I have noticed some very bad things since dealing with all of this.

1. Every time I need to sign in to a site, it cuts off my ability to click on the saved sign in information so I have to revert back to the pix default setting of -1.0

2. Every time I try to use cookie exceptions, bookmarks or history, etc., it cuts enough off that I can't click ok or save etc. And, again, I have to revert the pix back to -1.0.

I know this doesn't really fit here, but this one REALLY frustrates me: 3. firefox keeps changing my settings from blocking all 3rd party cookies to allowing them.

What's the point of having options when FF doesn't honor our choices???  :-((

Hi CallyCat, issues #1 and #2 are problems with the sizing of the little panels that drop down from the address bar?? Perhaps that indicates a conflict between the built-in setting and the extension. If the extension is mostly working, try leaving the Firefox setting at -1.0 and using the extension's global zoom percentage instead. Does that work better?

I know this doesn't really fit here, but this one REALLY frustrates me:
3. firefox keeps changing my settings from blocking all 3rd party cookies to allowing them.

That shouldn't change on its own. Do you mean if you go into Preferences, change it, close Preferences, and open it again, the setting is already gone? Or when you quit Firefox and start it up again, the earlier setting was restored?

There are many things that can modify Firefox settings between one quit and the next startup. This article has several sections on different possible causes: How to fix preferences that won't save.

"are problems with the sizing of the little panels that drop down from the address bar?" Yes, and also with every other drop down box. And it doesn't matter whether I have it set to the default (-1.0) or any other number.

Which extension are you referring to? I disabled or removed all the zoom extensions, and removed theme font changer. I have tried two themes (red cats & green cats) and it doesn't matter whether I use the default theme or the other two.

I will check out the link you provided.

To answer you question about FF disregarding my preferences, I think it happened both ways. I will test it and let you know for sure.

I just tried entering something in the address bar and am attaching a screen shot with the default and it set at 2.5. The first one is with it set to 2.5 & the second one is back at -1.0.

Not only is it doing it in the address bar and places where I need to sign in, it's also cutting off every other option offered on any website. And I made sure everything to do w/zooming is disabled or removed. And the FF zoom feature is set to 100%.

I won't have time to do the refresh thing tonight, but will do my best to get to it tomorrow.

Thanks again for all of your help!

• update*

This isn't working very well. EVERYTHING that has a drop down doesn't show the entire list and I cannot click on anything - even if it shows in full. I have to cursor over it just right so it highlights and then I have to enter. This is just nuts!

It seems I either have to use a magnifying glass in order to see the font or have the font large enough to read and go thru all kinds of extra macinations in order to be able to select something from a drop down.

It's getting to the point where I am just going to reinstall v.45!

I think there there are too many different add-ons trying to modify things. What does it look like in Firefox's Safe Mode?

In Safe Mode, Firefox temporarily deactivates extensions, hardware acceleration, and some other advanced features to help you assess whether these are causing the problem.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

and OK the restart.

A small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Refresh, please don't Refresh at this point).

Any improvement in the cut-off panels?

I won't refresh. 3 bar menu doesn't offer restart of any kind. I will from the help section. But first I need to find a way to get out of safe mode. Don't want to be stuck there.

According to what I found, the way to exit safe mode is to click on in in the 3 bar menu. That doesn't appear in my menu. I am attaching screen shot. The three bar menu appears to be nothing more than a quick way to customize my tool bar.  :-/

So what I will do now is disable my extensions and the restart firefox.

Your menu is broken so the bottom bar with the "?" icon is not visible.

Firefox would only be in its Safe Mode until you quit Firefox. Then when you start up normally, you will be back in regular mode.

Ok, restarted w/everything disabled and I wouldn't call it an improvement. It won't let me select saved log-in info to sign in to websites. It shows a little more on the choices, but doesn't let me select anything. When I type in the address bar this big window pops up that covers it w/several choices but it moved too fast to the left & off the page to figure out what that was above. It then let me type in the rest of the address. One nice thin is that I don't get the "moz-action blah blah blah" thing in the address bar when I'm trying to type. There's definitely something wrong here. The 3 bar menu still looks the same. *sigh*

I'm really afraid to start in safe mode because I wouldn't have a clue how to restart in regular mode.

CallyCat said

Ok, restarted w/everything disabled

By "everything" do you mean extensions??

One nice thin is that I don't get the "moz-action blah blah blah" thing in the address bar when I'm trying to type.

That's a compatibility issue with the Oldbar extension.

I'm really afraid to start in safe mode because I wouldn't have a clue how to restart in regular mode.

As mentioned before, Firefox's Safe Mode only affects your current Firefox session. When you quit and start Firefox again, you would return to normal mode. More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

Thank you for hanging in there with me.

Yes, by "everything" I did mean extensions (i.e. add-ons).

Thank you for the info re the oldbar ext.

I restarted in safe mode and it was exactly the same as it was when I manually disabled all of the extensions.

Is it possible that FF isn't all that compatible with mac's new OS, el capitan?

Thanks again!

PS, I will be in training all day for the next 6 days. I will check in and continue to work with any suggestions you may have, but I will have to do that in the evenings.

There is settings file which may affect the size of the various panels; it definitely stores the sizes of windows and floating dialogs. Sometimes the file becomes corrupted. You can rename the file and customize from scratch.

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, click the "Show in Finder" button. This should launch a new window listing various files and folders in a new Finder window.

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Quit using the Firefox menu.

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename xulstore.json to something like xulstore.old. If you see a file named localstore.rdf, rename that one to localstore.old.

Start Firefox back up again. Any improvement in drop-panel sizing?

When this file is renamed, Firefox returns to the default setting of not showing the Bookmarks Toolbar. To turn different bars on and off, you can use one of these methods to show the toolbar list and select the desired bars there:

• right-click (or on Mac Ctrl+click) a blank spot on the tab bar (or the "+" button)
• in Customize mode > Show/Hide Toolbars (see: Customize Firefox controls, buttons and toolbars)

To turn on the Bookmarks Toolbar or another bar, click it on the list.

I opened the troubleshooting information & clicked on "show in finder." I copied your instructions and then quit FF. However, neither of the files you wanted me to rename were there. I even did a search & nothing came up. However, when I reopened FF, both xulstore.json and localstore.rdf were there. So I haven't renamed them.

I'm sorry if I misread or misunderstood what you said.

Hmm, there are some differences between Windows and Mac, but this one has me puzzled.

However, when I reopened FF, both xulstore.json and localstore.rdf were there. So I haven't renamed them.

I don't understand this last part. The files were not in your profile folder in Finder when Firefox was closed, but when you started Firefox they came back??

I am sorry I haven't responded sooner. The training ran longer each day than I thought. I hope to be able to retest and answer your question this weekend. Thank you for your patience & understanding!