Many Firefox extensions add their own entries to the Firefox configuration that can be accessed by typing about:config in the address bar of Firefox. It is relatively easy to backup the full Firefox user profile that includes the extension preferences but problems arise if only selected preferences from some specific extensions are needed. I’m thinking of a scenario where a user copied his profile from his main computer to his notebook and installed an extension on the main computer afterwards.
This could also be helpful if you regularly install and uninstall Firefox on the same computer or if you want to merge profiles. The OPIE – Ordered Preference Import/Export – extension provides the user with means to import and export preferences from selected Firefox extensions. Some or all of the extensions can be selected during export and they can be saved in a single file or separate files for each extension. The latter is useful for merging profiles or sending preferences of specific extensions to another computer.
The import of preferences works pretty much the same way. The only difference is that a previously exported file is selected that is imported into Firefox. The results are shown in the same window.
The files are saved with the .prefs extension so that they are better recognizable. The benefit of using OPIE instead of a full Firefox backup extension like FEBE – Firefox Environment Backup Extension – is that OPIE can selectively export and import preferences while all other extensions that backup Firefox settings can only import and export all settings.
Related posts:
Import and Export Firefox PasswordsFirefox Environment Backup Extension
How to import and export Outlook categories
Import Delicious Bookmarks into Firefox
Export your Firefox Passwords into a secure Password Manager
Password Exporter Firefox Extension
How to export live bookmarks in Firefox
Thunderbird Tip: Import and Export Mail Filters
13 Responses to “Firefox Extension Preferences Import and Export”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
-
[...] Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Create a selective backup of preference settings for your favorite Firefox extensions with OPIE, a free add-on for Firefox 2. Once you’ve got the Ordered Preference Import/Export extension installed, head to it in the “Tools” menu and you can choose which extensions and preferences you’d like to save and export to a .prefs file, making it easy to auto-configure all the add-ons when moving to new systems or re-installing the Fox. Not a bad extension to have around when Firefox 3 becomes official, but if you’re looking to bundle up the extensions themselves, try the Firefoex Extension Backup Extension. OPIE is a free download, works wherever Firefox 2 does (Original FEBE/CLEO post). OPIE [Firefox Add-Ons via gHacks] [...]
-
[...] Windows/Mac/Linux (Firefox): Create a selective backup of preference settings for your favorite Firefox extensions with OPIE, a free add-on for Firefox 2. Once you’ve got the Ordered Preference Import/Export extension installed, head to it in the “Tools” menu and you can choose which extensions and preferences you’d like to save and export to a .prefs file, making it easy to auto-configure all the add-ons when moving to new systems or re-installing the Fox. Not a bad extension to have around when Firefox 3 becomes official, but if you’re looking to bundle up the extensions themselves, try the Firefoex Extension Backup Extension. OPIE is a free download, works wherever Firefox 2 does (Original FEBE/CLEO post). OPIE [Firefox Add-Ons via gHacks] [...]
-
[...] Via | gHacks [...]
-
[...] result is a file that you can import on another machine to quickly add your favorite plugins. [via GHacks] Bookmark this Post Now! [?] Do you want to get daily computer tips and web 2.0 info? [...]
-
[...] Firefox Extension Preferences Import and Export Tagged as: extension firefox [...]
-
[...] come with the default options enabled. This is different from programs like Febe which can not only backup the extensions but also the preferences of these [...]
-
[...] come with the default options enabled. This is different from programs like Febe which can not only backup the extensions but also the preferences of these [...]
-
[...] Portable in this case means that it will not interfere with the Firefox installation on the computer system. It is possible to migrate add-ons and settings to the portable version by using Firefox add-ons like the Firefox Environment Backup Extension (FEBE). [...]
-
[...] Portable in this case means that it will not interfere with the Firefox installation on the computer system. It is possible to migrate add-ons and settings to the portable version by using Firefox add-ons like the Firefox Environment Backup Extension (FEBE). [...]
You can just use Mozbackup, it can keep the addon’s preferences and other stuff.
but that would mean to import the full profile. I think the main use of this extension is if you want to move the settings of one or a few extensions to another profile or computer.
True martin but I’m puzzled why you would want to import preferences from a few addons.
It could come in handy if you have installed an add-on on your main computer that required lots of configuration and want to move that add-on to your notebook including all the preferences. You may not want to move all add-ons or settings to the notebook however.