Questions about Firefox

[Rmus]

I downloaded FF last evening to do some testing of web sites.

1. Why does FF want to connect out without my instigating a connection? Upon launching FF, I see these attempts:

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If I permit the first, a Firefox Start page with Google displays. If I permit the second, nothing displays.

I don't know what is triggering these connections.


2.Where does FF store cached pages? I was not able to find a cache directory in the Mozilla directories.

In Opera, the Page Info gives me the cached filename in case I want to retrieve it.

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thanks,

rich

[yeow]

1. Could be downloading list of suspected attack sites etc, options found in Tools>Options>Security

2. Try "about:cache" in address bar

[AKAJohnDoe]

Change to start on a blank page.


Cache location depends on the operating system.

[Judge Dee]

{QUOTE->
2.Where does FF store cached pages? I was not able to find a cache directory in the Mozilla directories.
<-QUOTE}

Type "about:cache?device=disk" without the quotes into the FF url bar.
You'll see the cache directory 4th line down.
Plus, this is where you browse the cache, as its encrypted.

[AKAJohnDoe]

{QUOTE-> Type "about:cache?device=disk" without the quotes into the FF url bar.
You'll see the cache directory 4th line down.
Plus, this is where you browse the cache, as its encrypted. <-QUOTE}

Cool. :thumb:

Also, apparently about:cache?device=memory

[Rmus]

Thanks for the tips!

I did change my start page to Blank but the outbound connections continue. Checking for websites sounds logical, but I think that should be specified somewhere so that the user will know, since these days people are concerned about their applications connecting back to the vendor's site. I noticed also the FF connects regularly for RSS feeds, but users know that when they sign up for the feeds.


I found out that my Cache directory appears in the Firefox Profile directory:

C:\Documents and Settings\........\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\jj3bvb13.default\Cache

But that directory does not appear in Windows Explorer:


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After some fiddling I was able to get the directory to display:


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Now, FF Help states this about the Cache:

{QUOTE-> Firefox stores copies of frequently accessed pages in the cache. <-QUOTE}This is misleading, for these pages are formatted for FF internal viewing, rather than copies of the original pages. So that is why FF keeps the cache directory from displaying in Explorer: you can't read the files from this location. This is probably why FF makes no reference to a cached file in Page Info.

As several mentioned, you read the pages from within FF:


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This is quite useless if I want to retrieve a cached file to study the code, for it is all squished up in a narrow column at the right. Not only that, I can't sort by date or file type; for instance if I want to see the Javascript pages that were cached.

Hopefully some FF experts will point out something I've missed!

So when I use FF to check some web sites, I have to also open the sites in Opera in order to retrieve pages later for studying the code.

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Another question I neglected to ask: is there an option to choose an external viewer for the Page Source? I couldn't find any reference to this in the Help file. I like to open the Page Source in an HTML editor.

thanks,

----
rich

[Pedro]

Rich, did you try View - Page Source?
And of course, you can File - Save Page As .

[AKAJohnDoe]

{QUOTE-> I noticed also the FF connects regularly for RSS feeds <-QUOTE}
Not my Firefox.

[innerpeace]

Rmus, Firefox may also call out to check on updates. The options are under Tools - Options - Advanced and look in the Update tab.

[Pedro]

I forgot to provide this link on the connections:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Connections_established_on_startup_-_Firefox
It completes what the others have already said.

[Rmus]

{QUOTE-> Not my Firefox. <-QUOTE}How did you disable connecting for feeds?

{QUOTE-> Rich, did you try View - Page Source? <-QUOTE}Yes, but there is no option to choose your own viewer, as in Opera:

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{QUOTE-> And of course, you can File - Save Page As . <-QUOTE}Yes, but that requires three extra steps: Save, navigate to file, and open in HTML editor.



----
rich

[Rmus]

{QUOTE-> Rmus, Firefox may also call out to check on updates. The options are under Tools - Options - Advanced and look in the Update tab. <-QUOTE}Ah that's it. Thanks. I confess to not having looked at that tab!

----
rich

[AKAJohnDoe]

{QUOTE-> How did you disable connecting for feeds? <-QUOTE}
I do not define any to Firefox; I do not use Firefox as an RSS reader.

[Pedro]

Perhaps an extension?
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/394

Or
{QUOTE-> Another way to do this without a plugin:
# Visit the URL "about:config" (Firefox configuration URL).
# Set the variable "view_source.editor.external" to boolean "true".
# Put the path to your external editor into the string variable "view_source.editor.path" -- e.g. "c:\Program Files\wbEdit\WhizBangEdit.exe"
# Restart Firefox.

You may wish to type "view_source." into the about:config display filter to make it easier to find these variables. <-QUOTE}
http://www.webmasterworld.com/firefox_browser/3376948.htm

[Rmus]

{QUOTE-> Another way to do this without a plugin:
# Visit the URL "about:config" (Firefox configuration URL).
...
<-QUOTE}I hope you realize you suggested that I do something that might void my warranty:


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Well, I gave it serious thought and promised that I would be careful, and made the configuration change. FF didn't catch on fire or anything, so I assume all is well!

Great tip. Thanks,

----
rich

[JRViejo]

Rmus, since you like to look at code, may I suggest 2 Firefox add-ons:

Web Developer (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/60) | Firebug (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1843)

I find them indispensable when looking at a Web page.

[Rmus]

Thanks for the suggestions!

----
rich

[Mrkvonic]

Hello rich,

Nice to see you exploring FF :)

The initial connections are for the startpage. Other connections you may see are the extensions updates check and the browser update check.

You can also create several profiles - each will be stored in a different directories, so you can have a completely different subset of extensions, bookmarks, themes etc.

There should be an extension for page sources :) FF 3.1 also supports clickable links in the HTML sources.

I suggest you start playing with extensions, they are the true power of Firefox.

Regards,
Mrk

[Rmus]

Thanks Mrk for the information!

----
rich