Downloads, Add-on sidebars with no extensions
Posted by Percy Cabello on January 26th, 2007 • Tags:
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You can reduce the clutter in your task bar by opening Firefox’s Add-ons and Download managers in the sidebar rather than a separate window. To do this:

  • In the Bookmarks menu, select Organize Bookmarks… to open the Bookmarks Manager.
  • Press the New Bookmark… button in the toolbar.
  • Enter an appropriate name for the bookmark, for example Downloads.
  • Enter chrome://mozapps/content/downloads/downloads.xul in Location.
  • If you want, you can assign a keyword like dls to be able to open the download manager from the location bar, however it won’t open in the sidebar but the main content area.
  • Check Load this bookmark in the sidebar.

Downloads sidebar

For the Add-ons manager, enter chrome://mozapps/content/extensions/extensions.xul in Location, instead.

You can also open the Bookmarks Manager in a tab, repeat the steps and enter chrome://browser/content/bookmarks/bookmarksManager.xul in Location, and, of course, don’t check Load this bookmark in the sidebar.

Then place the new bookmarks in a handy place such as top in the bookmarks menu or the Bookmarks Toolbar.

Add-ons sidebar

Comments

[...] To make it even easier to access the Add-Ons & Download Managers, you can drag the bookmarks from the Bookmark Menus onto your Bookmark Toolbar. Tip Source: Mozilla Links Posted in Mozilla Firefox, Firefox 2.0 (Bon Echo), Blogs, Tips & Tweaks. [...]

David Naylor said on January 26, 2007, 6:21 pm:

That is a great hack and a great tip! Thanks!

[...] If you’re a Firefox user, this is a useful tip you may enjoy.  Mozilla Links has explained how to move your Firefox Add-ons and Downloads to the sidebar in just a few simple steps. [...]

[...] ที่มา : mozillalinks.org (ยังไม่มีคนโหวตเล้ยยยย)  Loading … [...]

Ace_NoOne said on January 27, 2007, 4:12 am:

Great tip! (Just for the record: Lifehacker had posted something similar quite a while ago.)

Unfortunately, it’s apparently not possible to open a bookmark in the sidebar when using a keyword.

Percy Cabello said on January 27, 2007, 8:05 am:

AceNo_One, thanks for your comment, I have updated the article to note this. I’m pretty sure these tips have been shared before.

[...] For pictures see the full writeup on Mozilla Links [...]

Review: Download Manager Tweak : Mozilla Links said on April 24, 2007, 5:48 pm:

[...] a new window, in a new tab or as a sidebar, and whether you want a delay before opening it. While there is an easy hack to move the download manager to the sidebar or a tab that doesn’t require installing an [...]

[...] Manager is a separate window. A simple hack can move it to the contents area and set it as your home page as [...]

Safari vs Firefox « Stereo Pictures said on August 14, 2007, 1:23 am:

[...] Manager is a separate window. A simple hack can move it to the contents area and set it as your home page as [...]

Zac said on December 27, 2007, 11:50 pm:

Hi, I dont like the new bookmarks, I like to be abletomake a new folder while doing the bookmark,that option is not here anymore, now I have to premake the folder & then put the bookmark into the folder so what used to take 1 click now takes at least 4, will You bring back the option of having the old bookmark system?
Thanks

Alex said on January 25, 2008, 11:21 am:

This will probably come as no surprise to most of your readers, (given that one is based on the other) but this also works in Flock – except you don’t have the option to open the link in the sidebar. Although, thinking about it there’s probably a system setting on the about:config page that could be changed to allow this.

James Joseph said on April 25, 2008, 10:46 am:

That is a great hack and a great tip! Excellent

Tweaks for Firefox 3 download manager - Mozilla Links said on September 10, 2008, 10:03 pm:

[...] Create a bookmark to open the download manager in a new tab or the sidebar. [...]

[...] Downloads, Add-on sidebars with no extensions – Mozilla Links (tags: Firefox) [...]

Yuyucho said on September 29, 2008, 6:21 am:

On Firefox 3, it seems chrome://browser/content/bookmarks/bookmarksManager.xul is not available.
Use instead chrome://browser/content/places/places.xul