Resolved Firefox userchrome, user edit and js locations are empty in Win 7 x64

Everything is a struggle when setting up a new operating system.

I installed a fresh Firefox 30 hoping to restore the data normally found when Chrome Edit is opened. The specific task is to turn off those maddening throbbers that display when a tab is opened. I have the command for that which I should tattoo on my arm.

But Windows 7 x64 repeatedly displays an empty box where the userChrome information is. Likewise for user Edit and JS.

Someplace it said the locations have changed for this. But this is a fresh install.

How can I get Chrome edit to address userChrome to edit (add the line that gets rid of throbbers)?

Worst case would be to try to transfer the folder info (if that's what it is) from my Firefox that has the userChrome etc. available.


This is a total mystery.

 

Try C:\Documents and Settings\YourUsername\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\

Your profile will have a .default extension (randomstring dot default)

Within your profile, the chrome folder may only have userChrome-example.css and userContent-example.css in it

If you can't find it, search for userChrome-example.css


See if this will help:

http://kb.mozillazine.org/index.php?title=UserChrome.css

http://kb.mozillazine.org/User.js_file

 

The above should work since css etc. etc is a text file than can be moved between profiles. If I can locate the right file paths with the help above I should be able to modify the new empty user css.

What I don't get is I have never _not_ seen the default text in user css when using the command to get rid of throbbers (my only action). One thing I think I did in setup was to set Firefox back to zero state for a reason I forgot.
Would that empty out the profile? If so, I used Mozbackup to put my bookmarks back on the new installation but user css was empty.

I will look at the options for Moz backup to see if there is a way to get more
of the profile than the Mozbackup 'default' settings which is all I use.

Will let you know of my progress.

 

I have searched for the userChrome-example here on my fully functioning older
setup fo Firefox. The screen presents about 5 things with that name-- one in a temp folder and a couple other places.

Can a main folder with the profile info simply be dropped into the other installation?

If not which exact userChrome-example is to be transferred?

Right now I am going to see if I can find the same location on the target installation of Firefox in Win7 x64....

....On the Win 7 x64 there are a number of changes in folder naming conventions.

Application Data is ProgramData and it had to be 'unlocked' using 'elevated level' administrator privileges-- ie: "run as administrator' in the box dialog to do so.

The Program files are in two places: Program Files and Program (x86).
Firefox was installed in the Programs (x86). But a search for profiles yielded nothing. In Win 7 x64 the search term for userChrome-example.css gives no information-- a blank box.

Again, Win 7 is several years old. Why can't a fresh Firefox be installed? If I use something like RevoUninstaller to clean it out, will that allow any previous .default info to be eliminated and the usual 'example' data to be part of the install procedure? What prevents a clean install directly from Firefox?

As an aside, I have experimented with using Cyberfox-- a variant-- as well.
That user profile has the same problem of no content in userChrome etc.

I want to be able to reinstall a full Firefox or Cyberfox at will and would hate to have to go through all this every time I have a HD failure and have to rebuild my data.

I'm pursuing this here because I find Mozilla help difficult to deal with. I call this the haystack solution, where instead of providing an answer, they direct you to a haystack of links to read through.


Last: would making a new profile bring back these missing things so that Chrome Edit can be used?

My other last though is: What if I just put in the line needed to get rid of the throbbers on the blank form? That is something I will try while awaiting reply.

 

With firefox open, click Help > Troubleshooting Information

Under Application Basics, find Profile Folder and click the "Show Folder" button

Check to be sure there is a chrome sub-folder.

If it exists: double-click it to open it.

If it does not exist: create a chrome folder, then double-click it to open it.

If userChrome-example.css exists in the chrome folder, open it with notepad

If userChrome-example.css is not there open a new file in notepad

Either way, paste this in, replacing what is there

@namespace url(http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul);
.tab-throbber { display: none !important }

Name the file userChrome.css

IMPORTANT: Change the second drop down box from Text to All Files

Save the file to the chrome sub-directory in your firefox profile

The rule change should take effect the next time you start Firefox.

 

Thank you for your carefully detailed reply. Perhaps it will benefit others as well.

I will do the instruction shortly.

What I've done in the meantime is make a text file of the user Chrome info from another Firefox built on the same computer. I saved it to webmail. Then booting from the Win 7 x64 I will paste that into the userChrome css to see if that works. The .default contains a number of more lines than just the throbber command. I wisht I knew how to use Chrome Edit more effectively.

Will do your instruction if this cut and paste fails. I do not work on that setup constantly. Bare with me if it takes a day or so for my reply.

To my other question: is there a full installer anywhere (not necessarily Mozilla) that installs as a fresh program rather than what they term at Mozilla as a "stub "? Stub is what I saw on a download Firefox .exe. I didn't want a fix I wanted the scratch install but no way apparently to get from all-knowing Mozilla. The goal in this is to put the installer on a cd for my toolbox to install when I have to rebuild from a hardware failure or some other snafu. It's the second thing after the OS that I put in. Combined with Moz Backup I can get a new install going more quickly. Moz Backup does not do profiles that I could see from it's options: just bookmarks and such.

My experiments with Cyberfox revealed that one programmer has created a routine called Profile Buddy for use with that version. However I did not have good success with it. A Profile Buddy would be helpful for all these problems.

 

(Quote) " is there a full installer anywhere "

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/

 

@ Antik.

Thanks for the detailed and complete instruction on how to solve this dilemma. It is (after a brief usage) successful. I have marked the thread resolved.

Also will download the "all" version of Firefox and check to see it has
the complete userChrome.css example included wherein I can add the line about throbber removal.

The slight change I made was to use my original notepad file from a previous installation which contains the full sample code from the default.

 

Have you had a look at this link Archive Mozilla Customizing:http://www-archive.mozilla.org/unix/customizing.html

Why do you want to remove "throbbers "? Neil.

 

Hello Neil

I have also found this Lifehacker page helpful though I have not set up anything completely around it:

http://lifehacker.com/the-best-about-config-tweaks-that-make-firefox-better-1442137111

As to the throbbers, give a google search for 'turn off throbber' and see how many hits are found. It reminds me of the old '40's cartoon where the guy gets hit on the head with a brick and his eyeballs start swirling in opposite directions.

Get a few throbbers going and you'll see what I mean. ;-)

At that Lifehacker there is an entry to turn off all animations which I also use when Firefox is setup correctly to be the least "busy" possible.