I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.

I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.

But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over & over.
And over again.

Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?

The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later import.
Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?

What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
Export -> 20240121settings.txt

And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
Import -> 20240121settings.txt

Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.

On 1/21/24 07:00 AM, david wrote:
> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>
> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>
> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over & over.
> And over again.
>
> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>
> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later import.
> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>
> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.
With Firefox not running, if you make a backup of prefs.js in you
profile, then look through it for the small settings, not items like
times of last sync and such but items like 'dont ask when closing
multiple tabs. And put them all into a user.js file.

On a reload you put the user.js into your profile before startup and it
will become part of your prefs.js when FF runs.

I have no ideas on Chrome, you say "Chrome/Firefox".

Here is what I've cultivated in my user.js:

user_pref("widget.non-native-theme.scrollbar.style", 4);
user_pref("accessibility.blockautorefresh", true);
user_pref("browser.aboutConfig.showWarning", false);
user_pref("browser.backspace_action", 1);
user_pref("browser.bookmarks.showMobileBookmarks", true);
user_pref("browser.ctrlTab.sortByRecentlyUsed", true);
user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsored", false);
user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsoredTopSites",
false);
user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.topSitesRows", 2);
user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "ak.x10.mx/index.html");
user_pref("browser.toolbars.bookmarks.visibility", "always");
user_pref("browser.warnOnQuitShortcut", false);
user_pref("datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled", false);
user_pref("devtools.chrome.enabled", true);
user_pref("devtools.debugger.prompt-connection", false);
user_pref("devtools.debugger.remote-enabled", true);
user_pref("devtools.dom.enabled", true);
user_pref("extensions.formautofill.addresses.enabled", false);
user_pref("extensions.formautofill.creditCards.enabled", false);
user_pref("general.smoothScroll", true);
user_pref("layout.css.scrollbar-width-thin.disabled", true);
user_pref("network.prefetch-next", false);
user_pref("widget.non-native-theme.scrollbar.style", 4);

Some of them like browser.aboutConfig.showWarning, are obvious, that's
the "are you sure?" question when you open about:config.

You can look at about:config and check the "show only changes" and you
get a list of everything that you OR the system changed. Might give you
some more ideas. The list above is not complete.

But this is a very manual process. If you change a new setting down the
line, you have to remember to put it into your saved user.js file
(that's not in your profile but some place else as backup).

At least that's what I do. Also I have firefox sync setup and it syncs
my bookmarks, history, and settings to the cloud. On a fresh reload I
just turn on sync again and everything comes back. The user.js is just
some of the minor annoyance settings I don't think are in sync.
--
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
Al

On 1/21/24 4:00 AM, david wrote:
> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>
> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>
> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over & over.
> And over again.
>
> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>
> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later import.
> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>
> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.

I don't do updates any more and I'm using linux. I don't know if
windows will work the same way because I don't care about browsing on my
windows machine.

I install the new version into its own subdirectory, allowing it to
create its own profile. Then I shut down all firefoxes and force-copy
the contents of my old profile into the newly-created profile.

This will reproduce ALL your current settings, extensions, history etc.

Then you can start each version from within its own subdirectory and it
will use the profile that matches -- or at least the last one you
selected, so don't make a mistake. You probably won't want to use
previous versions unless the one you just created goes dreadfully wrong,
but if you want this option you'll need to create shortcuts for previous
versions -- an exercise for the reader.

I export my bookmarks to an easily-accessible .html file and make that
file my home page. You can just do an export every once in a while to
keep it current. If you have a lot of bookmarks it's much faster than
opening up the regular 'bookmarks' function.

--
Cheers, Bev
"Mr Panetta also revealed that the US Navy Seals made the final
decision to kill bin Laden rather than the president."
--S. Swinford, The Telegraph
[Aside from that minor error, those Seals did a fantastic job!] --Bev

On 01/21/2024 7:00 AM, david wrote:
> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>
> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>
> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over & over.
> And over again.
>
> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>
> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later import.
> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>
> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>
> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.
First I have never used Chrome.

With Firefox; if you uninstall it from the Control Panel, Uninstall
programs (ie Windows Uninstall); it uninstalls only the program in
C:Program Files. It does not remove the data in
C:\Users\"userID"\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox. This folder contains
all of the bookmarks, history, and personal setting that you made to
Firefox.

If you are installing on a new disk, or one that has been wiped clean,
download and install the Firefox program. The copy the Profile folder
from the old disk to the Profile folder on the new disk.

With this transfer of the Profile folder your new installation will have
the same settings as the old installation. This is much simpler than
reentering all of your setting in the new installation

On 1/21/24 01:53 PM, The Real Bev wrote:
> On 1/21/24 4:00 AM, david wrote:
>> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
>> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
>> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>>
>> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
>> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>>
>> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over &
>> over.
>> And over again.
>>
>> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>>
>> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later
>> import.
>> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>>
>> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
>> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>>
>> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
>> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>>
>> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.
>
> I don't do updates any more and I'm using linux.  I don't know if
> windows will work the same way because I don't care about browsing on my
> windows machine.
>
> I install the new version into its own subdirectory, allowing it to
> create its own profile.  Then I shut down all firefoxes and force-copy
> the contents of my old profile into the newly-created profile.
>
> This will reproduce ALL your current settings, extensions, history etc.
>
> Then you can start each version from within its own subdirectory and it
> will use the profile that matches -- or at least the last one you
> selected, so don't make a mistake.  You probably won't want to use
> previous versions unless the one you just created goes dreadfully wrong,
> but if you want this option you'll need to create shortcuts for previous
> versions -- an exercise for the reader.
>
> I export my bookmarks to an easily-accessible .html file and make that
> file my home page.  You can just do an export every once in a while to
> keep it current.  If you have a lot of bookmarks it's much faster than
> opening up the regular 'bookmarks' function.
>
>
If you set browser.bookmarks.autoExportHTML = true in about:config
Firefox will export the HTML on every exit.
--
Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon
Al

On 1/21/2024 1:59 PM, knuttle wrote:
> On 01/21/2024 7:00 AM, david wrote:
>> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
>> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
>> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>>
>> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
>> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>>
>> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over & over.
>> And over again.
>>
>> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>>
>> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later import.
>> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>>
>> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
>> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>>
>> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
>> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>>
>> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.
> First I have never used Chrome.
>
> With Firefox; if you uninstall it from the Control Panel, Uninstall programs (ie Windows Uninstall);  it uninstalls only the program in C:Program Files. It does not remove the data in C:\Users\"userID"\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox.  This folder contains all of the bookmarks, history, and personal setting that you made to Firefox.
>
> If you are installing on a new disk, or one that has been wiped clean, download and install the Firefox program.  The copy the Profile folder from the old disk to the Profile folder on the new disk.
>
> With this transfer of the Profile folder your new installation will have the same settings as the old installation.  This is much simpler than reentering all of your setting in the new installation

about:profiles

is handy.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/dtMXztPc/root-profile-folders-on-FF.gif

Paul

On 1/21/24 11:49 AM, Big Al wrote:
> On 1/21/24 01:53 PM, The Real Bev wrote:
>> On 1/21/24 4:00 AM, david wrote:
>>> I have to re-install Chrome/Firefox from time to time for a variety of
>>> reasons unrelated to this question where I can only import/export
>>> bookmarks, but I'd like to be able to import/export all my settings.
>>>
>>> I'm not so concerned with "saved data" because I don't save any.
>>> That is, both browsers are always set up to remember nothing when closed.
>>>
>>> But after every install, I have to go through all the settings over &
>>> over.
>>> And over again.
>>>
>>> Is there a simple settings -> import/export for Firefox & Chrome?
>>>
>>> The question is how to save all the settings into a file for later
>>> import.
>>> Is it possible to save all settings for Chrome/Firefox into a file?
>>>
>>> What would be perfect would be to run this just before uninstalling.
>>> Export -> 20240121settings.txt
>>>
>>> And then just after re-installing, a command like this would be nice.
>>> Import -> 20240121settings.txt
>>>
>>> Bookmarks are a separate issue as they can already be exported/imported.
>>
>> I don't do updates any more and I'm using linux.  I don't know if
>> windows will work the same way because I don't care about browsing on my
>> windows machine.
>>
>> I install the new version into its own subdirectory, allowing it to
>> create its own profile.  Then I shut down all firefoxes and force-copy
>> the contents of my old profile into the newly-created profile.
>>
>> This will reproduce ALL your current settings, extensions, history etc.
>>
>> Then you can start each version from within its own subdirectory and it
>> will use the profile that matches -- or at least the last one you
>> selected, so don't make a mistake.  You probably won't want to use
>> previous versions unless the one you just created goes dreadfully wrong,
>> but if you want this option you'll need to create shortcuts for previous
>> versions -- an exercise for the reader.
>>
>> I export my bookmarks to an easily-accessible .html file and make that
>> file my home page.  You can just do an export every once in a while to
>> keep it current.  If you have a lot of bookmarks it's much faster than
>> opening up the regular 'bookmarks' function.
>>
>>
> If you set browser.bookmarks.autoExportHTML = true in about:config
> Firefox will export the HTML on every exit.

That's interesting. I don't want to do it for the same reason that I
don't want to run a backup every night, but it's good to know.

There used to be a website that showed huge numbers of mozilla .css
entries with explanations, but I've lost the link and have no idea what
it might be.

NOT a programmer of any sort (I tried, and it HURT), but I can steal
stuff from people who know what they're doing :-)

--
Cheers, Bev
"Once you've provoked a few people into publicly swearing they are
going to hunt you down and kill you, the thrill wears off."
-Elric of Imrryr

The Real Bev wrote:
>> If you set browser.bookmarks.autoExportHTML = true in about:config
>> Firefox will export the HTML on every exit.
>
> That's interesting.  I don't want to do it for the same reason that I
> don't want to run a backup every night, but it's good to know.

One use case, other than backups....

I have this one set in Seamonkey (where you can set that with a UI
control; Firefox continues to support that, although years ago,
simplification of UI settings caused them to discard the control.)

I don't run one browser exclusively, and with the auto-export, it allows
me to get to the exported bookmarks with other browsers (or even other
profiles). Thus, for secondary browsers and profiles, I usually set
them to use the exported bookmarks.htm file as the home page, and as a
result, no matter what browser I'm using, I always have a current set of
bookmarks available, current as of the last time I've closed my browser.

I actually take this a step further and periodically copy that file to a
location on my LAN, where any computers in the LAN have access to that
data, if needed.

The display format of the bookmarks.htm isn't exciting, but it's
entirely usable.

Smith