On Mac OS X, using shortcut/alias to launch profile manager?

[Jheriko]

When asked about how to open profile manager,
for Windows, most people would tell you to use the Start > Run method:

<i>Open the "Start" menu, select "Run" and type
firefox.exe -p</i>

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager#Windows


However, there is also <b>another</b> method:

take a shortcut of Firefox, rightclick > properties, add in the Target box after the URL: " -p" (no quotes), click OK

I find this to be a <b>faster</b> method if you must do it often.


Now, for Mac OS X, I know there is an equivalent of the Start > Run method:

<i>launch the Terminal (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal) and enter
/Applications/firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -p</i>

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager#Mac_OS_X


However, is there an equivalent of the shortcut method?

[JaredM]

I'm not very good at the mac yet, but could you teach the automatron thingy to do it?

[casey1992]

I've been looking to do that for a long time. I would think a shell script would do it and possibly also an Applescript. The thing is, though, I don't really know much about either of those things.

[Jim D]

The problem is, there's nothing in MacOS corresponding to the shortcut.

Double-clicking the Firefox app basically does
"open /Applications/Firefox.app"

which in turns does something like:
"/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox"

The latter command is where you would add the "-p", but the command itself it not available to you the way it is in Windows properties.

You could certainly define a shell script, but the script would need to be exectued inside a shell (e.g., a terminal). In order to turn it into a standalone executable, you would probably need to wrap it as something like a command. That's beyond my understanding. I find it easiest just to go to a shell window (which I always have open, and enter the command to start the profile manager.

[RobertJ]

This can be done quite simply with an AppleScript. The script is

Code: Select all

Shell "/Applications/firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin -P"

You can place the AppleScript in a convenient place.

[casey1992]

I'm getting an error when I try to save the Applescript (or check the syntax).

Script Editor highlights <em>Shell "</em> and tells me:<blockquote><em>A " can't go after this identifier.</em></blockquote>

[RobertJ]

You need to have scripting additions "OS X PowerAddOns Lite.osax" installed.

You can download it here

There is also a command

do shell script {unix command}

which requires scripting additions "StandardAdditions.osax" which is

here

I haven't tried this one

[casey1992]

OS X PowerAddOns Lite.osax works like a charm. It doesn't even require a restart.

[User5910]

This works in AppleScript without any add-ons in macOS Catalina:

Code: Select all

do shell script "/Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox -p 'your profile name'"

To launch it by double-clicking in the Finder do the following:

1. Save the script - File>Save
2. Export as Application - File>Export..., File Format: Application (you may want to use a different name than in the previous step so you know which one to click on)

[LIMPET235]

Hi,
Would you please...check the date/s before posting next time.

This thread died in Nov. 2005.

Thanks, but I doubt if anyone is still interested or monitoring this topic.

Locking due to very old age.