Editing configuration: Difference between revisions

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Mozilla applications are highly customizable, and there are a number of standard ways to change their appearance and behaviour. Basic settings can be changed using the application's dialog boxes. The main Options or Preferences dialogs can be reached from the "Tools" or "Edit" menus. (See [[menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac]].)
Mozilla applications are highly customizable, and there are a number of ways to change their appearance and behavior, such as through [https://addons.mozilla.org extensions and themes].    Basic settings can be changed using the application's own dialog boxes. The main Options or Preferences dialogs can be reached from the "Tools" or "Edit" menus (see [[menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac]]).  


==Modifying preferences—adding, removing and setting==
This article describes more advanced methods of customizing Mozilla applications, by editing the configuration files.
To make more advanced changes to the application’s behaviour—in particular, if you have been instructed to “set a preference”—you should either edit the [[user.js file]], or use the [[about:config]] interface. Note that whilst it is often quicker to use about:config, editing the "user.js" file has the advantage of portability: your preferences will never be overridden, and they can be transferred to a different profile, or backed up for safe keeping.


==Modifying appearance==
==Modifying preferences==
To modify the way in which Web pages and e-mails are displayed, you should edit the [[userContent.css]] file. To modify the appearance of the application itself, you should edit the [[userChrome.css]] file.
Preference settings that are modified from default values are saved in the [[prefs.js file]]. Instead of directly editing this file, Mozilla applications include a configuration editor that can be accessed from the application interface.


==Editor settings==
=== [[about:config]] ===
To edit configuration files, you might need to check your text editor's settings so that your editor saves files using the correct file type and character encoding.
To modify a preference in a browser application such as Firefox or SeaMonkey, type '''about:config''' into the Location Bar (address bar)  and press Enter. In Thunderbird, choose [[Menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac|Tools –> Options]] –> Advanced –> General and press the Config Editor... button.


===File type===
You will be brought to a long list of [[:Category:Preferences|preferences]]. To change an existing preference, double click on it. To add a new preference, context click (right-click on most systems) anywhere and choose New and the type of preference. You will be prompted for the preference name and initial value. For more detailed information, see the [[about:config]] article.
Ensure that your editor saves plain text files.


Some editors can ''only'' save plain text files. These editors have no
While it's easier to use about:config for a single profile, it may be easier to use a [[user.js file]] if you need to make the same changes in many profiles (see the linked article for more information).
setting for the type of file.


Some editors can save various types of file.  In this case, ensure that your
=== Developer Toolbar ===
editor saves configuration files as plain text.
Starting in Firefox 16 [https://hacks.mozilla.org/2012/08/new-firefox-command-line-helps-you-develop-faster/], now you can modify preferences from [https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Tools/GCLI Developer Toolbar] (Tools -> Web Developer -> Developer Toolbar) using the command line
pref set ''<preference name>'' ''<value>''
for example
pref set [[javascript.enabled]] false
To reset a preference to its default value, use command line
  pref reset ''<preference name>''
To show current value of a preference, use command line
pref show ''<preference name>''


Some editors recognize file names ending in <tt>.css</tt> and <tt>.js</tt>
==Modifying appearance==
as CSS and JavaScript files respectively.  These editors automatically save
To modify the way in which Web pages and e-mails are displayed, you should edit the [[userContent.css]] file. To modify the appearance of the application itself, you should edit the [[userChrome.css]] file.
these files as plain text.
 
===Character encoding===
Configuration files use the UTF-8 character encoding (also known as character
set or charset), but you do not always need to use a text editor that supports
UTF-8.
 
For most purposes you only need to use basic English letters and symbols
([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII ASCII]) in your configuration files.
In these cases, you can use almost any
character encoding except Unicode.  If your text editor does not have any
setting for character encoding, then you can probably use it for ASCII
characters.
 
For some purposes you need to type accents or other characters that are not
ASCII.  If your text editor is set to use UTF-8, then simply type the  
characters that you need.
 
If your editor does not support UTF-8, or if you cannot type the special
characters that you need, then encode each special character using its
hexadecimal Unicode representation.  In <tt>.css</tt> files, use a backslash
followed by hexadecimal digits.  In <tt>.js</tt> files, use <tt>\u</tt>
followed by exactly four hexadecimal digits.
 
For example, you can encode an information sign followed by a non-breaking
space like this:
 
''In <tt>userContent.css</tt>:''
:link:before {content: "\2139\a0";}


''In <tt>user.js</tt>:''
==How to edit configuration files==
  user_pref("mailnews.reply_header_ondate", "\u2139\u00a0 On %s");
===ChromEdit extension===
The [http://webdesigns.ms11.net/chromeditp.html ChromEdit Plus] extension provides a convenient way of editing your configuration files.
ChromEdit Plus is an unofficial, updated version of the original [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/17 ChromEdit] extension [http://cdn.mozdev.org/chromedit/], with more features.
<!-- The [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/17 ChromEdit] extension [http://cdn.mozdev.org/chromedit/] provides a convenient way of editing your configuration files.  As of June 2006, ChromEdit is not officially available for current Mozilla application versions. -->


===Checking your editor===
===Manual editing===
To check your text editor, create a plain text file named <tt>test.txt</tt>.
If instead you choose to edit your configuration files using your own text editor, you should consult the [[Editing configuration/Manual editing | Manual editing]] advice.
In the file, type some of the accents and special characters that you need.
Save the file somewhere on your computer.


Open the file in your web browser.  For example, in Firefox choose File &ndash;
==Troubleshooting==
Open File... and select the file, or drag the file's icon and drop it in
If you experience problems when editing configuration files, consult the [[Editing configuration/Troubleshooting | Troubleshooting]] article.
Firefox.


Set your browser's character encoding to UTF-8.  For example, in Firefox choose
==See also==
View &ndash; Character Encoding &ndash; Unicode (UTF-8).  Check that your
*[[Modify Thunderbird settings]]
browser displays the file correctly with this setting.
*[[Resetting preferences]]


==External links==
==External links==
<ul>
* [http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/edit Editing Configuration Files (Thunderbird Help)]  
<li>The [https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=17 ChromEdit] extension provides a convenient way of editing configuration files.
* [http://www.mozilla.org/unix/customizing.html Customizing Mozilla]  
<p>''At the time of writing (May 2006) ChromeEdit is not officially available for current versions of Mozilla aapplications, but an unofficial [http://home.iitk.ac.in/~anupamsr/chromedit.xml updated version] is available.''</p></li>
 
<li>The [https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=2108 Stylish extension] provides another way to change styles.  It does not use userContent.css or userChrome.css, and changes take effect without restarting the application.</li>
</ul>
 
* [https://addons.mozilla.org Extensions and themes] provide many additional features and allow you to change the way your application looks.
* [http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/edit Editing Configuration Files] at Firefox Help
* [http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/edit Editing Configuration Files] at Thunderbird Help




[[Category:Configuration]]
[[Category:Configuration]]

Latest revision as of 14:52, 19 July 2016

Mozilla applications are highly customizable, and there are a number of ways to change their appearance and behavior, such as through extensions and themes. Basic settings can be changed using the application's own dialog boxes. The main Options or Preferences dialogs can be reached from the "Tools" or "Edit" menus (see menu differences in Windows, Linux, and Mac).

This article describes more advanced methods of customizing Mozilla applications, by editing the configuration files.

Modifying preferences

Preference settings that are modified from default values are saved in the prefs.js file. Instead of directly editing this file, Mozilla applications include a configuration editor that can be accessed from the application interface.

about:config

To modify a preference in a browser application such as Firefox or SeaMonkey, type about:config into the Location Bar (address bar) and press Enter. In Thunderbird, choose Tools –> Options –> Advanced –> General and press the Config Editor... button.

You will be brought to a long list of preferences. To change an existing preference, double click on it. To add a new preference, context click (right-click on most systems) anywhere and choose New and the type of preference. You will be prompted for the preference name and initial value. For more detailed information, see the about:config article.

While it's easier to use about:config for a single profile, it may be easier to use a user.js file if you need to make the same changes in many profiles (see the linked article for more information).

Developer Toolbar

Starting in Firefox 16 [1], now you can modify preferences from Developer Toolbar (Tools -> Web Developer -> Developer Toolbar) using the command line 

pref set <preference name> <value>

for example 

pref set javascript.enabled false

To reset a preference to its default value, use command line 

pref reset <preference name>

To show current value of a preference, use command line 

pref show <preference name>

Modifying appearance

To modify the way in which Web pages and e-mails are displayed, you should edit the userContent.css file. To modify the appearance of the application itself, you should edit the userChrome.css file.

How to edit configuration files

ChromEdit extension

The ChromEdit Plus extension provides a convenient way of editing your configuration files. ChromEdit Plus is an unofficial, updated version of the original ChromEdit extension [2], with more features.

Manual editing

If instead you choose to edit your configuration files using your own text editor, you should consult the Manual editing advice.

Troubleshooting

If you experience problems when editing configuration files, consult the Troubleshooting article.

See also

External links

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