Run beta and release at the same time ?

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bollix47
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Post by bollix47 »

For what it's worth:

I have set MOZ_NO_REMOTE to 1 in the environment variables

My shortcuts are as follows:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p default
"C:\Program Files\Deer_Park\firefox.exe" -p BetaTest

Both work with their different profiles and both can be running at the same time.
Old Greg S
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Post by Old Greg S »

bollix47 wrote:For what it's worth:

I have set MOZ_NO_REMOTE to 1 in the environment variables

My shortcuts are as follows:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p default
"C:\Program Files\Deer_Park\firefox.exe" -p BetaTest

Both work with their different profiles and both can be running at the same time.

It appears you are using two different versions of Firefox which I know you can do, but according to ed's page one could use the same version of Firefox and use two different profiles and run at the same time. I think I'm understanding that correctly,lol. If two profiles can't be run at the same time with the same version of Firefox, then the information about doing it would mean nothing more than what can already be done and that's creating a new profile, start one profile, close and then start the other. The only other thing I can think of that is keeping mine from working is that I haven't restarted windows yet after adding MOZ_NO_REMOTE 1. Would I need to do that to make it work?
bollix47
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Post by bollix47 »

okay I created another shortcut for 1.07 as follows:

"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p test

was able to run it and default at the same time

I didn't restart windows after adding MOZ_NO_REMOTE 1

Not sure if it makes a difference but I don't have quotes surrounding the profile name.

EDIT: just tried with quotes and it still worked
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Vectorspace
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Post by Vectorspace »

Normally when you try to run a second firefox.exe process, it just gets redirected to a new window/tab in the existing firefox.exe process.
MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1 means that when you run a second firefox.exe process, it stays a separate process and needs a separate profile.
The flaw is that MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1 means all new firefox.exe processes will want a separate profile, including links from external applications and when you double-click a Firefox shortcut. It will also affect other Mozilla aps, like Thunderbird.
If you set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1 in Windows Environment Variables, then it is always on.
The batch file method means that the variable is only 1 when you want a new firefox.exe process to start - links from external applications and the like will be redirected to the most recently started profile, instead of bringing up Profile Manager.


I have a full solution to running a release and a beta using the batch file method - I use it and it does work:

First, remove MOZ_NO_REMOVE from Windows Environment Variables and restart windows (to ensure that it is gone)

I installed 1.5 Beta 1 to a different location (C:\Program Files\Firefox 1.5 Beta 1\) to 1.0.6 (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\).

I used Profile Manager to create a separate profile for 1.5 Beta 1. The profile was called "Beta1" I did not start the profile.

Then, I modified the target in Firefox 1.0.6's shortcut to read this:
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p "default"
That shortcut now starts FF 1.0.6 with the profile named default.

And I modified 1.5 Beta 1's shortcut target to read this:
"C:\Program Files\Firefox 1.5 Beta 1\firefox.exe" -p "Beta1"
That shortcut now starts 1.5 Beta 1 with the profile named 'Beta1'.

Copy this text into a batch file, running it will start 1.5 Beta 1 even if Firefox 1.0.6 is already running:

Code: Select all

@echo off
set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1
start "" "C:\Program Files\Firefox 1.5 Beta 1\firefox.exe" -p "Beta1"
set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=0


And a version to start 1.0.6 even if 1.5B1 is already running:

Code: Select all

@echo off
set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1
start "" "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -p "default"
set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=0

If you want batch files to start Profile Manager for one of the builds, just remove the profile name from the above examples. With this method you can run more then two instances at the same time - I have had two 1.0.6 profiles and a 1.5B1 profile running simultaneously using this method.

The are (solvable) issues:
When you just run firefox.exe (like an external application will do) it will start whichever is your default browser, but it will start with whichever profile was last run from profile manager. So, make sure that FF 1.0.6's profile is the one selected in profile manager. or you might get FF1.0.6 started with 1.5 Beta 1's profile. Just start FF1.0.6's profile manager and start it's profile, and that profile will be selected in profile manager as the default.
This is assuming that FF1.0.6 is your default browser, If 1.5B1 is, make sure that the Beta1 profile is the default.

You can start Firefox by just typing firefox.exe into Start>Run, or by typing start firefox.exe into a command prompt - no path.
If you install FF1.0.6 first and 1.5 Beta 1 second, 1.5 Beta 1 will take over this so that it will start 1.5 Beta 1 instead of Firefox 1.0.6. You need the version that is started by this to be the same version that is set as the default browser, otherwise again you will get one version using the other's profile. The simple solution would be to just reinstall 1.0.6.

Alternatively, there is a registry entry you can change to set this back if you wish:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > App Paths > firefox.exe
In that location, change the values of the (Default) and Path keys to match your original Firefox installation instead of 1.5 Beta 1's
If you are not familiar with editing the registry then do not try.
Last edited by Vectorspace on August 26th, 2006, 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Old Greg S
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Post by Old Greg S »

Roger77 wrote:That's the way I read it.

Well it works finally! I had a static FF icon on the desktop which when right clicked had a menu for all the abouts and some other options as well. Thinking this might have an affect on it, I undid it with a reg file, created a new shortcut and it still didn't work. I then deleted the _MOZ_NO_REMOTE and re did it and it works now.
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dickvl
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Post by dickvl »

I was wondering: there is only one pluginreg.dat in the "%APPDATA%\Mozilla\Firefox\" folder.
If you have different versions of Fx/DP and not all of them have the same plugins installed, will that cause problems? When is pluginreg.dat recreated?
Lost User 138324
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Post by Lost User 138324 »

Hey, Vectorspace, can you tell us more about removing MOZ_NO_REMOVE from Windows Environment. How do we find it? Tried windows+pause/break --> advanced --> environment variables......but couldnt find it there. Could you be a bit more specific? ANd what else happens if you remove it? What is its function??
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dickvl
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Post by dickvl »

It is better not to put the environment variable there, because that will force a new profile for every link you click outside Firefox: in your email program or in windows explorer.
Use a batch file instead to open both versions of Fx:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... 67#1757367
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... 68#1725368
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Vectorspace
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Post by Vectorspace »

Firstly, it's MOZ_NO_REMOTE - you said MOZ_NO_REMOVE

Secondly, the variable does not exist unless you yourself add it manually to environment variables.

When you start Firefox, a process called firefox.exe is run. Every time you try to run a second instance, you get a new window attached to the original instance instead. If this variable was set when the second process is run, it will stay as a second process and you will have two instances of firefox.exe.

But unless you added this variable yourself, then it won't be there.
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Steffen
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Post by Steffen »

With Firefox 2 (Gecko 1.8.1), you no longer need to set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1. Bug 325509 introduced a -no-remote switch with the same effect:
firefox.exe -no-remote [-P profilename]
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dickvl
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Post by dickvl »

The -no-remote switch even seems to work better: if I start Fx 2 with that switch then I do not need the environment variable to start Fx 1.5.
That wasn't possible with Fx 1.5.0.x and Fx 1.0.x.
Racer
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Post by Racer »

This is great news. Thanks for the update on -no-remote. I would like to see this info in the firefox builds forum faq.
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Post by Lost User 138324 »

I'm running the 1.5.0.8 build alongside latest mmoy build. Starting both from my beloved Yz dock. Property of dock items as follow:

Name: deer park mmoy
Link to: C:\Program Files (x86)\Firefox Community Edition\firefox.exe
Arguments: -P ''5em6apib.peaks mmoy''
Work folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Firefox Community Edition\

As you can see my mmoy build starts with prompting me with the profile manager. But i would like it to start with the specified profile (5em6apib.peaks mmoy). What is wrong? Its not to much trouble. But then i have to choose the profile and open the mmoy build.

Then afterwards, when opening 1.5.0.8 build it opens it with the last choosen profile automatically. Meaning i have to start my default firefox with the profile manager, then choosing the default profile (since this is a different one). When i close it i can open it without having to choose the profile i want. Then it automatically opens with the default profile.

Solution anyone?
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dickvl
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Post by dickvl »

You have to use the name you see in the profile manager to start Fx with a specific profile. Not the name of the folder on disk.
Target: "c:\path\firefox.exe" -P "Profile_Name" (the Profile_Name is case sensitive).
If the profile isn't found then you get the PM.
Shortcut to a Specific Profile (KB)
Malheiro
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Post by Malheiro »

the -no-remote switch makes batch files no longer necessary, but there's still the external links issue pointed by Vectorspace.

as i'm struggling with bug 306340, i run a previous version (FF1.5.0.8) for development purposes, alongside with FF2 as default browser, which features i prefer to use. so i need links from an external program (xhtml editor) to open in the FF1.5 session while running FF2 simultaneously.

selecting a profile in the profile manager at start up won't do, because the external links pointing to the FF1.5 exe will either prompt me for an exclusive profile in a new FF1.5 session (if i had set MOZ_NO_REMOTE=1 to both FF1.2 and FF2 running sessions), or just open in the FF2 session (if it was opened without -no-remote), possibly the case of one version using the other's profile.

the workaround i found was to run FF2 with the -no-remote switch and run FF1.5 with another profile and *without* MOZ_NO_REMOTE or -no-remote. as far as i can understand, this will "lock" the FF2 session and the external links now open in FF1.5.

anyone has a better solution? i'm not sure if this is the right way to go.

cheers
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