Questions about Firefox

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

 

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

2. Try "about:cache" in address bar

 

Change to start on a blank page.


Cache location depends on the operating system.

 

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.

 

Cool.

Also, apparently about:cache?device=memory

 

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:

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,

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rich

 

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

 

Not my Firefox.

 

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

 

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.

 

How did you disable connecting for feeds?

Yes, but there is no option to choose your own viewer, as in Opera:

Yes, but that requires three extra steps: Save, navigate to file, and open in HTML editor.



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rich

 

Ah that's it. Thanks. I confess to not having looked at that tab!

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rich

 

I do not define any to Firefox; I do not use Firefox as an RSS reader.

 

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

Or

http://www.webmasterworld.com/firefox_browser/3376948.htm

 

I hope you realize you suggested that I do something that might void my warranty:




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,

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rich

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

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rich

 

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

 

Thanks Mrk for the information!

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rich