Tweaks for Firefox 3 download manager
The download manager was dramatically improved for Firefox 3: a progress indicator in the status bar, automatic antivirus scans, a streamlined interface with filtering capabilities, and most notably, download resuming across sessions.
As usual, you can use all these enhancements without touching anything, or go the customization way and tweak a preference or two.
You will need to access the advanced preferences entering about:config in the location and looking for the related setting. To change it, just double click it and enter the new value.
- By default, documents you download with Firefox are automatically added to the My Recent Documents folder on Windows’ Start menu. If it is cluttering your menu, you can deactivate it by setting browser.download.manager.addToRecentDocs to false.
- By default, downloaded files are passed by Firefox to your antivirus for scanning. Since some antivirus already monitor and scans downloaded files on their own, this may be redundant. To deactivate automatic scanning, set browser.download.manager.scanWhenDone to false. Note that the feature is available on Windows only.
- When you close Firefox, active downloads are paused and resumed automatically the next time you start. To change this behavior, modify browser.download.manager.quitBehavior and set it to 1 to pause downloads but don’t resume automatically; or set it to 2 if you prefer to cancel active downloads (you won’t be able to resume).
- Now that there’s a download status indicator in the status bar you may no longer need the download complete notification. To deactivate it, set browser.download.manager.showAlertOnComplete to false.
- If you don’t need to keep a full log of all the files you have downloaded, you can set Firefox to clear all download manager entries as soon as they are completed or as soon as you quit. To do so, set browser.download.manager.retention to 0 to discard them as completed, or 1 on quit. The default value is 2 which discards nothing.
Happy tweaking!
Comments
lib4
Can someone please help me.
Is there anyway to set the FF downlaod manager to prompt you to “Open File” once the file is download is complete. Right now the file says download complete and thats it.
This would be similar to the Microsoft Download manager in IE.
I hate having to remember the exact folder and dig thru folder trees to find where I just downloaded a file
Percy CabelloSeptember 11th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
As far as I know there isn’t.
But you don’t have to remember anything. You can open the download manager (Tools/Download Manager, or press Ctrl + J (cmd + K on Mac)) and double click on the file to open it, or right click on it and select Open Containing Folder.
R PockSeptember 19th, 2008 at 8:58 am
lib4: Like you, I have been frustrated by having to drill down through Windows explorer in order to handle my downloads.
See text above “… set Firefox to clear all download manager entries as … they are completed or as … you quit. To do so, set browser.download.manager.retention to 0 to discard them as completed, or 1 (to discard) on quit. The default value is 2 which discards nothing.”
Having read this, I found that MY default was 0, which empties the download manager listing as soon as the download was finished.
I tweaked the value to 1, which forces the download manager to retain the name of the downloaded file(s) until Firefox is closed. Now that the downloaded filename(s) remain listed, one can right-click on the filename to access choices such as to open the containing folder.
I can live with this, now that I have fixed these bad manners. In IE it’s only one right-click less complex.
TnS
Is there any way that makes Firefox 3 confirm quitting if you are downloading something? Firefox can’t always resume downloads and it is annoying…
ChrisSeptember 12th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I usually open the download window (Ctrl+J), and minimize it because of this. That way when you forget about the download and close FireFox, the downloads continue till you close the download window.
RonDecember 24th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Won’t work on a Mac, since the windows are all children of the Firefox app. Quiting firefox will kill the downloads.
KX
Percy Cabello:
On your second-to-last bullet, I think you meant to say “set browser.download.manager.retention to 0″ not “0 0″.
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Is there any way to tweak the download manager so multiple active downloads are displayed in chronological order top to bottom rather than the reverse?
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MICHAEL J. SCHMITZ
WELL FIREFOX, SINCE YOU WONT LET ME KNOW WHO OR WHATS INFILTRATING MY COMPUTER, LIKE YOU DID THE LAST TIME AND YOU WONT GET ALONG WITH MY DELL COMPUTER AND YOU DONT HAVE A SPLIT==FIREFOX/EXPLORER SET-UP AND YOUR MY BROWSER. I GUESS I’LL HAVE TO DOWNLOAD INTERNET EXPLORER AS A BROWSER FOR MY COMPUTER DELL TO GET RID OF THE INFILTRATORS ON MY COMPUTER. THE NEXT EXPLORER THAT COMES UP, I’LL DOWNLOAD.
MorbusOctober 15th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Those caps look nice.
Also, Dell computers don’t have a different architecture, why do you think it makes a difference? My guess is you have your OS (windows, otherwise you wouldn’t use “explorer”) all messed up. Though.
boiche
i can’t pause my downloads. i’ve been using these long time. but when i upgraded to firefox 3 i can’t seem to pause my downloads .thanks a lot.
Agree with Boiche
I agree with boiche, download manager is bogus, if i go to download a file, i cannot pause it, if i do, it says it cannot resume and i have to download again from scratch, very annoying when i have a file like 500 mb.
boiche
yah Agree with Boiche, up to now i still can;t pause. when FF2, i have no problem with Download Status bar.
Roger
My Downloads all go to C:/Downloads, but I can’t SEE them with Cntrl-J, or Tools–Downloads. that window appears empty. Explorer shows many files. Is there a FF3 fix for this in about:config??
Astrid
Download overrides a file with same name in same folder; former versions asked if file name should be adjusted by adding an extension like (1), (2) etc. How can I get this again?
George
Same here, I cannot pause my downloads at all! This is not good at all, and needs to be repaired ASAP
Nils
Download Statusbar is one of the first add-ons going in on a fresh install. ;)
Reply
simonSeptember 11th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
It IS a good extension, but FF3’s new download manager is more than Ok for me… so no Download Statusbar here ;)
But I’m using DownThemAll! though.
Reply
MorbusOctober 15th, 2008 at 7:53 am
You (all) might wanna learn to backup your profile so you don’t have to reinstall everything on a fresh install…
Reply