SessionSaver

What is SessionSaver?

SessionSaver is a Firefox and Mozilla Suite extension that will auto-track and restore your browser exactly- as you left it -- every startup, every time. Not even a crash can phase it: window-positions, tab-histories, cookies + scrolling -- all saved. It has a host of expert options, including session-storage, which allow a high degree of flexibility.

The latest version of SessionSaver is here. The official home at the moment is this thread on MozillaZine forums.

This is a wiki page, anyone should feel free to add and correct information here.

SessionSaver prefs

Pref	Meaning
autoload	should SessionSaver restore every startup?
autoload.branch	..if so, which session should be restored?
crashload	should crashed sessions be restored (overriding the autoload/branch settings)?
orbiter	[When Set, This Indicates A Crashed Session-Restore] - which session crashed?
shutdown	did the browser properly shutdown? (if not, it crashed)
bluefyre	would the user like to be prompted..
bluefyreflip	..at "Startup", "Shutdown", or "Both"?
dontwarn	multiple values in a space-collapsed array -- mainly for minor ui-persistence
shutdownsave	should a backup-copy of the current session be saved, on shutdown?
shutdownsave.branch	..if so, saved where?
snapdropdown	should SnapBack show a 10-item dropdown, or just sequentially access?
snaptabs	enable SnapBack for closed-tabs?
snapwindows	enable SnapBack for closed-windows?
overwritewindows	should existing windows be re-used, when manually restoring a saved-session?
overwritetabs	..if so, should their tabs be re-used too?
concatenate	should sessions with multiple windows, be restored into just one?
nofx	disable graphics fade-in, for SnapBack + session-restore?
willfocus	immediately focus SnapBack tabs?
filemenu	show Basic Capture + Restore, in the File-menu?
prefs_set	which version of SessionSaver is currently running?

Sessions

Deleting a saved session

Right-click on the saved session name in the "Tools -> SessionSaver" menu, or hold Shift key and left-click.

Where is info on sessions stored?

The sessions are stored in the prefs.js file in your profile folder.

Migrating saved sessions

Saved sessions are stored in prefs.js file inside your profile folder, in prefs sessionsaver.static.kuamer.*. So if you want to migrate a saved session named "kuamer", follow these steps:

1. Close all Firefox windows.
2. Navigate to your profile folder and open "prefs.js" file there.
3. Copy all lines that start with user_pref("sessionsaver.static.kuamer. to a separate file.
4. Copy those lines to the prefs.js file in the profile on another computer. (Be sure to exit Firefox first!)

You can import other SessionSaver preferences this way too.

rue's comments

(about the request to add import/export feature to SessionSaver)

For import / export: can someone offer real-world uses ( +supporting reasons) where this would be applied? -- If you want remote syncing between terminals, exports aren't the way to go. If you want backups, a generic solution to copy your prefs.js file is all you need.

Disabling annoying features

Bringing back the close window confirmation

SessionSaver ignores the value of browser.tabs.warnOnClose pref and closes the window without confirmation, since all tabs there are saved. To disable this feature, change this in about:config (no quotes needed):

"sessionsaver.settings.dontwarn" -> "1 1 1"

Disable fade effect

Just set sessionsaver.settings.nofx pref to true (in about:config).

What is SnapBack

From rue:

SnapBack is unlimited undo, for closed tabs and windows. A SnapBack item shows in the Tools' menu, after any tab or window-closure.
.
For tabs, the position is restored, if tab-ordering wasn't altered (eg. by miniT-drag); if ordering did change, the tab is simply appended.
.
For windows, everything is restored as with full sessions. However, since SnapBack is temporal, restored windows lose their previous SnapBack-memory of tabs. Likewise, restarting the browser [ ie; opening a new instance of Firefox ] will clear SnapBack [ or, rather; start with nothing in the SnapBack "memory" ](*) for [ any such new instance of Firefox ](*).

(*) ( -- as it is currently understood. Any necessary/ appropriate corrections here would be appreciated --)

Configuring toolbar buttons

You should use Customizable Toolbar Buttons extension for that [1]. It's a bit hard to setup for a regular user, so step-by-step instructions should go here. Somewhat technical tutorial on the extension. Future versions of SessionSaver will auto-configure the extension if it's installed.

Configuring keyboard shortcuts

The keyconfig extension can be used to configure keyboard shortcuts for SessionSaver. Please refer to the (certainly not comprehensive) list of shortcuts you can configure for SessionSaver. Future versions of SessionSaver will auto-configure the extension if it's installed.