Full Page Zoom changes back to default (Firefox 3)

Farroos · Post by **Farroos** » January 4th, 2008, 4:39 am

Full page zoom is reset to the default zoom whenever you go to a different website by typing the URL in the address bar. There is no place to disable this, even in about:config. There is no way to configure full page zoom at all.

It would be nice to have the selected zoom level stay the same for all websites and all browsing sessions.

Anyone know of a reported bug for this issue?

the_dees · Post by **the_dees** » January 4th, 2008, 5:01 am

I think this is intended.

Since site-specific-preferences were implemented, the zoom level for one domain or website persists across session. I think they don not want to confuse users when the go fom a site with zoomed text to another site ans zoom it as well, as that could break the new site's design.

Farroos · Post by **Farroos** » January 4th, 2008, 5:32 am

The strange thing is that there is no way to configure this with about:config.

bomfog · Post by **bomfog** » January 4th, 2008, 9:32 am

As a hack, I'd think you could change the "fullzoom" prefs to pin the zoom permanently. If you want 200% zoom, set fullZoom.(min/max)Percent to "200" and toolkit.zoomManager.fullZoomValues to "2". Maybe one or the other would suffice.

Nota Bene: Just speculating, haven't tried it.
--
Mike

BostonPeng · Post by **BostonPeng** » January 5th, 2008, 12:37 pm

This is, unfortunately, something else this user wishes were implemented by an extension rather than a change in browser behavior. I reuse my tabs rather than opening new ones when opening links and this way I'm always having to reset my zoom level when I open a different site in a tab.

Ria · Post by **Ria** » January 5th, 2008, 3:18 pm

For people with poor eye sight, or a screen with high resolution, they can set a minimum font-size in the Content tab of the Options window.

BostonPeng · Post by **BostonPeng** » January 5th, 2008, 10:27 pm

True, Ria, but this can still break the page layout web designers slave over to get "right." And that means its' still not the solution that so many of us are looking for.

Ria · Post by **Ria** » January 6th, 2008, 4:58 am

Depending on the minimum font-size you choose (you can also set a permanent font, like everything in Verdana, which makes the text size very consistent), the text can indeed sometimes exceed space on buttons etc. It can also sometimes break stupid layout.
In the rare cases where this happens, you could e.g. put a button on your toolbar which toggles between those settings and on those sites you can choose a different way to zoom with another button.

wgianopoulos · Post by **wgianopoulos** » January 6th, 2008, 6:47 am

Another thing you can do is make the page twice as wide and twice as tall always without breaking layout by setting layout.css.dpi to a value that is twice your actually screen dpi. This also make all the firefox chrome larger as well.

wgianopoulos · Post by **wgianopoulos** » January 6th, 2008, 6:49 am

Of course, you can always just go to the operating system preferences and set the screen resolution to a smaller value. This fixes the poor eyesight issue for all applications at once.

GreenAlien · Post by **GreenAlien** » January 6th, 2008, 4:13 pm

"Full page zoom is reset to the default zoom whenever you go to a different website"

I just upgraded to Firefox 3 Beta 2 specifically to gain persistant zoom. But it's not there! Very disappointing. I want this feature too.

"I think this is intended."

Not the answer we're looking for. If the developers feel it should be the default option, fair enough. But where is the option to fix the zoom for all pages. This is essential. Opera has been able to do this ages.

"Of course, you can always just go to the operating system preferences and set the screen resolution to a smaller value. This fixes the poor eyesight issue for all applications at once."

Good suggestion for a CRT but not on an LCD screen. It makes the display blurry when set to non-native resolution. Plus things are more pixelated.

I may as well uninstall Firefox 3 Beta 2 and switch back to Firefox 2 to get my extensions back for time being. Opera handles the zoom perfectly, though Opera is rendering quite slow for some reason which is what prompted me to try the latest Firefox beta.

BostonPeng · Post by **BostonPeng** » January 7th, 2008, 1:10 am

wgianopoulos wrote:Of course, you can always just go to the operating system preferences and set the screen resolution to a smaller value. This fixes the poor eyesight issue for all applications at once.

Yes, it does. But it also kills screen real estate. I uses 1280x1024 specifically so I can have several windows open at once and be able to see at least parts of them at once. Many times I have Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, and possibly something else up, and I have them positioned so I can see them (and switch between them) as needed. Going to a smaller resolution limits my options for seeing windows too much, especially since I have each program's window sized for how I work.

I'm not fot fussing, just pointing out a flaw in the suggestion. I do have the text size set to a good sie for my 47 year old peepers, but some websites use ungodly small text sizes, which is why I love the text zoom in Fx2. I can kick up the font size without having to scroll sideways. Of course as an Ubuntu Linux user I also have the option to use the Compiz Fusion zoom option available when it's needed, but it can be a kludge to read web pages, especially if it has to get used too often.

teoli2003 · Post by **teoli2003** » January 7th, 2008, 2:18 am

HardinComp wrote:I uses 1280x1024 specifically so I can have several windows open at once and be able to see at least parts of them at once. Many times I have Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, and possibly something else up, and I have them positioned so I can see them (and switch between them) as needed.

Maybe you should consider changing this behaviour. You could have all these apps opened fullscreen (or similar) and switch between them using Alt-TAB?

Just an idea to reclaim your screen real-estate...

BostonPeng · Post by **BostonPeng** » January 7th, 2008, 6:54 am

I actually bought a monitor that could support the way I wanted to work. I don't need to move my hands to Alt-Tab (or move my mouse to pick another workspace), and it's all within view.

[mantra]I wish I could get an explanation as to why we're even having to deal with this fundamental behavior of our preferred web browser. [/mantra] Because I can't find a single reason for it and it reeks of "me too-ism". Dear God, please don't tell me Mozilla has gotten to be so popular for being different only for it to want to be like the other browsers just to try to get a few more noobs. I'd be really disappointed if that's the case.

Just an idea to reclaim your screen real-estate...

When it comes to my browser and basic functions changing so drastically I may rather fight than switch, but if the fight looks futile I sure will look at other open source browsers available on Linux.

Frank Lion · Post by **Frank Lion** » January 7th, 2008, 8:22 am

HardinComp wrote:[mantra]I wish I could get an explanation as to why we're even having to deal with this fundamental behavior of our preferred web browser. [/mantra] Because I can't find a single reason for it and it reeks of "me too-ism". Dear God, please don't tell me Mozilla has gotten to be so popular for being different only for it to want to be like the other browsers just to try to get a few more noobs. I'd be really disappointed if that's the case.

Hmm, er, what are you talking about? You answered your own question here:

HardinComp wrote: but some websites use ungodly small text sizes...

If every website needs 'zoom', then you wouldn't need zoom at all, would you? You'd need to set a minimum font size. Zoom is there for just the sites that require...zoom.

Plus, and this seem to be a point that many of you choose to ignore, Firefox 3 beta has not been brought out just for your own personal delight and amusement, it is a beta application in the middle of development and the final functionality may change...or may not. Either way, someone has given this side some thought already, hence the site/domain specific preferences side.

HardinComp wrote:When it comes to my browser and basic functions changing so drastically...

Once again, what are you talking about? Firefox 2 does not have a persistent zoom across different websites.

HardinComp wrote:...I may rather fight than switch, but if the fight looks futile I sure will look at other open source browsers available on Linux.

Not only over dramatic rhetoric, but the 'I'm going back to IE!!!!' type threat has never cut much ice around here.