about:config - how to view just non-default settings?

[Gabor]

I seem to remember there was a way to view only the settings I've
changed in about:config. Now I can't seem to find it. These settings
still show up in bold, but the only way I can see to show fewer settings
is to use filters, which doesn't help if I can't remember the name of
the setting. Has this capability been removed from recent versions, or
am I missing something?

--
Gabor

[WaltS48]

I don't recall that capability, but it is coming in a future version.

<https://www.ghacks.net/2021/02/06/mozilla-firefox-gets-open-to-display-modified-preferences-only-on-aboutconfig/>

--
OS: Fedora 33 Workstation - Gnome Desktop
https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/get-involved/

[Jeff Layman]

Help | Troubleshooting information

Scroll to "Important Modified Preferences"

--

Jeff

[😉 Good Guy 😉]

On 14/02/2021 14:34, Gabor wrote:

or am I missing something?

Yes you are missing the post titled: "Firefox Print Dialog - Has it changed recently?"   I posted something with an image but it applies from FF 87.

Good luck if you can find it.  Google might be the best option for you for this.

NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2021 07:39:23 -0600

<BqmdnWfFeruef779...@mozilla.org>

--

With over 1.2 billion devices now running Windows 10, customer satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.

[R.Wieser]

Gabor,

>I seem to remember there was a way to view only the settings I've changed
>in about:config.

Maybe not /exactly/ what you're looking for, but if I (in FF v52) click on
the "Status" header the list gets sorted on that column - meaning that all
the changed entries will show up grouped together, either at the top or the
bottom of the list.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser

[Gabor]

Thanks, that seems to be the best way for now. Still more painful than
in older versions of FF.

--
Gabor

[Gabor]

On Sunday, 2/14/2021 9:44 AM, WaltS48 wrote:
> On 2/14/21 9:34 AM, Gabor wrote:
>> I seem to remember there was a way to view only the settings I've
>> changed in about:config.  Now I can't seem to find it.  These settings
>> still show up in bold, but the only way I can see to show fewer
>> settings is to use filters, which doesn't help if I can't remember the
>> name of the setting.  Has this capability been removed from recent
>> versions, or am I missing something?
>>
>> --
>> Gabor
>
> I don't recall that capability, but it is coming in a future version.
>
> <https://www.ghacks.net/2021/02/06/mozilla-firefox-gets-open-to-display-modified-preferences-only-on-aboutconfig/>
>
>

Thanks. I'm looking forward to that. By the way the major change came
in FF version 71. The old about:config editor had a number of other
features besides opting to see only modified settings. From a link on
the same page:

https://www.ghacks.net/2019/11/11/firefox-71-new-aboutconfig-interface-lands/

This page describes the new changes introduced in FF 71, and notes:

"... some functionality was missing when compared to the classic
about:config interface. To name a few: no deep linking, no sorting, ..."

--
Gabor

[Gabor]

Yeah, that's what I used to do, but this went away in Firefox 71.

--
Gabor

[Chris Ilias]

Hi Gabor,
I think it's worth noting that the "Important Modified Preferences"
section does not list all modified preferences. It's based on a list of
approved preferences. There may be more that have not yet been reviewed
for their inclusion on that page, and others that have been rejected for
privacy reasons. That's why they had to add the word "Important" to the
heading.

For instance, the preference browser.open.lastDir will not be listed for
privacy reasons.

For now, to get a list of all non-default prefs, try the following:
1. In the Troubleshooting Information page, beside "Profile Folder"
click [Open Folder].
2. Close Firefox.
3. Make a copy of the file prefs.js.
4. Open your copy of prefs.js in a text editor, such as Notepad.


--
Mailing list/Newsgroup moderator

[Big Al]

Are you saying that only items in prefs.js are items that have been modified? And that would mean all the other settings in about:config
not modified (not highlighted) are defaults, which of course they are, but are also not in prefs.js?


--
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|___/

[Chris Ilias]

On 2021-03-06 5:11 p.m., Big Al wrote:
> On 3/6/21 5:04 PM, this is what Chris Ilias wrote:
>> Hi Gabor,
>> I think it's worth noting that the "Important Modified Preferences"
>> section does not list all modified preferences. It's based on a list
>> of approved preferences. There may be more that have not yet been
>> reviewed for their inclusion on that page, and others that have been
>> rejected for privacy reasons. That's why they had to add the word
>> "Important" to the heading.
>>
>> For instance, the preference browser.open.lastDir will not be listed
>> for privacy reasons.
>>
>> For now, to get a list of all non-default prefs, try the following:
>> 1. In the Troubleshooting Information page, beside "Profile Folder"
>> click [Open Folder].
>> 2. Close Firefox.
>> 3. Make a copy of the file prefs.js.
>> 4. Open your copy of prefs.js in a text editor, such as Notepad.
>
> Are you saying that only items in prefs.js are items that have been
> modified?   And that would mean all the other settings in about:config
> not modified (not highlighted) are defaults, which of course they are,
> but are also not in prefs.js?

That's correct. The purpose of prefs.js.

--
Mailing list/Newsgroup moderator

[Sailfish]

My bloviated meandering follows what Chris Ilias graced us with on
3/6/2021 4:24 PM:

Interesting. My prefs.js file has 770 pref change lines. Since I've
never made anywhere that many pref changes, can I assume that the
majority of them were made by add-ons at one time or another?

--
Sailfish
CDC Covid19 Trends: https://www.facebook.com/groups/624208354841034
Rare Mozilla Stuff: http://tinyurl.com/z86x3sg

[Eli the Bearded]

In mozilla.support.firefox,

Sailfish <NIXCAPS...@NIXCAPSunforgettable.com> wrote:
> My bloviated meandering follows what Chris Ilias graced us with on

>>> Are you saying that only items in prefs.js are items that have been
>>> modified? And that would mean all the other settings in about:config
>>> not modified (not highlighted) are defaults, which of course they are,
>>> but are also not in prefs.js?
>> That's correct. The purpose of prefs.js.
> Interesting. My prefs.js file has 770 pref change lines. Since I've
> never made anywhere that many pref changes, can I assume that the
> majority of them were made by add-ons at one time or another?

There are a bunch of things in there that are one time things, and some
preferences will set multiple lines. And internal notes for the browser.

"That's a prefernece?"

user_pref("app.shield.optoutstudies.enabled", false);
user_pref("browser.aboutConfig.showWarning", false);
user_pref("browser.bookmarks.defaultLocation", "unfiled");

Internal notes:

user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.addon-background-update-timer", 1615224513);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.blocklist-background-update-timer", 1588905181);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.browser-cleanup-thumbnails", 1615253073);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.recipe-client-addon-run", 1615247529);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.region-update-timer", 1614889592);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.rs-experiment-loader-timer", 1608226166);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.search-engine-update-timer", 1615247409);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.services-settings-poll-changes", 1615224393);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.telemetry_modules_ping", 1614885992);
user_pref("app.update.lastUpdateTime.xpi-signature-verification", 1615224633);
user_pref("browser.slowStartup.averageTime", 4166);
user_pref("browser.slowStartup.samples", 4);

One time information messages "shown":

user_pref("app.normandy.first_run", false);
user_pref("browser.download.panel.shown", true);
user_pref("browser.rights.3.shown", true);
user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.reportingpolicy.firstRun", false)

And for "king of some preferences take up multiple lines" look at the
printer related ones. My current prefs.js is about 20% (61 lines of 306)
printer stuff.

user_pref("print.print_bgcolor", false);
user_pref("print.print_bgimages", false);
user_pref("print.print_duplex", 0);
user_pref("print.print_evenpages", true);
user_pref("print.print_margin_bottom", "0.5");
user_pref("print.print_margin_left", "0.5");
user_pref("print.print_margin_right", "0.5");
user_pref("print.print_margin_top", "0.5");
user_pref("print.print_oddpages", true);
user_pref("print.print_orientation", 0);
user_pref("print.print_page_delay", 50);
user_pref("print.print_paper_data", 0);
user_pref("print.print_paper_height", " 11.00");
user_pref("print.print_paper_name", "na_letter");
user_pref("print.print_paper_size_unit", 0);
user_pref("print.print_paper_width", " 8.50");
user_pref("print.print_scaling", " 1.00");
user_pref("print.print_shrink_to_fit", true);
user_pref("print.print_to_file", false);

Plus I have another 37 lines with details about my current printer, some
of which duplicate those, eg:

user_pref("print.printer_Brother_HL_L6200DW_series.print_bgcolor", false);
user_pref("print.printer_Brother_HL_L6200DW_series.print_bgimages", false);
user_pref("print.printer_Brother_HL_L6200DW_series.print_duplex", 0);

On one system that I had continuously upgraded the browser in place
(starting with Phoenix nightly builds, and progressing to Firebird
nightlies, Firefox nightlies, and then Firefox releases) over ~10 years
I recall inspecting prefs.js and finding half of it was filled with
printer preferences. Over those same ten-plus years, in that office, I
had used maybe ten different printers. And all the settings were in
there.

Elijah
------
move desks, print to new local printer, or printer gets replaced, or...

[Sailfish]

My bloviated meandering follows what Eli the Bearded graced us with on
3/8/2021 6:04 PM:

+1

[WaltS48]

On 3/8/21 11:19 PM, Sailfish wrote:

On one system that I had continuously upgraded the browser in place
(starting with Phoenix nightly builds, and progressing to Firebird
nightlies, Firefox nightlies, and then Firefox releases) over ~10 years
I recall inspecting prefs.js and finding half of it was filled with
printer preferences. Over those same ten-plus years, in that office, I
had used maybe ten different printers. And all the settings were in
there.

Doing a Refresh Firefox would most likely remove those printers from a current version.

[dillinger]

On 3/9/21 2:29 PM, WaltS48 wrote:

> On 3/8/21 11:19 PM, Sailfish wrote:
>> On one system that I had continuously upgraded the browser in place
>> (starting with Phoenix nightly builds, and progressing to Firebird
>> nightlies, Firefox nightlies, and then Firefox releases) over ~10 years
>> I recall inspecting prefs.js and finding half of it was filled with
>> printer preferences. Over those same ten-plus years, in that office, I
>> had used maybe ten different printers. And all the settings were in
>> there.
>
>
> Doing a Refresh Firefox

> <https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings>

> would most likely remove those printers from a current version.
>
> --
> OS: Fedora 33 Workstation - Gnome Desktop
> https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/get-involved/
>

Not a chance, "Refresh Firefox" only restores a lot of random old stuff
that got stuck in your profile at Mozilla, like bookmarks you deleted 6
years ago etc.

[WaltS48]

On 3/9/21 9:35 AM, dillinger wrote:
> On 3/9/21 2:29 PM, WaltS48 wrote:
>
>> On 3/8/21 11:19 PM, Sailfish wrote:
>>> On one system that I had continuously upgraded the browser in place
>>> (starting with Phoenix nightly builds, and progressing to Firebird
>>> nightlies, Firefox nightlies, and then Firefox releases) over ~10 years
>>> I recall inspecting prefs.js and finding half of it was filled with
>>> printer preferences. Over those same ten-plus years, in that office, I
>>> had used maybe ten different printers. And all the settings were in
>>> there.
>>
>>
>> Doing a Refresh Firefox
>> <https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings>
>> would most likely remove those printers from a current version.
>>

> Not a chance, "Refresh Firefox" only restores a lot of random old
> stuff that got stuck in your profile at Mozilla, like bookmarks you
> deleted 6 years ago etc.

Isn't that what old printer prefs are?

So every bookmark has an about:config entry? I can't find any of mine in
there, but I use the latest Nightly and have for years. I can check my
release and beta versions later.

[Chris Ilias]

On 2021-03-09 9:35 a.m., dillinger wrote:
> On 3/9/21 2:29 PM, WaltS48 wrote:
>
>> Doing a Refresh Firefox
>> <https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings>
>> would most likely remove those printers from a current version.
>

> Not a chance, "Refresh Firefox" only restores a lot of random old stuff
> that got stuck in your profile at Mozilla, like bookmarks you deleted 6
> years ago etc.

Hi dillinger,
What you're describing is not the intended behaviour, and it sounds like
a different issue than what the Gabor is asking about. Could you please
start a new thread?

--
Mailing list/Newsgroup moderator

[Sailfish]

My bloviated meandering follows what WaltS48 graced us with on 3/9/2021
5:29 AM:

>
> On 3/8/21 11:19 PM, Sailfish wrote:
>> On one system that I had continuously upgraded the browser in place
>> (starting with Phoenix nightly builds, and progressing to Firebird
>> nightlies, Firefox nightlies, and then Firefox releases) over ~10 years
>> I recall inspecting prefs.js and finding half of it was filled with
>> printer preferences. Over those same ten-plus years, in that office, I
>> had used maybe ten different printers. And all the settings were in
>> there.
>
>
> Doing a Refresh Firefox

> <https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/refresh-firefox-reset-add-ons-and-settings>

> would most likely remove those printers from a current version.
>

c/o Eli the Bearded