Firefox Bookmarks are showing but will not open!

I have recently developed a problem with my "Bookmarks" drop down list (I use Windows XP)

If selecting "Bookmarks" the list drops down as normal and my bookmarks are showing in the normal folders/subfolders as normal

However, when I click on a selected bookmark it refuses to open

When I right click and check "Properties" for the bookmark, a small line with an "x" appears but no URL or Tag details etc

I have located the "Bookmarks.html" file and when I open the file it creates a webpage with all my bookmarks neatly arranged in the same folders as normal

When I double click any of the bookmarks shown on this webpage the connection is made and the page opens. This indicates the URL data etc is safe but just not being acknowledged when I use the "Bookmarks" section of a toolbar to access them


(This may be unconnected, but I performed a registry clean about the time the problem emerged. This has never produced this issue before, so may not be connected)

Thanks

 

Which toolbar? Are you using the Bookmarks|Organize bookmark in the top row?

 

Hi Westside

I click "Bookmarks" on the top toolbar. It is situated between History and Tools

Strangely, I have clicked "Organize bookmarks" from the same drop down options and all it then shows are three empty files called "No Title "!

Very worrying

 

Have you tried double clicking on the three folders. And do you mean that under All Bookmarks you have three folders, with no name (title)?
Most of my bookmarks are in folders, otherwise the are toward the bottom of the dropdown. Anyway, we ,still, don't know which version Firefox you have. Otherwise, as a test, select the Sunday Times website, then Bookmarks|File Bookmarks|whereever you want it. See if a "Sunday Times" shows up in the dropdown. Close Firefox, then select Bookmarks|Sunday Time, and double click on it. What happens?

 

Hi

I am using version 3.0.5

I am sorry to sound really dull but I cannot locate the "file bookmarks" option

If I want to add a page to my bookmarks I either hit "bookmark this page" or hit the star at the end of the URL display

When I now select "organise bookmarks" it displays "all bookmarks" on the left and has three separate files to the right named (no title)

What confuses me is that my bookmarks are still filed in the order and sub folders they always were, so it appears the data has not been lost it just doesn't connect me to the selected bookmark when I click it

 

My FF3.0.5 has this:1.top toolbar, select Bookmarks. 2. You are correct. File Bookmarks is in another program. If you want to select a new bookmark, click on Bookmark this page. If you do nothing but ok the new bookmark will go in the bookmark menu, i.e. at the bottom of the page. I have arranged my bookmarks in several folders, and I use, extensively, the Bookmark Toolbar, which right below the address bar. All content of that toolbar is visible if you select Bookmarks|Bookmark Toolbar. The bookmarks appear to the right. I will have access to other folders, as I scroll down toward the "unattached" bookmarks. Any row with a small arrow at its right will display the bookmarks in it. No nee to do any clicking. Just do a mouseover, and the content will open, usually, to the right. The Organize Bookmarks is to do, exactly, that, i.e. moving them around. I have 13 entries to the left in Organize Bookmarks, of which only the same three that you have appear at the beginning. Double clicking each item to the right will show its content, but if you have not organized the bookmarks there may be nothing in some of them. Everything is visible either from the Bookmarks dropdown, or Organize Bookmarks. In my opinion you do not understand how the bookmarks are arranged. There is nothing missing, just a different way to display.

 

Hi gizamos,

If you have not done so may I suggest you do a study on backing up and restoring your profile: (if this profile isn't already kaput)
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Profiles
or more precisely:
Backing up your information (basically a "copy and paste" and easy enough to do)
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Backing+up+your+information

I suggest the above because, although I have been using firefox for several months now, I have not had any problems (knock on wood). Any suggestion I make for a fix is purely done via research not personal experience. That lack or lapse of knowledge makes me extremely cautious by stressing any safety or backup procedures be used before troubleshooting your current profile or firefox problem. That said....

Since you have an exported backup of your bookmarks, if you do not have this saved and stored in a safe place already, such as in your my documents folder, may I suggest you do so. This will at least insure you can always import this into firefox to restore at least these bookmarks.

Now that that's done (and hopefully your profile has also been backed up) , lets see if a renaming of the places.sqlite will help. I stress this rename should only be done with the file located in your profile folder only, and also a rename rather than a delete, in hopes that this will allow for a reversal should the need arise. I am including a link that has a few reasons (applications) that may cause bookmarks problems. It is the section entitled "Places database file" near the bottom, that I wish to focus on. It has the procedural steps needed to find and rename this file. See:
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Bookmarks+and+toolbar+buttons+not+working+after+upgrading


---------------------------------
Just including this firefox link to knowledge base which includes links on bookmark topics in case you haven't explored these and wish to do so.

http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-searchresults.php?locale=en-US&q=bookmarks&sa=

To westside,
This doesn't sound like a view, organizational, sort problem to me. I could be wrong but I believe the root of the posters problem is the bookmarks are not working ( ?corrupt) . The links located and saved in the bookmarks sections don't link. They have no properties, no urls, no name: They're dead.

 

Hi Goddez1

Thanks for trying to help

I have located the file places.sqlite (size about 1,100 kb) in my profile, saved it to a back up drive and renamed it etc

No change I am afraid

It still baffles me that when the bookmarks drop down they are file exactly as they always were. I just can't open them with a click...

 

Following with some interest.....
I am not a great devotee of Firefox and especially the NEW bookmarks....

All of the above suggestions appear valid. I somewhat concure with goddez1 and feel that the problem may be in a corrupt SQL file.

Just my opinion:
You say that opening the "bookmarks.html" file from within the profile folder does work. so please try the following:
*******WITH FIREFOX CLOSED*******


1. ReName "bookmarkbackups" folder/directory to "BM_BACKUP" without quotes.
2. Rename "places.sqlite" to "Xplaces.sqlite" without quotes.

Open firefox - you should have the contents of the Bookmarks.html file as:
"Bookmarks Toolbar"

Open "Organize bookmarks ". does it seem to work ?

please post back with the results.

regards:captjlddavis

 

To gizamos,
I will leave the following for archives and future reference. Please disregard this for now and follow captjlddavis post. The only possible exception is the "read only" attribute snafu, that I mentioned at the bottom of this thread. This may apply if backups have been restored and used in your current firefox profile. It can't hurt to check out and see if this may be a problem at this time
=====================================================

Also the directions I linked you to included a lot more files for renaming and moving or deletion. You specifically mentioned doing this with the places.sqlite but did you also include the others:
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Bookmarks+and+toolbar+buttons+not+working+after+upgrading

Places database file
You can also fix this by forcing Firefox to rebuild the Places database, as follows:

1. (Optional) Export your bookmarks to an HTML file named bookmarks.html (see Exporting bookmarks to an HTML file for detailed instructions) and place the bookmarks.html file in the Firefox profile folder. If a bookmarks.html file already exists, allow the exported file to replace it.

2. From the menu at the top of the Firefox window bar, select File Firefox and then select the Exit Quit Firefox Quit menu item.

3. Open the Firefox profile folder and delete (or rename) the places.sqlite file and, if it exists, places.sqlite-journal.

4. (Optional) If you want Firefox to automatically import your bookmarks from an existing bookmarks.html file in the profile folder, instead of from a JSON backup, open the bookmarkbackups folder and remove all bookmarks-(date).json files to another location.

5. It is probably a good idea to also delete (or rename) the localstore.rdf to remove the references to the old Places file but you will need to add back any toolbar customizations.

Firefox will create a new places.sqlite file and automatically import the most recent bookmark backup file. If no JSON backup is found, Firefox will automatically import your bookmarks from the profile folder bookmarks.html file, if it exists.

------------a maybe:
Since you mentioned a backup procedure you may have used in the past, make sure that you do not have read-only or locked files in your profile, which might be a side effect of backing up the profile to removable media and then restoring your profile from that media. This can also produce odd problems.
How to spot that kind of problem:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Multiple_profile_files_created

 

goddez1,

One step at a time......
before doing a lot of moving - renameing and such..
perhaps we can determine where the problem is.

regards:captjlddavis

 

Hi captjlddavis,

I'm so sorry if the additional thread I posted was considered a more destructive method by rebuilding more files than is needed. I'm still in the learning phase for firefox myself. I will bow out and let you take over. I'm sure both gizamos and myself will benefit from this learning experience. I can edit my post, if you wish and remove the additional thread. Let me know.

 

goddez1,

No need to bow out or anything, everyone is in a "learning" mode. All information is appreciated. Please continue the input, it is greatly appreciated by all.

Hopefully we can find a solution that meets all are interests.

regards:captjlddavis

 

I have edited my previous thread my thread and made a mental note to self:
"Don't throw the baby out with bath water ".