Browser suggestion

[Kayza]

I use Chrome and Firefox quite a bit. But for some stuff that I do, having wrapping tabs is very useful.

This used to be doable with an add on in Firefox, but a good while back when they made a major change all of the add ons that did this stopped working. I've tried some work arounds that require some lines in the startup file. But that tends to break when FF gets updated. I've been using PaleMoon, (which I learned about here) which is a FF branch from before that change. It's worked well. But recently it's started to just randomly shut down. I have not real idea what triggers it, as these doesn't seem to be any pattern. I can go days without it happening, and then it can happen 5 times in an hour. So, I'm looking for a replacement. Any ideas?

[woody649]

What are "wrapping" tabs?


You might try Waterfox Classic, which is another fork of Firefox from before Firefox made the big change that broke all the add-ins. But be sure you get Waterfox Classic -- they also have a "modern" version that doesn't run the classic add-ins.


I had pale Moon for an under-powered, 32-bit computer, but I was very very happy with it.

[terrie]

Kayza...

Which version of Pale Moon are you using?

The most recent version (as of a day or so ago) is 32.3.1--I am not usually one to use themostcurrentversion of anything, particularly browsers and the exception to my rule is...Pale Moon and I generally run pretty close to the current version and just happened to go to PM32.3.1 yesterday...'-}}


PM developers have made some interesting changes behind the scenes with 32.3.0 in that a number of websites that would not display properly with earlier versions of PM now do display and function correctly--mail.com and chase.com are a couple of examples of sites. 32.3.0 was released a couple of weeks ago and, as I noted, 32.3.1 just yesterday and that's quick for a new PM iteration.



I use portable browser versions almost exclusively (I have one old PM version installed that is standard/not portable but I don't use it much) because portables provide me with much greater flexibility--I have 15+ PM and Firefox portable iterations installed (Win7/Pro desktop system that is my primary but also a Win8.1/Pro laptop and a Win10/Pro laptop), each iteration is installed in its own installation folder. I can easily pick and choose which of my portable browser iterations to use and whichever one I choose functions independently of any other portable browser I might have open--I use some iterations quite regularly for specific tasks and other iterations for other tasks.



Sooo...from above:

1. Which version of PM?

2. Portable or standard?

3. What addons do you use?

4. Is there any commonality with the shutdowns--presumably just the browser aborts and not the system? Same/similar sites?

5. What options do you have set in PM such as: do you keep cache (clear it and does the help? I always set cache to 0 (zero), do you keep cookies or clear on browser shut down, do you keep history, allow 3rd party cookies, which compatibility setting (I always use "Firefox Compatibility" as I've found the other options problematic), update settings (because I'm using portables, I always set "never" for updating)...

6. If you are not using a portable version, have you tried creating a new profile? I have absolutely no clue how to do that in PM because I'm running portables and I'd just create a new folder for a "dup" install with a new profile...



For Firefox, I again use portables and have found over a number of months to really like the ESR versions which function "better" (for me at least). I download my Firefox portables from sourceforge.net (it's the archive for portableapps.com). With Firefox, when installing a new portable version, I create a new folder on my software partition, copy the downloaded Firefox portable to the new folder, double-click on the downloaded file to unpack/install and before I open the new Firefox for the first time, I go to an earlier installed Firefox portable and copy the "distribution" folder to the new Firefox portable install (this blocks any of Mozilla's attempts to update the software behind my back).


Then I open the new Firefox portable for the first time and immediately close it--this establishes the user data and profile. I backup this new Firefox portable's original profile, delete the contents of the new Firefox portable's profile folder and copy the contents of an earlier Firefox portable's profile folder to the new (empty) Firefox portable profile folder.


When I then open the new Firefox portable, it looks just like my earlier Firefox portable iteration with all my settings, mods, addons, etc. in place. It takes longer type and to read the process I follow than to do the deed--it takes me about 3 minutes to install a new portable browser iteration...Pale Moon or Firefox.


I actually do much the same installation process when installing a new Pale Moon portable iteration except that I don't have to fiddle-faddle with the "distribution" folder because Pale Moon honors my "don't update" setting(s). I have a PDF of my notes on installing portables and how the "distribution" folder works in Firefox. I'd be happy to post it...




Terrie

[Kayza]

Originally Posted by terrie

Kayza...

1. Which version of PM?

32.3.1 (64 Bit)

2. Portable or standard?

3. What addons do you use?

Addblock latitude
TabMix Plus (that's what lets me wrap the tabs)
Silverlight (which was last update in 2018)

4. Is there any commonality with the shutdowns--presumably just the browser aborts and not the system? Same/similar sites?

I wish I could find a pattern. Definitely not any specific sites. And it doesn't, from what I can see, even look like the same *type* of sites.

Yes, it's just the browser.

I should have added that sometimes what happens is that I just need to force the browser closed through the task manager as it becomes unresponsive, with or without the little blue spinning doughnut.

5. What options do you have set in PM such as: do you keep cache (clear it and does the help? I always set cache to 0 (zero), do you keep cookies or clear on browser shut down, do you keep history, allow 3rd party cookies, which compatibility setting (I always use "Firefox Compatibility" as I've found the other options problematic), update settings (because I'm using portables, I always set "never" for updating)...

Cache - 350 MB I'll try clearing that and see what happens, but it shows as no cache currently being used.
Firefox for compatibility
I'm blocking pop-up
It remembers the tabs I have open.
No automatic updates - it checks but lets me decide when / if to update.

6. If you are not using a portable version, have you tried creating a new profile? I have absolutely no clue how to do that in PM because I'm running portables and I'd just create a new folder for a "dup" install with a new profile...

I have not tried that, but I think I'll figure that out and try/


For Firefox, I again use portables and have found over a number of months to really like the ESR versions which function "better" (for me at least). I download my Firefox portables from sourceforge.net (it's the archive for portableapps.com). With Firefox, when installing a new portable version, I create a new folder on my software partition, copy the downloaded Firefox portable to the new folder, double-click on the downloaded file to unpack/install and before I open the new Firefox for the first time, I go to an earlier installed Firefox portable and copy the "distribution" folder to the new Firefox portable install (this blocks any of Mozilla's attempts to update the software behind my back).


Then I open the new Firefox portable for the first time and immediately close it--this establishes the user data and profile. I backup this new Firefox portable's original profile, delete the contents of the new Firefox portable's profile folder and copy the contents of an earlier Firefox portable's profile folder to the new (empty) Firefox portable profile folder.


When I then open the new Firefox portable, it looks just like my earlier Firefox portable iteration with all my settings, mods, addons, etc. in place. It takes longer type and to read the process I follow than to do the deed--it takes me about 3 minutes to install a new portable browser iteration...Pale Moon or Firefox.


I actually do much the same installation process when installing a new Pale Moon portable iteration except that I don't have to fiddle-faddle with the "distribution" folder because Pale Moon honors my "don't update" setting(s). I have a PDF of my notes on installing portables and how the "distribution" folder works in Firefox. I'd be happy to post it...




Terrie[/QUOTE]

[Kayza]

Originally Posted by woody649

What are "wrapping" tabs?
.

When you have more tabs than fit in the width of the screen the standard behavior is to keep scrolling. With the right add on, the tabs instead go onto multiple rows.

[terrie]

kayza: 32.3.1 (64 Bit)

Well...that's a big nevermind...'-}}



>>Adblock latitude
TabMix Plus (that's what lets me wrap the tabs)
Silverlight (which was last update in 2018)


Hmmmm...it's been E O N S since I used Silverlight and, I always found it a bit flakey. If it's not crucial to your day-to-day PM'ing, it might be worth testing disabling it and see if that helps?



I used to use AdBlock Latitude but, moved to the legacy version of uBlock Origin (see link below--"legacy" as in, works when using Firefox forks like Pale Moon) which functions as both an adblocker and also allows you to control site/page crosslinks--I used to use a combo Adblock Latitude and uMatrix (same author as uBO--Raymond Hill).


I never had any issues with Adblock Latitude (current version is Version 5.0.9, Updated on May 7, 202--see the AdblockLatitude page at palemoon.org ) and it may be more of a pain than you want to deal with but, it might be worth playing with uBO--there is a bit of a learning curve with because of it's site/page crosslink control.



For me, the key to using uBO is, after I install the uBO addon in Pale Moon (or Firefox for that matter as I user the "regular" uBO in FF), I go to Tools > Addons: highlight the uBO addon line, click on "Options" button and then click on the "Show Dashboard" button when the uBO adon page displays. In the Dashboard "Settings" section, I CHECK the "I am an advanced user" option if it's not already checked as this gives me the option to make changes to/control the crosslinks--you can even turn off that aspect of uBO if you find it more trouble than it's worth although I like having that control but it does sometimes take fiddling.


Anyway, here is the link the legacy uBO addon--it has "Firefox" in the link but it's actually designed for PaleMoon and other Firefox forks:

https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock-fo...fox-legacy.xpi




I never use tabs...don't know why, I just can't stand them--as they say...emmv...'-}}--and because of that I've not used the TabMix Plus addon. Is it a Pale Moon specific addon? If not, I wonder if you checked the Pale Moon Addon list if there might be something like it there?




>> Cache - 350 MB I'll try clearing that and see what happens, but it shows as no cache currently being used.

I'd set cache to 0 (zero). Cache doesn't really buy you anything so why let whoknowswhatstuff from whoknowshwere be stored on your system?




>> I have not tried that, but I think I'll figure that out and try

If you do create a new profile, take notes while you are doing it and let me know both how you did it and if it works...'-}}




Keep us posted!



Terrie

[woody649]

I used to run pale Moon on a 32-bit tablet, and I have it on my desktop computer just to keep tabs on it. (No pun intended.) My opinion is that Adblock Latitude is virtually useless.


I have no idea why the Pale Moon can't run the regular Adblock. It works on Waterfox Classic.

[Kayza]

Originally Posted by terrie

Well...that's a big nevermind...'-}}

Hmmmm...it's been E O N S since I used Silverlight and, I always found it a bit flakey. If it's not crucial to your day-to-day PM'ing, it might be worth testing disabling it and see if that helps?

It's worth trying, although I would be surprised if that's the problem. It hasn't changed in the recent past....

[quote}
I never use tabs...don't know why, I just can't stand them--as they say...emmv...'-}}--and because of that I've not used the TabMix Plus addon. Is it a Pale Moon specific addon? If not, I wonder if you checked the Pale Moon Addon list if there might be something like it there?
[/quote]

Tabmix is on that list, so I'm assuming that they've done the work to make sure that there are no issues there.

I'd set cache to 0 (zero). Cache doesn't really buy you anything so why let whoknowswhatstuff from whoknowshwere be stored on your system?

Done. Let's see what happens with that.

[terrie]

kayza: Tabmix is on that list

I completely missed it--in my quick looksee...'-}}--so I'm glad to know that and, yes, since it's in the PM list, it should be fine...



With respect to creating a new profile in PM, I found a PM forum thread--it's a bit old but appears to still be valid and there are screenshots in the thread. The key info for new profiles is as follows (note that I think the person who posted this is not a native English speaker but the info is clear enoug):


"If this didn't help/ or you want to test shortly a clean Pale Moon config, without the whole reset, then firstly you need to open the Pale Moon Profile Manager. You can open it by typing palemoon -p in your Windows startmenu (only works if you have Pale Moon installed).

[snip...]

Or you create a shortcut with this target: "C:\Program Files\Pale Moon\palemoon.exe" -p (Maybe you need to change the path to your Pale Moon). The -p after the inverted commas is important and stands for Profile Manager."



Basically, the instructions above (adding the "-p") is how it's (also) done in Firefox--it's been eons since I did this in Firefox but, if memory serves, it's pretty straightforward...





Keep us posted!



Terrie

[Andrew B.]

I have not been able to read all of this, and I'm not sure what wrapping is. But Vivaldi can be modified to have multi rows. Read this and follow the links. https://forum.vivaldi.net/topic/68994/tab-rows

Vivaldi can also stack tabs, but I doubt that's what you want.