#FIREFOX PROFILE MANAGER ON LAUNCH CODE#
#FIREFOX PROFILE MANAGER ON LAUNCH WINDOWS#

(Note: Bookmark backups in JSON format were introduced in Firefox 3)

Use a JSON bookmarkbackups file from your default profile to restore to your test profiles, if you need bookmarks, bookmarklets, or keyword shortcuts (details here).

(Don't use it to launch your default profile, at least not with -no-remote).

(Windows) Use the Launchy extension to open current page in another profile with a customized 'launchy.xml' file ( sample) with -no-remote to start each profile.

#FIREFOX PROFILE MANAGER ON LAUNCH WINDOWS#

(Windows) Create Windows Quick Launch shortcuts.

Also to help identify the profile create a bookmark folder named to identify the profile or the Firefox version that will be using the profile so you can see it when extensions and/or styling is disabled, also eliminates the need to use an extension to show the information in the title bar. The style is installed, used and managed with the Stylish extension available at addons.

#FIREFOX PROFILE MANAGER ON LAUNCH CODE#

Use Color Toolbar(s) to identify profile | styling to color code your Firefox browser and dialog windows to identify the profile in use.Prior to Firefox 3.6 suggest installing the Open Profile Folder extension, at least in your default profile, to give you quick access to your Firefox profile data. In Firefox 3.6 and above, you can use about:support (directly) or through 'Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Open Containing Folder' (Windows and Linux) or 'Show in Finder' (Mac OS) to open the profile folder for the profile currently in use.Avoid renaming a profile in the Profile Manager as it does not change the actual profile folder name in the file system, even though it is changed in the profiles.ini file, which may lead to confusion.See also Profile in use and Recovering a missing profile. Remember that the profile name is case sensitive and you must use quotes when there are spaces. If you specify a missing or incorrect profile name or path in a Firefox shortcut or command line argument, you may see the Profile Manager (using -P '') or a Firefox is already running but is not responding error (using -profile '').There are instances where you need to specify a profile name but cannot enclose the profile name in quotes, such as in launchy.xml used by by the ' Launchy' extension. Profile names with spaces must be enclosed in quotes when used in a command line argument or in a shortcut target. Even though you can have spaces in a profile name it is not a good idea.Keep in mind that profile names are case-sensitive so you may wish to avoid capitalizing profile names and use all lower-case.The 'default profile' is the last profile selected in the Profile Manager when starting Firefox and is used automatically if the 'Don't ask at startup' Profile Manager option is checked. 'Default browser' is a system setting which determines which web browser is launched when you open an Internet shortcut, HTML file, or link in a mail application like Thunderbird or Outlook Express, when more than one browser is installed on your system. Note: The term 'default profile' should not be confused with ' default browser'.If you check the 'Don't ask at startup' Profile Manager option when selecting a profile and start Firefox, that profile becomes the 'default' profile and will be used automatically when starting Firefox (unless you use a shortcut or command line argument to start with a specified profile).You can use a Firefox shortcut or command line argument to start Firefox with a specified profile without going through the Profile Manager.This will always start the Profile Manager when starting Firefox.

When you have multiple Firefox profiles, you can select the profile of your choice when starting Firefox by unchecking the Profile Manager option, 'Don't ask at startup'.

Firefox profile manager on launch