Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

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JYLD
Posts: 305
Joined: July 18th, 2019, 9:59 am

Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by JYLD »

Thunderbird 60.9.1

In the past I've used the Developer's Toolbox many times to help write some of my custom CSS for my userChrome.css file. I haven't had the need to use it in a while. Today I tried to start the Developer's Toolbox and all I get is a window with no controls and two lines of text as follows:
Connecting to localhost:2411, ws: false
Start protocol client for connection
I've noted that the localhost port number changes with each time I try to start Developer's Toolbox. I've never had this problem in the past. The Developer's Toolbox would just start up no problems. My setup is the same, and hasn't changed. I did move my setup to a new computer recently, but the entire setup, hard drive image, profile, and registry settings, etc. all moved to the new computer.

It seems something has changed but I have no idea what.

I'd really like to get this working. Does anyone have any ideas about what may have changed or how to fix this?

Thank you.
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tanstaafl
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Posts: 49647
Joined: July 30th, 2003, 5:06 pm

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by tanstaafl »

I think it defaults to using port 6000. Do you have some local proxy (due to a anti-virus scanner or some internet security software) that might use port 2411?

Try launching the developers toolbox from a command line in windows console. That way you can pass command line arguments that specify what port to use etc.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/doc ... ox_Desktop is written for Firefox but I assume you can adapt that for thunderbird. You could also browse the issues at https://github.com/mdn/content/issues to see if you find anything similar.
JYLD
Posts: 305
Joined: July 18th, 2019, 9:59 am

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by JYLD »

Thanks for the response "tanstaafl". I'll give your tips a try. I'm using same router and anti-virrus I used for years when this worked no problem. It may be that something has changed in a firware update on my router that is causing this problem. I'll see if I can get it going with the command line startup of the toolbox. The config editor says the port to be used is 6000 but it doesn't seem to use that port in the messages I keep getting when it doesn't startup.
siffemoz
Posts: 250
Joined: January 29th, 2016, 4:36 pm

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by siffemoz »

Did you get it working? If not, try deleting the chrome_debugger_profile folder in your TB profile folder.
morat
Posts: 6404
Joined: February 3rd, 2009, 6:29 pm

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by morat »

I would test with a fresh portable install with a newsgroup account.

Your Name: John Smith
Email Address: user@example.net
Account Name: Mozilla
Newsgroup server: news.mozilla.org
Newsgroup: mozilla.announce

Thunderbird Portable
http://sourceforge.net/projects/portabl ... 2C%20P.E./
Last edited by morat on April 14th, 2021, 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JYLD
Posts: 305
Joined: July 18th, 2019, 9:59 am

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by JYLD »

Well it doesn't seem it could be my router as my wife's computer on the same router can start the developer's toolbox without problem.

Siffemoz, thanks for trying to help but deleting the chrome_debugger folder in my profile didn't solve the problem.

Morat I'll give the portable install a try and report back tomorrow when I get a chance. Thank you for the suggestion.
JYLD
Posts: 305
Joined: July 18th, 2019, 9:59 am

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by JYLD »

Morat, I installed Thunderbird Portable and set up a NNTP account for Mozilla as you suggested. I subscribed to a few of the newsgroups while I was at it. There is certainly a lot of information there. Had no idea that was available so thank you for that pointer.

Unfortunately, the portable version of Thunderbird won't start the Developer's Toolbox either. It stops at the same place as my regular thunderbird. I've tried uninstalling my antivirus software (didn't help). The only meaningful difference between my wife's computer where Developer Tools using TB 60.9.1 works and mine where it doesn't is hers is Windows 7 64 bit and mine is Windows 7 32 bit.

I'm just stumped at this point. But thanks to all for trying to help.
morat
Posts: 6404
Joined: February 3rd, 2009, 6:29 pm

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by morat »

I'll test that version when I get a chance.

P.S.

I think the news.mozilla.org server is going away.

Mailing list migration
http://groups.google.com/g/mozilla.anno ... lOwP_riDBs
JYLD
Posts: 305
Joined: July 18th, 2019, 9:59 am

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by JYLD »

Thanks Morat, and thanks for the tip about the news group migrating to another platform. Not sure why so many admins dislike newsgroups. Newsgroups always seemed like an efficient way to participate in various discussions. I guess that comes from my being old enough to have done compuserve for years on text screens using Ozcis as my reader.
morat
Posts: 6404
Joined: February 3rd, 2009, 6:29 pm

Re: Problem Starting Developer's Toolbox

Post by morat »

I got the Developer Toolbox working with the following setup.

Thunderbird Portable 60.9.1
Windows 7 SP1 32-bit

Here is the Developer Toolbox connection dialog...
Incoming Connection

An incoming request to permit remote debugging connection was detected. A remote client can take complete control over your browser!

Client Endpoint: 127.0.0.1:49327
Server Endpoint: 127.0.0.1:49323

Allow connection?
Opening the Developer Toolbox
http://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Tools ... er_toolbox

More info on preferences
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... #p14866214
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