Tips for Mozilla/Firefox

Firefox is my default browser. Although sometimes I think about using Opera more often.

Here you find common tweaks and hacks, manipulation of userContent.css/userChrome.css and more...

External Resources

• Mozilla

HTM/HTML file DDE error

In case you see the error "There was a problem sending the command to the program", if you want to open such documents via explorer double clicking the file or choosing "Open with" and than "Firefox" in explorer´s context menu.

If there is no effect after you changed the default browser to IE and than back to FF via "Control Panel" "Programs and Features".

1. Select a HTM file an choose "Open with" in the context menu and than "Internet Explorer".
2. Answer question of IE whether it should be the default browser with "Yes".
3. Close IE.
4. Select "Open with" and than "Firefox". (this is now working again)
5. Answer question of Firefox whether it should be the default browser with "Yes".
6. Done

After that repeat these steps with a HTML file.
(Tested on Windows 7 x64 with IE 9 and FF 7.01)

userChrome.css / userContent.css

• Scrollbars

  • Additional arrow at the top and at the bottom

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css AND userContent.css */
    /* Additional arrow at the top and at the bottom */
    scrollbarbutton[sbattr="scrollbar-down-top"] {
        display: -moz-box !important;
    }
    scrollbarbutton[sbattr="scrollbar-up-bottom"] {
        display: -moz-box !important;
    }
    

• Links

  • High-light external and Java Script links (see also Customizing Mozilla)
    Preview external and Java Script links
    

    /* Must be written into userContent.css */
    /* Highlight external links */
    :link:hover[target="_blank"],
    :visited:hover[target="_blank"],
    :link:hover[target="_new"],
    :visited:hover[target="_new"] {
        background-color: #fff8dc ! important;
        color: #b22222 ! important;
        }
    
    /* Highlight Java Script links */
    :link:hover[onClick],
    :link:hover[onfocus],
    :link:hover[onmousedown],
    :link:hover[onmouseup],
    :visited:hover[onClick],
    :visited:hover[onfocus],
    :visited:hover[onmousedown],
    :visited:hover[onmouseup] {
        background-color: #7fffd4 ! important;
        color: #b22222 ! important;
        }
    

• Search field

  • Search box at top right corner with custom width

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css */
    /* Search box at top right corner with custom width */
    #search-container, #searchbar {
       -moz-box-flex: 230 !important;
        }
    

• Bookmarks

  • Add a keyword into a new bookmark

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css */
    /* Possibility to add a keyword to a new bookmark */
    #keywordRow {
        display: -moz-grid-line !important;
        }
    

• Buttons

  • Only show Stop/Reload if usable

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css */
    /* Show "Stop"/"Reload" buttons
       only if usable */
    #stop-button[disabled="true"] { display: none; }
    #reload-button[disabled="true"] { display: none; }
    

• Context menu

  • Making menu elements invisible

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css */
    
    /* Making menu elements invisible
       (if corresponding extensions are not installed,
        remove theire entries!
       -sep- in the ID defines corresponding separator) */
    
    /* Extension DownThemAll! - already in main menu */
    #dta1, /* DownThemAll! ... */
    #tdta1, /* Turbo-dTa! */
    #tdta1-sep,
    
    /* Extension TInyURL - already in main menu */
    #tinyurl-context-page-menu, /* Create TinyURL for this site... */
    #tinyurl-context-page-menu-sep,
    
    /* Extension Image Zoom - already in the sub menu */
    #context-zoom-dcustom, /* Custom Dimensions */
    #context-zoom-fit, /* Image Fit */
    #context-zoom-zcustom, /* Custom Zoom */
    #context-zoom-zin, /* + Zoom In */
    #context-zoom-zout, /* - Zoom Out */
    #context-zoom-zreset, /* = Zoom Reset */
    #context-sep-zoomsub,
    
    /* Mozilla/Firefox menu entries, inactive or already present */
    #context-bidi-page-direction-toggle, /* Change page direction */
    #context-bidi-text-direction-toggle, /* Change text direction */
    #context-sep-bidi,
    
    #context-blockimage, /* Block graphics from XY */
    #context-bookmarkpage, /* Add Bookmark for this site... */
    #context-copyimage-contents, /* Copy image */
    #context-delete, /* Delete */
    #context-keywordfield, /* Add a keyword for this search... */
    #context-savepage, /* Save page as... */
    #context-searchselect, /* Websearch for "" */
    #context-sendimage, /* Send image... */
    #context-sendlink, /* Send Link... */
    #context-sendpage, /* Send page... */
    #context-setWallpaper, /* Set as Wallpaper... */
    #context-stop, /* Stop (unneeded here, because GUI in any case reacts towing if needed) */
    #context-sep-stop,
    #context-viewimage, /* Show image */
    #context-viewinfo, /* Show page information */
    #context-viewpartialsource-mathml, /* Show MathML source */
    #context-viewsource, /* Show page source */
    #context-sep-properties,
    #context-sep-undo,
    #context-sep-viewbgimage,
    #viewsourcewithMenu-sep {
        display: none !important;
        }
    

  • Hide not-active entries automatically

    /* Must be written into userChrome.css */
    /* Hide not-active entries automatically
       (works fine and is very very important) */
    #contentAreaContextMenu menuitem[disabled="true"] {
        display: none !important;
        }