Easy way to know when files are downloading
Robert Montgomery
Both in Firefox and Safari, I pasted a Dropbox URL into my browser
location bar, and when the flashing I-beam icon was at the end of the
URL, I kept on pressing the Return key, thinking the URL would lead to a
Web page.
But the pages remained blank.
Eventually I figured out that every time I pressed the return key,
another copy of the Dropbox file linked to in my location bar was
downloading in the background. (The downloads are only visible as being
downloaded in the browsers' Window > Downloads panel.
Robert
Jamie Kahn Genet
I can only assume you've unchecked "Show the Downloads window when
downloading a file" in Firefox, since this is checked by default. As for
Safari's Downloads window, I have no idea how you've made that not
appear, since there is no option to prevent it that I'm aware of.
--
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
Robert Montgomery
Thanks, Jamie.
Something must be wrong with my Firefox because "Show the Downloads
window" preference is checked in Firefox.
As for Safari, I determined that nothing's wrong with it. I was
concentrating on the browser window so much – puzzled and waiting for
the data to appear in the browser window – I didn't notice that
Downloads panel opening on the right side of my screen. Most of the type
in that Downloads panel is grayed, so it looks like it's something in
the background, and when the Download panel is already open and you
start to download something new, there's only a small, subtle change in
that panel, and I'm not that familiar with Safari, because I use it only
when I have a problem in Firefox. Also, when I press the Return key when
the cursor is in the location bar (whatever the browser) I expect the
normal result: a page of text and/or graphics to appear in the browser
window; I don't expect a file to be downloaded instead, while the page
remains blank.
Robert
Jamie Kahn Genet
Glad you've worked out what's going on with Safari :-) As for FF you
might try a clean set of prefs, but hang on to the old ones in case this
doesn't work. Or try logging into another user account in OSX (the Guest
account is handy for this since it saves nothing) and testing FF there -
download a file and see if the downloads window appears.
Regards,
Jamie Kahn Genet
Jolly Roger
Robert Montgomery <robe...@northern-data-tech-llc.com> wrote:
You can use a utility such as iStat Menus or MenuMeters to view current
network activity and more.
--
Send responses to the relevant news group rather than email to me.
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM
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JR
Robert Montgomery
> Robert Montgomery<robe...@northern-data-tech-llc.com> wrote:
>
>> Jamie Kahn Genet wrote:
>>> Robert Montgomery<robe...@northern-data-tech-llc.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Is there an easy way to know when files are downloading?
>>>>
>>
>> Something must be wrong with my Firefox because "Show the Downloads
>> window" preference is checked in Firefox.
>>
>> Robert
>
> Glad you've worked out what's going on with Safari :-) As for FF you
> might try a clean set of prefs, but hang on to the old ones in case this
> doesn't work. Or try logging into another user account in OSX (the Guest
> account is handy for this since it saves nothing) and testing FF there -
> download a file and see if the downloads window appears.
>
> Regards,
> Jamie Kahn Genet
Thanks, Jamie and Jolly.
Is the Firefox preferences at robert/library/Application
Support/Profiles/prefs.js?
I'm having a hard time finding what file or folder to move, when I check
Firefox > Help and the mozillazine.org Web site.
I'm leery about creating a Guest account, in case I mess up with
something as dangerous as login pass codes.
Robert
Jamie Kahn Genet
> In article <id9rla$skl$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Robert Montgomery <robe...@northern-data-tech-llc.com> wrote:
>
> > Is there an easy way to know when files are downloading?
> >
> > Both in Firefox and Safari, I pasted a Dropbox URL into my browser
> > location bar, and when the flashing I-beam icon was at the end of the
> > URL, I kept on pressing the Return key, thinking the URL would lead to a
> > Web page.
> >
> > But the pages remained blank.
> >
> > Eventually I figured out that every time I pressed the return key,
> > another copy of the Dropbox file linked to in my location bar was
> > downloading in the background. (The downloads are only visible as being
> > downloaded in the browsers' Window > Downloads panel.
> >
> > Robert
>
> You can use a utility such as iStat Menus or MenuMeters to view current
> network activity and more.
Love iStat Menus, even the new shareware version for 10.6. Well worth
the modest price.
Jamie Kahn Genet
~/Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.firefox.plist
Trash the above, but do not empty the trash yet. See if FF opens the
download window with new prefs.
Trashing ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox might also be worth
trying, but be aware all your bookmarks are stored in there. However, if
you use an addon like Xmarks or Firefox Sync beforehand, it will be a
piece of cake restoring those.
Also - I take it your copy of FF is up to date? 3.6.12 is the current
version.
As to the OSX Guest account - it has no login and saves nothing locally.
See
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/15600.html>
for instructions on creating one.
HTH,
Jolly Roger
I too gladly paid the modest shareware price!