Hi,
I’ve seen there are a few requests for Mozila Firefox & ThunderBird Multiple Profiles support. Some including myself pass –P to launch firefox.exe with an other profile, but then the portability is no the best.
The PAM menu standard is not defined yet but base something in the OpenOffice multiple apps management would be good as a starting point.
Of course we don’t want to make multiple copies of the whole app so in best would be to have Profile Folders may be like
+Data
+Profile
+Profile1
+Profile2
+Profile3
This is an example for FF of the Appinfo.ini file
[Control]
Icons=3
Start=FirefoxPortable.exe
Start1=FirefoxPortableProfile1.exe
Name1= Firefox Portable Public Profile
Start2= FirefoxPortableProfile2.exe
Name2= Firefox Portable Home Profile
Start3= FirefoxPortableProfile3.exe
Name3= Firefox Portable Work Profile
Having multiple exe file in the folder is redundant but may help to keep compatibility with PAM and other menus.
The exe file has to modify the FirefoxPortable.ini file then launch the port app.
I.e. FirefoxPortableProfile3.exe will change
[FirefoxPortable]
ProfileDirectory=Data\profile3
SettingsDirectory=Data\settings3
PluginsDirectory=Data\plugins3
In the case that for instance Data\plugins3 does not exist, Data\plugins will be used.
Maybe be can be actually the same .exe file that reads its own name and uses the profile based on it, that will be easy to set up for user with out compiling new .exes files
I think even multiple instances of FF with different profiles would be possible as well (may need some more research).
I’ll be happy to help to develop this but I’m only good at www.autohotkey.com
I thing is possible but I would like it to be included in the Official release (I’m quite tired of maintaining my own version of some program launchers trough apps updates etc.
Cheers,
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the appinfo.ini doesn't work yet. Its there for the next version of the Menu.
I think multiple instances will be difficult, cause Firefox isn't designed to be run like that.Right now its only possible if you are willing to accept that traces might be left behind.
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate
Hi Simeon,
I haven't try yet. So seems that it's possible to run one FF instance at the time and choose the active profile, but need to wait for that PA menu...
An other option would be to rename the Profile Folder to match appinfo.ini data and then rename back when closing FF.
ie:
Launch FF rename folder
Profile Work -> Profile
Close FF rename folder
Profile -> Profile Work
Would be good to select the active profile etc from the ComputerName and/or UserName at the running PC Mantaining a list of them in a .ini file.
If the ComputerName and/or UserName are not in the .ini list the launcher will ask which profile should be used to launch FF then store the ComputerName and/or UserName on the ini.
Too much taking and no .exe launcher... well since FF and multi-profile would be a good feature I think is worth it to give it some thought.
Feedback anyone?
Cheers, Yogui
Cheers, Yogui.
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