Portable Firefox 1.0.7

[CritterNYC]

Please Note: Portable Firefox 1.5 has been released, as announced here:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=1937378

This thread will remain open for users still using the 1.0.7 version, though.

You can also head to the Portable Firefox Support forum at PortableApps.com:
http://portableapps.com/forums/support/portable_firefox

==========

I've just released Portable Firefox 1.0.7. This update simply updates the included Firefox package to 1.0.7. For the unfamiliar, Portable Firefox allows you to take Firefox along with all your extensions, bookmarks, settings, etc along with you on a removable drive.

Download Portable Firefox 1.0.7 Beta:
http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_firefox/

The Portable Firefox Launcher 1.1.0 is also available:
http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portab ... /#launcher

Please post any issues you find to this thread.

For anyone interested, Portable Firefox: Deer Park 1.5b1 is also available:
http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portab ... deer_park/

If you like Portable Firefox, you may also be interested in <a href="http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_thunderbird/">Portable Thunderbird</a>, <a href="http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_sunbird/">Portable Sunbird</a>, <a href="http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portable_nvu/">Portable NVU</a>, <a href="http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/portable_openoffice/">Portable OpenOffice</a> and <a href="http://johnhaller.com/jh/useful_stuff/portable_abiword/">Portable AbiWord</a>.

Regards,
John

[CritterNYC]

This beta launcher has been updated:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... 17#1778317

A new version of the Portable Firefox launcher is available. This one adds in a couple new features to the release version:

- support for extensions using file: added (CustomizeGoogle, GreaseMonkey, etc)
- added in directories, ini options and environment calls so Firefox now uses included directories for pluginregistry, etc... meaning that no files will be left behind on PCs that Portable Firefox is run on.

The new INI options are:
AppDataDirectory=appdata
UserProfileDirectory=userprofile

Those are the defaults. The directories are included in the ZIP and will be included in the next PFF release. Even with these new features, the launcher can still be dropped into an existing install... you just won't get the added AppData and UserProfile features without creating those directories. If you use a custom INI, though, this new launcher probably won't work without updating the INI and adding the directories in.

http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/portab ... _beta2.zip

INSTALLATION
Unzip the above file and then copy your firefox and profile directories over from a full install of Portable Firefox.

KNOWN ISSUES
Unfortunately, there is a bug in Firefox where it uses the USERPROFILE directory and then hard codes an Application Data directory onto that. Due to this, we have to use USERPROFILE instead of APPDATA. (Ideally, we would just use APPDATA) The side effect to this is that when you attempt to save a file from within Firefox and click the desktop button, it will say there is no desktop at X:\PortableFirefox\userprofile\

Ultimately, we will have to decide which is preferable:
1. Writing the pluginreg.dat and associated directories to the local machine within Documents and Settings
2. Leaving no files behind on the local machine but having slightly more reads from the portable drive and having an invalid Desktop button when attempting to save a file.

In the case of Firefox, I think #1 may be the less annoying option. In some of the other portable apps that have this same issue, it becomes more complicated as they store their preferences on the local drive in the #1 scenario.

Please give the new features a try and let me know how it works for you.
Regards,
John

[TryingToDeleteAcc]

As mentioned in the 1.0.6 thread, I think the footprint let on the local machine is mostly unnoticed unless someone is specifically looking for it.

If I am the only person who thinks the down sides of the fix (The "Desktop" issue, and the increased reads/writes to the ThumbDrive) then I would say leave it and I will work around it. No point in adding complexity to the launcher to please a minor number of people. But if there are more llamas like myself, then maybe Crit will be able to add the option via the ini file to save the files on the local machine.

If the second option is taken, is there a way to have the launcher kill the created files (on the local machine) when Firefox closes?

[CritterNYC]

As mentioned in the 1.0.6 thread, I think the footprint let on the local machine is mostly unnoticed unless someone is specifically looking for it.

If I am the only person who thinks the down sides of the fix (The "Desktop" issue, and the increased reads/writes to the ThumbDrive) then I would say leave it and I will work around it. No point in adding complexity to the launcher to please a minor number of people. But if there are more llamas like myself, then maybe Crit will be able to add the option via the ini file to save the files on the local machine.

If the second option is taken, is there a way to have the launcher kill the created files (on the local machine) when Firefox closes?

It bugs a few people... including me... that it leaves something behind... so I'd like to do away with the pluginreg.dat. There are lots of people that don't care, but there are enough that do that it is an issue. Especially if you're running it on a machine you shouldn't be. Granted, it will still write a few things to the registry.

You can actually disable it now, if you'd like. Even if you're using an INI. Just keep it set as appdata and userprofile within the INI and then delete those directories. If the launcher can't find the directory, it won't set the environment variable.

Personally, I'm leaning toward keeping it as an option (off by default)... at least until the APPDATA bug in Firefox is fixed.

Regards,
John

[FoxKat]

Damn,

Just got done typing into a box on the 1.0.6 thread, hit enter, and all was lost due to the thread closing WHILE I was typing!

Well I guess I'll have to type again.

I can not get the PortableFirefox to work properly from the USB Thumbdrive at work on a laptop connected to a domain. I dont' know if it's strictly due to the domain, or if it's a laptop problem. The same installation on the Thumbdrive works perfectly when plugged into the desktop at home, but that desktop also has the full installation on it, so that may be part of the reason it works there.

All I did to install it on the Thumbdrive is create a "PortableApps" directory on the root of the USB drive, and then drag the entire folder from the .zip in to the "PortableApps" subdirectory.

When I run the loader, I get a Firefox window in the browser, but it's totally white, and an error appears "The document contains no data". Any attempt to browse to ANY URL results in the same error.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[CritterNYC]

Damn,

Just got done typing into a box on the 1.0.6 thread, hit enter, and all was lost due to the thread closing WHILE I was typing!

Well I guess I'll have to type again.

I can not get the PortableFirefox to work properly from the USB Thumbdrive at work on a laptop connected to a domain. I dont' know if it's strictly due to the domain, or if it's a laptop problem. The same installation on the Thumbdrive works perfectly when plugged into the desktop at home, but that desktop also has the full installation on it, so that may be part of the reason it works there.

All I did to install it on the Thumbdrive is create a "PortableApps" directory on the root of the USB drive, and then drag the entire folder from the .zip in to the "PortableApps" subdirectory.

When I run the loader, I get a Firefox window in the browser, but it's totally white, and an error appears "The document contains no data". Any attempt to browse to ANY URL results in the same error.

Any help would be appreciated.

Try it on another PC. If it works there, it's your work PC preventing something from loading off the key. If it doesn't work there, then you may have loaded an incompatible extension.

[tanguyr]

A new version of the Portable Firefox launcher is available. This one adds in a couple new features to the release version:

- support for extensions using file: added (CustomizeGoogle, GreaseMonkey, etc)

hallelujah - bless you my son!

If ever there was a match made in heaven, it has to be greasemonkey and pff.

big warm thanks for all the hard work you've put into this project.

[aewold]

Pop-up browser function windows (such as Add Bookmark, Password Security Check, etc.) are not closing when the OK button is pressed.

Also, I am receiving security warning message for my profile on startup of USB Portable Firefox 1.0.7 (and 1.0.6 when it was in use.) Any reason for this? I am using a Guest priviledged account for my browsing, but haven't had this error message start until this past week or so.

[q8cl83o9ev]

I downloaded the beta for the new PFF launcher, and I wondered what to put in the new folders under the portable firefox directory? What should I copy into both of them? Thanks you. I'm using the new launcher for the extesnion capability.

Thanks you,
Enrique

(Sorry if mine grammer is not too beautiful)

[CritterNYC]

I downloaded the beta for the new PFF launcher, and I wondered what to put in the new folders under the portable firefox directory? What should I copy into both of them? Thanks you. I'm using the new launcher for the extesnion capability.

It's a test version for the more tech-oriented, so it's just the launcher and directory structure. You need to also download the full 1.0.7 package and copy the firefox and profile subdirectories into the test launcher layout. If that's not enough info for you, then you should wait until the launcher is ready for a full public release.

[CritterNYC]

Pop-up browser function windows (such as Add Bookmark, Password Security Check, etc.) are not closing when the OK button is pressed.

Also, I am receiving security warning message for my profile on startup of USB Portable Firefox 1.0.7 (and 1.0.6 when it was in use.) Any reason for this? I am using a Guest priviledged account for my browsing, but haven't had this error message start until this past week or so.

Sound like a profile corruption issue or a security permissions issue on your box. Try using a fresh download of 1.0.7 in the same location and see if that works. (Backup or rename your current copy first) If it does, then your old profile is corrupted. If it doesn't, then it is a permissions issue on your box you'll have to resolve.

[stevelam]

Arghh sorry for not posting recently Moz seem to have stopped e-mailing me with replies.

[TryingToDeleteAcc]

lol Steve welcome to the party. Seems they did the same to me and crit as well.

[Wesmosis1]

wo , congratulations man for this release

[muesli_tv]

it seems to me that i have to click portablefirefox.exe twice to get it started :-/