one.
4. browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
Determines the maximum number of results that drop down from the URL bar when you start typing. Default is 12.
5. browser.fixup.alternate.suffix
Allows you to change the suffix that is automatically added when you don't specify one. For example you might want to change this to .co.uk so you will be directed here if you only type www.macosxtips.
6. browser.tabs.loadFolderAndReplace
If you open a whole folder of bookmarks at once using "Open All in Tabs", they replace all of your open tabs. Setting this preference to false will cause the new tabs to only replace the current tab and add in the rest after it.
7. accessibility.typeaheadfind.casesensitive
Setting to 1 Makes the Find function (Command-F) case sensitive.
8. ui.click_hold_context_menus
Set this to true to enable the click-and-hold way to open contextual menus.
9. browser.tabs.tabMinWidth
If you open lots of tabs in Firefox, they shrink down so they all fit across the screen. After a certain limit, your tabs don't get any smaller and you have to scroll to the left and right to view other tabs. This preference allows you to set the minimum width. Default is 100, lower values will give smaller tabs.
10. browser.chrome.toolbar_tips
Setting this to false disables the yellow tooltips that appear when you mouse over the bookmarks bar.
11. layout.spellcheckDefault
Changing this value to 2 makes the spell checker work in all text boxes, not just the large text fields.
12. browser.backspace_action
This changes the behaviour of the backspace key. setting it to 1 makes the backspace key scroll up a page in the current window. Shift-Backspace will scroll down. 2 to make the backspace key do nothing. Except delete when text is selected, of course. Changing to 0 will change back to the default behaviour of going back a page.
Of course there are hundreds more hidden settings in this list, including ones for extensions you have installed. If you know any more, add them in the comments.
Even if you are a regular Firefox user, you still may not know about the advanced configuration options. To get these options, type about:config into the Firefox address bar. Once you hit return, you get a warning because modifying these preferences can (in rare circumstances) cause strange behaviour.
large firefox
Clicking "I'll be careful, I promise!" brings up a huge list of preferences, most of which aren't accessible from the normal Preferences dialog. As the list is so long, the best way to find things in it is to start typing the name of the preference into the "Filter" box at the top. Once you have found the one you want, double-clicking it allows you to change it. Here's a list of my top 12 hidden Firefox preferences. All of them work in Firefox 3, but only some work in Firefox 2.
1. browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll
The default behaviour, true, means that when you click the address bar, it automaticall selects all. Changing this to false stops this, and just inserts the cursor where you clicked.
2. browser.tabs.closeButtons
By default, Firefox displays a close button on every tab. Setting this preference to 0 will only display a close button on the currently open tab. Setting it to 3 will move the close button to the far right end of the tab bar, and setting it to 2 will get rid of all close buttons.
3. browser.search.openintab
Double-clicking this will set it to true. This makes searches from the box in the top right open in a new tab rather than the current one.
4. browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
Determines the maximum number of results that drop down from the URL bar when you start typing. Default is 12.
5. browser.fixup.alternate.suffix
Allows you to change the suffix that is automatically added when you don't specify one. For example you might want to change this to .co.uk so you will be directed here if you only type www.macosxtips.
6. browser.tabs.loadFolderAndReplace
If you open a whole folder of bookmarks at once using "Open All in Tabs", they replace all of your open tabs. Setting this preference to false will cause the new tabs to only replace the current tab and add in the rest after it.
7. accessibility.typeaheadfind.casesensitive
Setting to 1 Makes the Find function (Command-F) case sensitive.
8. ui.click_hold_context_menus
Set this to true to enable the click-and-hold way to open contextual menus.
9. browser.tabs.tabMinWidth
If you open lots of tabs in Firefox, they shrink down so they all fit across the screen. After a certain limit, your tabs don't get any smaller and you have to scroll to the left and right to view other tabs. This preference allows you to set the minimum width. Default is 100, lower values will give smaller tabs.
10. browser.chrome.toolbar_tips
Setting this to false disables the yellow tooltips that appear when you mouse over the bookmarks bar.
11. layout.spellcheckDefault
Changing this value to 2 makes the spell checker work in all text boxes, not just the large text fields.
12. browser.backspace_action
This changes the behaviour of the backspace key. setting it to 1 makes the backspace key scroll up a page in the current window. Shift-Backspace will scroll down. 2 to make the backspace key do nothing. Except delete when text is selected, of course. Changing to 0 will change back to the default behaviour of going back a page.
Of course there are hundreds more hidden settings in this list, including ones for extensions you have installed. If you know any more, add them in the comments.
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