Synced Tabs - no longer works
Dear Mozilla Support, [please forgive my poor English - FRENCH is my mother tongue]
CONTEXT - I use a Linux (Peppermint) Live DVD to surf the Web, always on the same laptop. I do NOT use any hard disk inside that laptop, just the Live DVD spinned by a DVD player. Only the RAM stores data => fresh new distro for every session - years ago, I created a Firefox account, and the Sync worked perfectly, and allowed me to back up my Bookmarks AND my Opened Tabs (they are stored in Mozzila's cloud, and after each sign in and a sync, they reappear in the left panel). Regarding the Synced Tabs, the left panel used to store all the previous Live DVD sessions (generally with the device's name: peppermint's Linux... (IIRC). - i do NOT use several devices, and do NOT wish to sync date acreoss them. I use Sync to get my Bookmarks and Opened Tabs synced across successive Firefox sessions, day after day. I worked perfectly well.
PROBLEM Since a few weeks, I noted that despite login and sync, on the left panel - Synced Tabs are now empty: no tabs synced at all => so I cannot seamlessly find back my opened tabs from one session to another (if I switch off my laptop, then later restart a new Live DVD session) - see screenshot = https://imgur.com/LO6jWLYl.png - Bookmarks are nevertheless still perfectly synced (see screenshot = https://i.imgur.com/Td0nbY2.png)
Many thanks for you help.
Kind regards from Europe.
All Replies (13)
UPDATE The "problem" is known: users expect that Tabs will be synced across successive sessions made on ONE device (after ON/OFF); the Sync functionality is for syncing across multiple device, when all are ON. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1318417
BUT, indeed, it would be nice if the Sync pushes back all the synced Opened Tabs if the "target device session" is empty (has no Tab at all) !! And, again, why then does Bookmarks still sync perfectly across successive sessions made on ONE device (after ON/OFF) ??
IN THE MEANTIME (temporary solution?) is there a file which contains all the Opened Tabs, that i could back up somewhere?
Thanks
UPDATED: Tabs are synced, but the only options to see them on another device or version of Firefox is to view and send them. see screenshot
Modified by jonzn4SUSE
Also, would a live usb stick perform better than a spinning dvd???
Thanks for you help. I tried the following: 1.0 regarding your Send Tab To Device suggestion: 1.1 I selected all tabs 1.2 right-click => send to device "peppermint's Firefox on peppermint" (the only one) 1.3 synced again 1.4 Result: left panel 'Synced Tabs' still empty 1.5 I logged out from my Firefox account 1.6 restarted Firefox; it crashed (as it very often does - because of the 32bits version?); restarted it again; then Synced again. 1.7 => same RESULT: left panel 'Synced Tabs' still empty !!
2. about:config => changed 2 values (assuming the setup wil be backup from one session to the next): screenshot = https://imgur.com/Jw7qktrl.png
(note that the browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID field was already in bold; I did not change anything)
SAME as for
1.5 I logged out from my Firefox account
1.6 restarted Firefox; it crashed (as it very often does - because of the 32bits version?); restarted it again; then Synced again.
1.7 => same RESULT: left panel 'Synced Tabs' still empty !!
3. Then I checked that tip: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1371900 But I'm lost (a bit of a newbie here...): - the helping poster writes: "make sure to backup the current sessionstore.jsonlz4" But in the session-store folder, all I have is this (NO sessionstore.jsonlz4): screenshot https://imgur.com/wA6zxEPl.png So, I'm lost. Anyway, this solution seems much too complicated: the OP here, Arex86 is entirely right: Mozilla should make this Sync feature working for backup from one session to the next (see all the sh** he encountered... It is not acceptable; X-marks used to do that seamlessly, so should Firefox, I regret to say).
I could try a USB Live distro, indeed. Thanks for the suggestion. But by using a Live DVD, my goal is precisely to use a read-only device. Possible, a 64bits Live DVD could help, but i strongly doubt, as: that feature *used to* work perfectly, and still works for syncing Bookmarks.
[So, regarding Bookmarks, does all this mean that I should back up them? I just backed up the json file ( < manage bookmarks, etc) ]
Many thanks for you help, but alas, for me, the problem is not yet solved as long as Mozilla does not provide a serious, user-friendly and reliable solution to this "simple" use case.
Kind regards.
I can boot to a live usb, then open Firefox and log into my account. My bookmarks and add-ons will sync and then I could see my other devices browser tabs which I could then open. It sounds like you're under the impressions that the tabs will automagically populate my live usb sessions when I log into my account. Nope, I can just view the tabs from another device and then open them on my usb stick session.
Modified by jonzn4SUSE
Let me go try it now.
Also, the sessionstore.jsonlz4 file is visible when Firefox is closed.
Here's a screenshot of my usb live session.
You say: "the sessionstore.jsonlz4 file is visible when Firefox is closed." My sessionstore.jsonlz4 file is NOT visible when Firefox is closed: screenshot = https://imgur.com/CsB2RD1l.png WTF?
Many thanks for you help, but i sincerely think this is hopeless until Mozilla understands there is a real need for that feature, and implements it. Again, I will refer to that previous post: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1371900 (poster: arex86; i think he has the last word, really).
Thanks again for the help, really appreciate your motivation to help :-) Have a nice weekend Kind regards.
Modified by olivertwist31416
(BTW, which software did you use to produce that nice annotated screenshot, in your post upwards: 2/23/24, 12:28 PM "Here's a screenshot of my usb live session" ? I struggle to find equivalents in Linux (Gnome, preferably) Thanks. )
KDE Spectacle for screenshots https://apps.kde.org/spectacle/
You could consider using bookmarks to back up the tab list. Press Ctrl+Shift+D to create a new folder with bookmarks for each tab open in the current window. A dialog will prompt for a folder name and location in the Menu/Toolbar/Other category.
UPDATE, [please forgive my poor English] Many thanks for your support.
After a new session (after ON/OFF - see 1st post/Context): MY Synced Tabs ARE BACK !! (go figure...). I didn't change anything to what I'm used to do: https://imgur.com/waucRJtl.png
Nevertheless, it is the 1st time that I enjoy my Synced Tabs again, so too soon to click the Problem Solved button, sorry.
Did Mozilla took action those last days, regarding this issue? (yes, i contend that it IS/WAS an issue).
Thanks.
_______________________________
ADDITIONALLY,
1. (BTW, note that those values in the about:config, that I had changed from FALSE to TRUE both returned to FALSE despite the sync (maybe normal): browser.sessionstore.restore_pinned_tabs_on_demand => FALSE browser.sessionstore.resuming_after_os_restart => FALSE Screenshot: https://imgur.com/Pecz7b9l.png )
2.
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer said
You could consider using bookmarks to back up the tab list. Press Ctrl+Shift+D to create a new folder with bookmarks for each tab open in the current window.
Thanks. Not yet tried. (and hope it will not be necessary in the future...)
3. Support interface: FYI, while Previewing Reply, I clicked on an image link (uploaded on imgur.com). It did not opened a new tab. I saw the uploaded pic, the when I went back to the support page, all my text was gone... I had to type again. Frustrating.