Editing configuration/Troubleshooting

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up to Editing configuration

If you make changes to a configuration file but the changes seem to have no effect, here are some common causes that you can check:

  • You edited the wrong file, or created the file in the wrong place.
  • Check that you found the profile that is actually being used by the application, not some other profile, and not the application's installation directory.

    If you are editing userChrome.css or userContent.css, check that you are saving files in the chrome folder in the profile, and not in the profile directory itself.

    To confirm that you are editing the right userChrome file in the right place, make a backup copy of the file. Now deliberately type some nonsense in the file. Restart the application and look for errors in the JavaScript or Error Console. (See below for details.) If you see errors caused by the nonsense you typed, then you edited the right file in the right place. If you see no errors, then you edited the wrong file or it is in the wrong place. After this test, restore the file from the backup copy that you made.

  • Your editor saved the file in the wrong format
  • Ensure that your editor saves the file as plain text, not in some word-processing format. For more information, see: Editing configuration/Manual editing

  • The file contains errors.
  • If you found the preference settings or CSS rules or on a web page, copy and paste from the web page to avoid typing errors.

    If you have to edit the content, ensure that you preserve the correct punctuation.

    Check that the font in your text editor makes it easy for you to see the difference between parentheses (), square brackets [] and curly braces {}, and between colon : and semicolon ;.

    In the application, choose Tools – JavaScript Console... or Tools – Web Development – JavaScript Console... or Tools – Error Console to see error messages.

    Note:  The JavaScript or Error console does not always show errors relating to preference settings.. In recent versions of some Mozilla applications, it does show CSS errors.

  • CSS rules are being overridden by other rules.
  • Try adding !important to any CSS rule that has no effect. Add it just before the semicolon at the end of the rule.

    If you are using a theme that you installed, try the CSS rules with the application's default theme.

  • You did not completely close the application before restarting it.
  • Choose File – Exit to ensure that all the application's windows close.

See Also